Plants can add life to resident hall rooms

The industrial and practical designs of college spaces do not easily lend themselves to a cozy feel. Movie posters, bulletin boards full of tickets and postcards, and personal books propped up on standard issue bookcases do not reach the level of uniqueness and life some say a leafy, green, thriving plant can bring to a room.

“I think (a plant) makes a room warm and inviting,” said Janie Watson, Department Head of Houseplants at the East Cobb branch of Pike Family Nursery. “It’s fun to watch it grow.”

The benefits of having plants in living spaces can be numerous, but they’re not always obvious. Plants excel as air filterers, Watson said. According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, plants filter out toxins through photosynthesis. When a plant absorbs carbon dioxide, it also absorbs other pollutants and “cleans” the air.

But what plant would be able to stand up to the rigors of college life? From near drownings to dehydration, temperature fluctuations, inadequate light, long absences of caretakers and an occasional beer spillage are most likely inevitable occurrences for the collegiate plant.

Some students remain wary of taking on the responsibility of a living plant and would rather have the aesthetics of a plant without the work of a real one.

“Fake plants make me happy, and I don’t have to water them,” said Alexandra Oakley, a 19-year-old Atlanta apartment resident. “I already have two dogs, I can’t take care of plants, too.”

Many students sympathize with Oakley and agree pets take a lot of work, whether they are furry and barking or green and leafy. “I can’t trust myself with something like that,” freshman Katherine Austin said, cautious of owning a plant that would need care.

Some students, though, see the benefits of owning a plant outweighing the possible disappointment of it dying.

“I prefer real plants, I like taking care of them,” said sophomore Callie Heisner, who takes care of her bamboo plants on her desk and who grew mint, lavender and tomato plants among others last year. “(I like) keeping them alive, it’s kind of like a pet.”

Watson suggests a few plants that are best for busy college students and first-time plant owners.

The “zz” plant is one of the best plants for a forgetful owner, Watson said. Pike Family Nursery describes it as one that “thrives on neglect,” needs very little watering, and is practically foolproof. The shade-tolerant, brilliant green plant is sometimes called the “eternity plant” because it can last so long without care.

Another plant Watson suggests is the peace lily, a plant abundant in large green leaves with distinctive white flowers. It is one of the most popular houseplants, which does best in low light areas and usually only needs watering once a week.

The peace lily is also one of the top plants NASA lists from its Clean Air study that excels at filtering toxins from the air.

A third plant Watson suggests is the snake plant, also called “mother-in-law’s tongue” because of the sharpness of its leaves which are wide and blade like, and give a room a lot of green for little care. Watson recommends this plant for people short on time because it can handle irregular watering as well as low light areas.

Because of this tolerance, the Georgia Department of Agriculture lists it and the peace lily as two of the “easiest (plants) to maintain indoors.” The snake plant is also on NASA’s list of air purifying plants.

The biggest tip Watson had for first-time plant owners is to “stick your finger in (the soil), if it’s wet at all, don’t touch it.” She says the easiest way to kill a plant is to overwater it, which rots its roots.

A few small plants can be a minimal but meaningful investment for a student’s overall health and act as a significant addition to the healthy lifestyles of students. Aesthetically, a plant instantly adds life to a room and creates a green oasis in the brick and mortar of standard college buildings. Plants can be a benefit to students’ bodies and minds, and make a perfect roommate who does not hog the shower.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 2 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry