Office plants are a great addition to a number of indoor working spaces, boasting an abundance of benefits including helping to purify the air and increase energy levels. They also add a hit of colour to minimalistic office environments.
Plants can instantly transform your office space into a relatively tranquil, peaceful, and vibrant place. However, if you’re not the green-thumbed type, you may struggle to keep office and desk plants alive and thriving. In fact, not knowing how to care for these plants could cause them an early demise.
To help you keep office plants alive and well, we‘ve created a list of the best plants to purchase for your desk, including a number of air purifying and mood-boosting species. Many of the options we’ve suggested are near impossible to kill too!
What are the best plants for your desk?
There are a number of plants to choose from when it comes to populating your desk with a little greenery, the majority of which don’t require you to take a degree in horticulture in order to care for them correctly…
Devil’s Ivy
Often referred to as Pothos (although this species is actually a different plant), Devil’s Ivy is a type of evergreen vine. The leaves are extremely large in size and are often heart-shaped. They also come in a huge variety of light and rich hues.
This plant is renowned for adapting well to a number of office conditions, including spaces with low light levels and office areas that are extremely bright. This makes it an easy-to-care-for all-rounder and a popular option for beginners.
What’s more, a pretty plant with heart-shaped, white-splotched leaves, is a cute addition to your desk, a shelf above your desk or a meeting table. Larger specimens are available and can be trained to wind around both poles and canes. They also look great when placed in larger pots on the floor.
Aglaonema
This species of plant is often called ‘aglos’ and is commonly known as the Chinese evergreen. These plants are prevalent due to the attractive hue of their leaves. The majority of species develop rich green leaves, which sometimes feature traces of silver or red.
The scientific name comes from two Greek words: ‘aglaos’ which translates to ‘bright’ and ‘nama’ which means a ‘filament’ or ‘thread’, referring to the beautiful and bold stamens produced within the plant’s blooms. It is a popular plant with the Chinese, as it is symbolic of long life (which is why it’s called the Chinese evergreen). Provided that you give them a little water and a little love, they require little else to thrive.
Ficus Benjamina
Known as the weeping fig, this versatile plant looks extremely attractive as a stand-alone specimen, or as part of a mixed display.
Ficus Benjamina is native to the tropical forests of India, Southeast Asia, and Northern Australia. It gets its name from an Indian acme, Ben-ja. Younger plants usually develop from seeds, which rest in the branches of other trees. These seeds quickly become aerial roots that are able to reach down to the ground.
The ficus surrounds the host trunk and over time gradually begins to fuse together, strangling the tree. If placing them in an office area, it’s important to position them away from cool drafts, windows, and doors, as this will harm them.
Zamioculcas Zamiifolia
Despite its complicated name, these plants – nicknamed the ZZ plant – are extremely easy to grow and care for. Their chunky stalks and oversized roots store a large amount of water, meaning you seldom have to water them.
They’re a great starter plant as a result and are a good species to invest in if you often travel away for work.
Even if gone for many days, it’s unlikely you’ll come back to a dying plant. In addition to low water, the ZZ plant can also withstand prolonged periods of low light. This makes it the ideal candidate for a desk space since in the winter season, these areas are often quite dark.
On top of low water and low light, this plant doesn’t need food or fertilizer, and doesn’t get attacked by pests, which makes it an almost hassle-free office plant!
Bromeliads
The ideal option for a reception or entrance area, or for corridor spaces! In the beginning, they tend to require a little more maintenance in order to bloom, as they are renowned for taking their time to flower. However, once in bloom, aside from a little water every now and then, bromeliads require very little care.
One of the main reasons they’re so low maintenance is that they don’t require much fertilizer, meaning they only necessitate water and someone to look over them every now and again. With their hot hues and bold blooms, they’re certain to brighten up any office space.
Philodendron
These species have been a popular indoor plant option for many years now, having been prevalent since their discovery in the late 1800s. They’re native to South America and come in various sizes and forms. The most popular variant is the Imperial Green, a man-made hybrid brandishing huge lush, deep-green leaves.
The leaves have a glossy coating and are able to withstand their sleek appearance, even when placed in the shade.
They tend to prefer low humidity and low temperatures between 65-68°F (c. 18-20°C). This makes them ideal office plants for spaces where temperatures are carefully managed, as they can be used as one of many plants to create a larger corner display.
For best results, place them alongside other Imperial Green’s or any other complementing plant species. This will create the appearance of an indoor tropical jungle.
Peace lily
With the botanical name, Spathiphyllum, this specie of plant boasts extremely wide, deep green leaves and picture-perfect white flowers which have given them their common name. The peace lily is popular due to being low maintenance and because they don’t require a lot of light in order to flourish.
They’re also very forgiving to the occasional over-watering.
Asides from their good looks, peace lilies are renowned for their air-purifying properties and are able to help remove toxins from the office air, creating a cleaner environment to work in.
They’re also able to withstand low light conditions and they’re a vigorous grower. These office plants are best suited to screening and to create a focal interest.
Source: ambius.com
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