It’s that time of year when students are returning to college/university or going off for the first time. Some will be used to seeing plants as part of the home and may want to engage with some of their own in their college dormitory or shared house. So we’ve put together some choices that will survive with less care!

Kenneth Freeman, plants@work Chair suggested some easy to care for plants perfect for a student’s room:

Echeveria courtesy of Gardeners World

• Succulents
• Aspidistra
• Beaucarnea

Our Ambassador Ian Drummond suggested the following plants. Ian says, “House plants are a great way to help students feel at home and are great for your general wellbeing too!

My top plants for students are those that are super easy to care for and can take some neglect!

• Sansevieria - very hardy and easy to care for! Just don't over water!
• Aloe Vera - easy to care for and great for your skin too!
• Spathiphyllum, the peace lily - easy to care for and gives constant colour.
• Spider plant - super easy to care for and propagate it's little Spider plants.
• Yucca - the ultimate student plant! Easy to care for, takes neglect and can be a plant for life!

See Ian’s book, At Home with Plants available from Perennial and Amazon, for more details about plant care.

Joanna, our office and project manager, suggested:

Orchids – I know that this is not the obvious choice, but they can provide the colour and are very easy to look after

Phalaenopsis orchid courtesy of orchidsinfo.eu

Zamioculcas – it’s lush and very robust, can thrive just about anywhere; it has a deep green foliage that looks great. It can be quick growing providing high impact for the dorm.

Sansevieria cylindrica – it’s a beautiful architectural plant, that looks very stylish, and does not take much space which can be a bonus in smaller dorms. My son’s plant has been through a few moves and survives his forgetful watering schedule very successfully

Coll, our Marketing Manager suggested the following plants, some you’ll see have been mentioned in other suggestions:
• Succulents
• Sanseveria
• Spathiphyllum aka Peace Lily
• Kalanchoe
• ZZ plant aka Zamioculus
• Chlorophytum comosum – spider plant
• Crassula ovate – Jade plant
• Tradescantia Albiflora

Tradescantia - courtesy of Pexels

The RHS Recommends

The RHS reminds us that ‘Having indoor plants can improve mental wellbeing, productivity and air quality and looking after another living thing can remind you to take care of yourself.' 

• Improve attention span
• Reduce fatigue
• Decrease stress
• Improve mood
• Purify air

Their top five suggestions are:

• Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)
• Cactus
• Dracaena sanderiana (Lucky Bamboo)
• Chlorophytum comosum (Spider plant)
• Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen plant)