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Plants for Small Spaces

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

Spring is here and Earth Day was just a short week ago, which means now is as great a time as ever to embrace the season and invest in some easy-to-care-for plants to make your tiny dorm or apartment a happier, healthier place! As we all learned in elementary school science, plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. They can also remove chemical vapors and indoor air toxins, meaning having some green in your room will not only add to its charm, but provide much-needed fresh air! When deciding on the perfect plant, you want to look for something that requires little maintenance. Think plants that need only minimal watering, don’t require a lot of direct sunlight, and won’t grow too much (transferring it to a bigger pot is just a hassle you don’t want to deal with, and besides, then it’d take up even more of your already too-small space).

Bamboo – Easy to care for, especially because bamboo won’t drop leaves.

Cacti – There’s so many different varieties which you can plant together in a cute pot to maximize the aesthetic appeal! 

African Violets – If you’re looking for something with flowers, these bloom in vibrant shades of purple and pink all year long!  

Jade – While these plants don’t require too much watering, if you do opt for jade, it’s best to keep it in your window sill because they require a good amount of direct sun. 

Mint – Not only is this plant easy to grow, you can use the leaves in your tea!

With these hearty plants, you won’t have to worry if you don’t have a “green thumb.” It’s time to push aside those silk flowers on your nightstand, and enjoy the benefits of a living plant.

Lily R. Hansen, a 2017 UW-Madison graduate, served as a managing editor of the HC Wisconsin chapter beginning her sophomore year. An avid reader and writer, Lily also has a passion for live music and breakfast foods.  
Madison is a senior at the University of Wisconsin pursuing a major in English Literature with minors in Entrepreneurship and Digital Media Studies. Post college, Madison plans to complete her dreams of being the next Anna Wintour. In her free time, Madison enjoys listening to Eric Hutchinson, eating dark chocolate, and FaceTiming her puppies back home. When she isn't online shopping, or watching YouTube bloggers (ie Fleur DeForce), Madison loves exploring the vast UW Campus and all it has to offer! She is very excited to take this next step in her collegiette career as Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief for HC Wisco. On Wisconsin!