The Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum): Here’s a pretty neat guy. The spider plant is a houseplant that pretty much everyone, myself included, has seen at least once. The plant produces thick, flat leaves with your typical solid green color. Don't worry about any issue with temperature, it pretty much grows anywhere. Personally, I think this looks a lot like a little mini-palm tree and gives off a solid tropical vibe. This one is at number one because I saw my mom grow it once and it's still kicking. That means nothing to you, but trust me, she does NOT have a green thumb.
The Holiday Cactus (Schlumbergera): I feel like you should've expected a cactus on this list, y'know? I mean, think about it for a second. These guys survive in habitats that are some of the most lethal places in the world, which means it's perfect for sitting on your desk in order to add some color to your dorm. These plants come from Brazil, where they often hang from mountains by their strong roots. This type of cactus often blooms during that nice little string of holiday seasons between November and January, hence the name. When they do actually bloom, you'll see a brightly colored flower, often colored red, white, pink, or purple. These plants don't do too well with direct sunlight and need relatively frequent waterings in order to stay healthy.
The Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus): A mushroom like this is by far my favorite inductee on my little list, particularly because it's entirely edible! If you succeed in raising this little guy through the treacherous world of mushroom-hood, you can feel free to chop him up and make a soup, salad, or whatever floats your spore. The blue oyster mushroom is most likely the one you'll end up growing and is one heck of a bloomer, particularly in cooler temperatures, so maybe place this guy by a vent in the AC or something. Just to make it extra easy on you, I'm pretty sure they have little indoor mushroom kits you can buy too.
Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller): Okay, okay, okay, so this one is edible too. Does that take away from the uniqueness of the mushroom? That's for you to decide. Unlike the mushroom, though I'll be honest with you, I don't think it'll be the best in a salad. Aloe vera is a rather large plant with fleshy leaves coated in a wax-like substance. The defining feature that I’m sure everyone reading this has heard of is that the aloe vera plant contains within its leaves a thick, gel substance with a variety of purposes, including but not limited to lotion, burn ointment, and shampoos. It’s a pretty neat thing to have on hand.
The Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata): Here’s another one you probably end up seeing everywhere. The snake plant, also lovingly called the mother-in-law’s tongue, is renowned for its inability to die. It's an evergreen plant with long leaves that have a yellow outline; they look very wormy to me. You can place this bad boy down just about anywhere mildly warm. As long as you remember to water everyone once in a while, it'll be just great. He doesn't have any fancy features like the mushroom or aloe vera, though. It just looks nice.
“Holiday Cactus.” Wisconsin Horticulture, Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension, hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/holiday-cactus/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.
Sayner, Adam. “How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms: The Ultimate Step by Step Guide.” GroCycle, 9 Apr. 2024, grocycle.com/how-to-grow-oyster-mushrooms/.
“Spider Plant, Wisconsin Horticulture, Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension , hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/spider-plant-chlorophytum-comosum/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.
Toscano, Kim. “How to Grow and Care for an Aloe Vera Plant.” Southern Living, Southern Living, 3 Sept. 2024, www.southernliving.com/aloe-vera-plant-7487448.
Jones, Alexandra. “A Handy Guide to the Snake Plant (Dracaena Trifasciata) to Care for It like a Pro.” The Spruce, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2024, www.thespruce.com/snake-plant-care-overview-1902772.
Comments