Office plants can increase the humidity around a desk, help purify the air, and add visual interest to your workspace decor. There’s no limit to how many plants you should have in your office just as long as you remember to give them a drink at least once in a while. Choose from this list of low-maintenance plants that will survive in an office and many named below even thrive in an office without windows. Read the plant label carefully to avoid choosing a cultivar that grows several feet high. Instead, look for a dwarf selection like ‘Futura Superba’ or ‘Whitney.’ Perfect for houseplant newbies, snake plants require little special attention—give it a drink from your water bottle on your way out the door on Friday and enjoy this slow-growing desk plant. Although sufficient light is necessary for blooms, African violets aren’t picky about the source of that light, and a fluorescent lamp aimed at the plant is acceptable. A window that faces north or east provides ideal light conditions; avoid placing this plant in direct sunlight. They are also favored small office plants. Miniature violets, less than 6 inches in diameter, mean that even the smallest spaces can accommodate a flowering office plant. The ZZ plant is native to Africa and will do just fine with fluorescent bulbs as its only light source. The laddered leaves of the common ZZ plant are a pleasing addition to the office setting, and the nearly black stems and foliage of the latest ‘Raven’ cultivar look stunning against a white desktop. The standard Aloe barbadensis is attractive enough for any modern office space, or you can explore the merits of the dwarf ‘Minibelle’ or the speckled ‘Tiger Tooth’ cultivar that only looks like it has sharp teeth. Grow them in a sandy cactus mix to ensure the excellent drainage these plants require. For a handsome container combination, grow the silvery mottled ‘Brandi’ cultivar along with a standard green variety like ‘Green Heartleaf.’ The Tillandsia genus includes several hundred species in the bromeliad family, all with green, silver, or rosy spiked foliage. As epiphytes that are accustomed to growing among shady tree branches, air plants don’t need much light, but those on sunnier desks are more likely to grow a flower spike. Mist the entire plant weekly because the modified scales on the leaves will absorb the moisture the plant requires. Ironically, some types of oxalis are treated as lawn weeds, but the cultivated types are a bit more mannerly. Look for Oxalis vulcanicola ‘Zinfandel,’ with deep burgundy foliage and yellow flowers. These plants do well in low humidity but require bright light for best color. A variety of leaf textures add interest with ruffles, puckers, and colorful hairs lending distinction to varieties like ‘Stained Glass,’ ‘Marmaduke,’ and ‘Escargot.’ Rex begonias do fine in low light but need sufficient humidity to thrive. Growers sometimes shape lucky bamboo stems into fun shapes like spirals, weaves, or even hearts. Left to their own devices, the stems of lucky bamboo will eventually outgrow their trained shapes, but plants grow slowly. Lucky bamboo grows well in low-light environments and can grow without soil when the stems are submerged in water. However, make sure the water level doesn’t sink below the stems or the plant might not recover from this desiccation. Many people like to grow pothos with long lengths of vines to trail along the walls of a cubicle or office. But they can get tangled so keep the office scissors handy (and sanitized with some rubbing alcohol) so you can trim the vines. Pothos likes bright and indirect light but never complains if it’s relegated to a spot under a fluorescent light or in low light conditions. Look for ‘Neon’ and ‘Silver Satin’ because both types of pothos are extremely tolerant of an office’s dark or low-light conditions. Some cacti produce blooms, such as the Christmas cactus (of the forest kind), which is a pretty and very durable year-round plant. Also try the Easter cactus indoors because it’s an easy plant to grow, especially for beginners. Cacti are perfect office mates because they don’t need pruning and they’re slow-growing so they’ll rarely need to be repotted. The only caveat is that they’ll require a sunnier spot to thrive. Spider plants don’t require much TLC. They prefer warm, humid offices and thrive in spots that get indirect light but keep them away from air conditioning vents that cause dry air. Keep soil slightly moist but never soggy for happy plants. If your spider plant looks a little sparse over time, it will need to be repotted so its roots have more room to spread. Cut away the baby plantlets and propagate them in new clay or plastic pots and well-draining soil for a few new plants to fill your office. Give your peace lily a spot near a window that gets filtered light. This plant prefers loose potting soil that’s well-draining, and keep it more underwatered than moist (which is helpful when you go on vacation). But as soon as you see the peace lily droop, it’s telling you it needs a drink so it can perk right back up. The peace lily is another plant you need to be watchful over if you bring your pet to work since it’s toxic to animals. Having enough light for your succulents is key in helping your plants thrive in an office environment. Low lighting isn’t ideal for this plant or other types of succulents. Instead, place succulents on sunny sills, but not in direct harsh sunlight or the leaves will burn. If you love growing jade in your office, experiment with other succulents such as string of buttons and hen and chick succulents. A variety of succulents brings an abundance of texture and visual interest into your workspace. Make sure visiting pets can’t access succulents because they are toxic to animals. A weeping fig tree is a great way to fill a corner in an office. But pick the location carefully; the Ficus benjamina does not like to be moved. It also prefers an abundance of sun and lots of water so choose a spot where you won’t forget about your tree. Spiderwort likes humidity but if your office is dry, opt for misting the plant once a week as part of your watering schedule. If the leaves begin to brown, up the misting schedule to every few days. The plant does well in regular potting soil and almost any light. However, the more variegated the plant, the brighter the light it needs to thrive. Just keep it away from direct sunlight to avoid leaf burn. For solid purple leaves, opt for ‘Purple Heart’ and for more reddish foliage with silver stripes, grow.T. Zebrina pendula. Parlor palm adapts to low light and can’t tolerate too much watering, making it an exceptionally attractive office plant that can easily enhance an office with little to no effort on your part. Weekly waterings should suffice. No worries about killing it by forgetting to water it—the plant’s fronds turn yellow as a message that it’s time for a watering. Since the parlor palm is a slow grower, lasts for decades, tolerates air conditioning, and rarely needs repotting, it’s considered an ideal office plant. The nerve plant is not one to be forgotten, though, so you’ll need to remember to water and mist it since it likes high humidity levels. If it is in distress, you’ll know it because it literally falls over when it’s dry. A good watering will bring it back to life. This plant tolerates diffused light as well as office fluorescent lighting, regardless of its color veins. For pink veined leaves, look for ‘Fortissimo’ or ‘Red Star’ varieties. It’s a slow-growing, long-living plant that tolerates neglect. To keep a ponytail palm happy, put it in an area of the office that has bright and indirect light. Pot it in a snug pot with cactus/succulent potting mix with extra peat moss blended in to enrich the soil. Water every 10 days to two weeks; the bulbous stem holds the water. Admittedly, prayer plants are not the easiest plants to grow and maintain—they aren’t drought-resistant and dislike being near air conditioners. But they can live in shady corners of the office that other plants may not be able to tolerate. And they aren’t too picky about the type of soil they’re offered. Waterings should be frequent to make sure the soil is slightly moist to the touch. Prayer plants require room temperature or warm water, so avoid cold water. Varieties, such as M. leuconeura massangeana and the more common M. leuconeura erythrophylla have different colored veins and leaf markings. This plant will forgive a bit of negligence. Water when the soil is dry, rarely fertilize it, and put it in bright, indirect light, or a little less light. Peperomia are versatile plants that thrive in an orchid potting medium or regular potting soil with some added peat moss. There are handfuls of peperomia plants to outfit your office. Try P. verticillata ‘Belly Button’ for its tiny leaves or P. caperata ‘Suzanne’ with its deeply ridged foliage and silver accents. The sturdy, long-lasting cast iron plant can grow well in low light conditions and doesn’t require much watering. All it really asks is that you keep it away from direct sunlight which will burn its leaves. For more interesting foliage, choose ‘Hoshi-zora’, which produces green leaves with yellow and white speckles or ‘Variegata’ which grows green leaves with white stripes. Chinese evergreen is beloved as an office plant because it’s easy to grow, prefers to be left alone more often than not, and offers different colored leaves. Though the plant does well in low light, the more variegated and colorful the leaves are, the more warmth and light it will need to thrive. Mist your plant if the air in your office is on the dry side. Colorful versions of Chinese evergreen include ‘Red Zircon’ with green leaves and pink blotches and ‘Silver Bay’ and ‘Maria’, both varieties with green leaves and silver tinges and stripes. Dwarf umbrella trees can produce solid green, variegated, or nearly white leaves. ‘Dazzle’ has nearly white leaves and ‘Gold Capella’ offers golden and green variegated leaves. Since the tree leans towards whatever source of light it senses, you may have to turn the plant every now and then so it’s better balanced as it grows. Though it prefers more light, this plant will adapt to any type of office lighting (except direct sunlight).
