10 Low Maintenance Plants For a Healthier Office

Office settings can often be sterile, health-draining environments. But the simple addition of an indoor plant can do much to improve the office vibe. Aside from adding a much-needed organic touch, plants can significantly improve mood and add visual interest, and even purify the air by removing airborne toxins.

As a result, indoor plants make both thoughtful and functional gifts for office workers. While many varieties are available, the following ten plants make an excellent addition to any office. Check out these ten low light office plants to brighten your workspace.

1. Peace Lily. Peace lilies, with their slender foliage and attractive white flowers, are common residents of households everywhere and no less functional in an office setting. The peace lily also places consistently amongst the top air-purifying plants, making it an especially good choice for the more health-conscious office dweller. The peace lily’s soil should stay moist.
2. Chinese Evergreen. The Chinese evergreen is low maintenance as well as attractive, with bright glossy leaves that can add color to an office. In its initial years, its size is well-suited for desktops; in later years, they can live in pots on the floor. The Chinese evergreen needs watering every few weeks.

   

3. Philodendron. The philodendron has a lot to offer with its bright, heart-shaped leaves and its ability to filter the air. As a plant that does well in containers under low light and in moist soil, the philodendron can thrive on desktops in any office.
4. Boston Fern. Boston ferns provide charming visual appeal with their brightly colored, delicate leaves and are sized to fit on almost any desk. The soil should remain moist, and while they do best in indirect sunlight, they can easily tolerate lower light.

   

5. Snake Plant. Also known as “mother-in-law’s tongue” for its sharp, tapered, and structured leaves, the snake plant serves up a combo platter of functionality in an office. This hardy, low-maintenance plant also has air-cleaning properties that make it an excellent plant for an office desk. The soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings.
6. Dracaena. With a name derived from the ancient Greek word for dragon, dracaenas stand out with their brightly colored, spiky foliage and their ability to clean the air. Dracaenas can grow to the size of floor plants but can remain desk-sized with proper pruning. Dracaenas prefer indirect lighting but can tolerate the low light levels of a windowless office setting. The soil should be kept moist.

   

7. Rubber Plant. A neat and trim little tree with shiny leaves, the rubber plant offers a pleasant slice of green in an office setting. In addition to its ability to tolerate low light, the rubber plant is top notch at filtering out harmful toxins in the air. It prefers moist soil, and it can start out sitting on a desk. Over time, however, it will grow to floor size and have to be transferred to a larger pot.

   

8. Pothos. While the pothos is a plant that is often mistaken for the philodendron due to their similar heart-shaped leaves, it still stands out with charms of its own. Resilient and highly tolerant of many environments, the plant demands the soil be allowed to dry between watering sessions. A pothos plant offers a stress-free option for an office environment, and as a bonus, you can share it with coworkers by starting pinched nodes in water or pots.
9. ZZ Plant. Glossy and compact, the Zamioculcas zamiifolia more commonly known as the ZZ plant, is a plant of incredible hardiness. It can do well in almost all lighting conditions, including low light, and also ranks as one of the top air cleaners. The plant can be pruned to maintain a compact size for desktops, or allowed to expand to a larger size in floor pots. ZZ plants don’t need water until the soil has dried out.

   

10. Spider Plant. Spider plants feature long, ribbon-like leaves of striped green and white that add visual appeal to an office. In addition to their efficiency at cleaning the air and ability to tolerate low lighting conditions, these hardy plants known for ease of propagation. When it has grown to a certain size, numerous starter tendrils can be shared with coworkers and started in pots to grow new spider plants. The soil of a spider plant should be kept moist.

    

Nature doesn’t have to stop where the office doors close, and neither does your health. Why not add one of these low light office plants to your workplace, and start reaping the benefits today!