We are all aware that plants brighten up your workspace, but they also purify the air that we breathe – absorbing carbon dioxide and removing toxins from the environment. Research shows that adding real plants to your environment can make us feel less tired, recover faster from colds, and help productivity.
We’ve researched the best plants that are suitable for any office space – whether your office resembles a dark broom cupboard, or a large bright room – there’s something for everyone.
Before we dive in, it’s important to remember that all plants need some natural sunlight to survive, however there are a range of levels to suit their needs. It’s important to keep plants in a steady temperature, so keep them away from radiators or air conditioning units. Plus, a quick tip for plant troubleshooting – if leaves turn yellow they are being overwatered, but a droopy plant needs more water!
Without further ado, here’s your guide to navigating the best plants for your workspace…
Spider Plant
Light: Partial light/heavily shaded areas
Water:1-2 days
Ideal For: Small offices and hanging from shelves
Maintenance Required: Low
Spider plants are ideal for hanging, making them perfect for small offices where you don’t have much desk or floor space. What’s more, they thrive in indirect light, so they can survive and flourish in dark, windowless offices. They also like to dry out in between waterings, meaning it doesn’t matter if you forget to water them for a few days!
The best part? Spider plants purify the air that you breathe – making your office a healthier place to be.
Snake Plant
Light: Little sunlight/heavily shaded areas
Water: Fortnightly
Ideal For: Large, darker offices
Maintenance Required: Low
Snake plants thrive in low-light conditions, which can boost morale for teams. In nature, snake plants grow naturally in densely-canopied forests – meaning that they are accustomed to surviving in low lights.
Snake plants will require larger pots than other office plants, due to their flat leaves growing to great lengths over time. It’s also best to place them on the floor or desk (rather than shelves) as they can grow in height.
They are incredibly easy-to-maintain, and hard to kill. So even the most forgetful team members can keep them alive.
Cactus
Light: Direct sunlight (ideal for a windowsill)
Water: Once a week, every 3 weeks in Winter
Ideal For: Any workspace
Maintenance Required: Low
Cacti are perhaps the easiest plants to have in your office – they require little watering and most types stay small, allowing them to fit anywhere. What’s more, there are over 2,000 different types of cacti in the world, so you’ll be able to find the perfect look for your office.
Bamboo Palm
Light: Little sunlight/heavily shaded areas
Water: Once a week
Ideal For: Large offices
Maintenance Required: Medium
Just like the Snake plant, Bamboo plants need very little sunlight – making them a perfect addition to low-light offices. Their beautiful green leaves add a pop of colour to your office, and Japanese culture describes them as ‘lucky’ plants, which may play in your favour (especially if you’ve got a big presentation coming up!).
However, bamboo plants grow incredibly fast, meaning they are best suited to larger offices.
Peace Lily
Light: Well-lit area – out of direct sunlight
Water: Once a week, misting leaves regularly
Ideal For: A pop of colour
Maintenance Required: Low
If you’re looking for colour in the office (rather than just green), the peace lily is for you. The white flowers are a beautiful addition to any office, but their properties are not just superficial. The plant has air-purifying features, removing toxins from your office and making it a nicer place to work.
What’s more, if you accidentally overwater your Peace Lily, it will likely forgive you (but please, learn your lesson).
Aloe Vera
Light: Sunlight
Water: Once every 3 weeks
Ideal For: Bright spaces
Maintenance Required: Medium
Not just a pretty sight – aloe vera plants have many benefits to your office. Once the leaves mature, you can gently squeeze out the gel to use for bruises and to hydrate your skin, ideal for the rise in hand sanitiser dry skin.
Like many other plants listed, they purify the air, and their lush green appearance is a charming addition to any office.
As long as the plant receives plenty of sunlight, it will easily survive in your office.
Succulents
Light: Sunlight
Water: Once a week
Ideal For: Any space
Maintenance Required: Low
Like Cacti, succulents are easy to maintain and keep alive. They come in a variety of sizes, meaning that they are ideal for any size office.
They should be kept on the dry-side with overwatering being avoided, and can be placed in either sunlight or artificial light.
Pothos
Light: Medium to low light
Water: Once a week
Ideal For: Hanging plant – smaller spaces
Maintenance Required: Low
If you’re short on floor or desk space, the Pothos plant is for you. These hanging plants are a great addition to small offices, with their pop of green to brighten up any space. Not only are they resilient and require little watering, they are easy to take care of.
And there we have it – the best plants for your workspace! There’s a variety of sizes, shapes and even colours, meaning there’s something for everyone. And if you’ve made it this far – this is your reminder to go and water your plants!
