In a cluttered, dimly-lit room a few sizes too small, it’s easy for your dorm or apartment to start feeling stuffy. As an alternative to Febreze, plants are a great way to breathe some new life into compact living spaces. But who has time to keep a plant alive amid classes and extracurriculars, or while balancing a full-time internship and lengthy commute over the summer? Lucky for you, these plants require minimal attention. Figure out how much time you’re willing to devote to improving your space, then check out this array of college-proof vegetation
Orchid
This beautiful flower requires so little attention that watering it too frequently can kill it. You only need to water an orchid once every five to 12 days, and you can ei-ther give it a full dose of fertilizer once a month or a little bit each week. An orchid would thrive in bright dorms like Allison or Elder, or any apartment with lots of light.
Lucky Bamboo Plant
If your room doesn’t have much natural light (i.e. you’re stuck in the Bobb basement) this woody grass is a great option—and it’s also associated with good luck. Bamboo grows in thick forests, so too much light will kill it. Fill the plant’s container halfway with either bottled or tap water, and change the water weekly.
Jade Plant
Commonly known as the “friendship tree” or “money plant,” this tree requires care, so place it in a pot with drainage. It also needs more sunlight than an orchid or the lucky bamboo, so keep it by the window and rotate it every time you water to prevent it from leaning toward the sunlight. A jade plant only needs to drink every 10 to 20 days in the summer and once a month in the winter. Add water until the pot drains, and let the soil dry between waterings.
African Violet
These adorable purple flowers double as an accessory to your NU pride. If you take good care of them, they will continually produce flowers. These violets need to stay well-lit, but don’t worry if you don’t have a spot with direct sunlight. Be sure to keep your room around 65 degrees at night and 80 degrees during the day. Place the pot in a watertight saucer or bowl and water it lightly every few days.
Cactus Plant
Cacti are ideal for busy people. They only need to be watered regularly from spring through fall and don’t require much care outside of that. The most popular house cactus is the spherical golden barrel cactus, which sprouts yellow flowers in the summer with two to three hours of full sun per day.