The Ultimate Guide to Office Plants: Enhance Your Workspace with Greenery

Are you looking to spruce up your office space with some greenery, but you’re not sure where to start? Adding office plants can do wonders for your mood, productivity, and overall well-being while you work—whether you’re at home or in a traditional office setting. Not only do they bring a touch of nature indoors, but they can also improve the air quality, increase humidity, and add visual interest to your workspace.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top 27 best office plants that are low-maintenance and perfect for any work environment. From succulents and peace lilies to indoor trees and flowering plants, there’s a plant on this list for every type of office space. These plants are easy to care for, even for those with a busy schedule who may not be able to tend to them every day.

Benefits of Office Plants

Before we dive into our list of the best office plants, let’s take a moment to explore some of the benefits of having greenery in your workspace:

Improved mood and productivity: Research has shown that having plants in your office can boost your mood, reduce stress, and increase productivity.
Air purification: Certain plants are known for their air-purifying properties, which can help remove toxins and improve air quality in your workspace.
Humidity control: Plants release moisture into the air through a process called transpiration, which can help increase humidity levels and create a more comfortable environment.
Visual appeal: Adding plants to your office can enhance the aesthetics of your workspace and create a more inviting atmosphere.

With these benefits in mind, let’s explore the top 27 best office plants that require little maintenance but offer big rewards.

Snake Plant

The snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) is a tough and resilient plant that thrives in low-light environments. This plant is perfect for those who may not have access to natural light or are looking for an easy-to-care-for option. Snake plants require little special attention, making them an ideal choice for busy office workers.

Light: Bright, indirect sun for eight hours a day
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

African Violet

African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) are small indoor plants that can easily thrive in an office setting. These plants are not picky about light sources and can even thrive under fluorescent lighting, making them a great choice for windowless offices. With their beautiful blooms and easy care requirements, African violets are a popular choice for office spaces.

Light: Ideal in a north or east-facing window
Water: Moderate watering
Mature Size: Varies

English Ivy

English ivy (Hedera helix) is a low-maintenance plant that adds a touch of greenery to any office space. With its trailing climbing nature, English ivy can be a beautiful addition to your desk or shelf. This plant thrives in bright, indirect natural light and requires average watering to thrive indoors.

Light: Medium light, indirect natural light
Water: Average watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant (Zamioculus zamifolia) is a drought-tolerant succulent that can thrive in low-light environments. This plant does well with fluorescent bulbs as its primary light source, making it an excellent choice for interior office spaces. With its unique black stems and foliage, the ZZ plant adds a touch of elegance to any workspace.

Light: Tolerant of low light
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera plants are easy to grow and maintain, requiring lots of bright light to thrive. With their attractive appearance and soothing properties, Aloe Vera plants are perfect for modern office spaces. Choose from cultivars like ‘Minibelle’ or ‘Tiger Tooth’ for a unique touch to your workspace.

Light: Bright light on a sunny office window sill
Water: Moderate watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Philodendron

Whether your office is flooded with natural light or tucked into a cozy corner, the philodendron plant adds cheer with its glossy green leaves and trailing habit. These plants require regular moisture to keep their lush appearance, making them a great option for those looking for a low-maintenance plant for their desk.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Tillandsia

Air plants (Tillandsia) are a unique and low-maintenance option for office plants. These plants do not require soil and can be affixed to driftwood or arranged in unconventional containers. With their green, silver, or rosy spiked foliage, air plants are a great way to add a touch of nature to your workspace.

Light: Varies by species
Water: Regular misting
Mature Size: Varies

Oxalis

Oxalis, also known as wood sorrels or shamrock plants, are houseplants that add a splash of color to your office space. With their shamrock-like appearance and bright foliage, Oxalis plants are a great way to add a pop of color to your desk. These plants thrive in bright light and low humidity, making them a great choice for office environments.

Light: Bright light
Water: Moderate watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Rex Begonia

Any of the jewel-like cultivars of the Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum) can adorn your office desk with their unique foliage patterns. With dozens of cultivars to choose from, featuring speckles, veining, and swirling patterns in various shades, Rex begonias add a touch of elegance to any workspace.

Light: Indirect light
Water: Moderate watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is a popular indoor plant known for its unique appearance and easy care requirements. These plants thrive in low light environments and can even grow in water, making them an ideal choice for office workers looking for a low-maintenance plant.

Light: Low light
Water: Maintain water level in container
Mature Size: Varies

Pothos

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a simple green plant with heart-shaped leaves that grows quickly. With its long vines that can trail along walls or shelves, Pothos is a great option for adding greenery to your office space. This plant is flexible about lighting conditions and can tolerate low light or fluorescents.

Light: Tolerant of low light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Cactus

Cacti make excellent indoor office plants, with two main groups to choose from: desert cacti and forest cacti. Whether you prefer a hairy spined desert cactus or a more succulent forest cactus, these plants are low-maintenance and add a unique touch to your workspace.

Light: Direct sun
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies by species

Spider Plant

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are fast-growing plants with long arching leaves, making them a popular choice for office spaces. These plants thrive in indirect light and prefer warm, humid environments, making them an ideal choice for those looking for a low-maintenance plant for their desk.

Light: Indirect light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies

Peace Lily

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) are known for their large glossy green leaves and rare white flowers, making them a soothing addition to any office space. These plants prefer lower light conditions and require moderate attention to thrive, making them a great choice for those who want to add a touch of elegance to their workspace.

Light: Lower light conditions
Water: Moderate watering
Mature Size: Varies

Jade Plant

Bring some good luck and prosperity to your office with a jade plant (Crassula ovata). With its thick, fleshy green leaves and cheerful appearance, jade plants thrive in bright, indirect light and require minimal maintenance to thrive.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies

Weeping Fig

The weeping fig tree or ficus tree (Ficus benjamina) is a broadleaf evergreen plant that thrives in well-lit office spaces. With its small glossy green leaves, variegated varieties, and long lifespan, the weeping fig tree is a popular choice for filling corners in offices.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Moderate watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Spiderwort

Spiderwort (Tradescantia) is a petite plant with pretty purple foliage that’s perfect for adding a touch of color to your desk or shelf. These plants require minimal care and do well in regular potting soil and almost any light condition, making them an excellent choice for low-maintenance office plants.

Light: Bright to medium light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Parlor Palm

The parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a graceful and frothy plant that adapts well to low light conditions and requires minimal watering. With its slow-growing nature and air conditioning tolerance, the parlor palm is a great choice for office workers looking for an easy-to-care-for plant.

Light: Low light
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies

Nerve Plant

Brighten up your dimly lit office with a nerve plant (Fittonia albivenis). With its ovate green leaves decorated with white, silver, or pink veins, the nerve plant adds a pop of color to any workspace. These plants thrive in diffused or fluorescent lighting and require regular watering and misting to thrive.

Light: Diffused light, fluorescent lighting
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Ponytail Palm

The ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is a cute and sassy indoor tree that tolerates neglect and requires minimal care. With its strappy green leaves and succulent nature, the ponytail palm is a great option for desktop specimens in shallow pots, making it an ideal choice for office workers with limited space.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies

Prayer Plant

Prayer plants (Maranta leuconeura) are known for their unusual ribbed patterns and markings on their green foliage. These plants are somewhat fussy and require humid, warm air to thrive, making them a unique choice for office workers looking to add a touch of exoticism to their workspace.

Light: Indirect light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies

Peperomia

Peperomia (Peperomia spp.) is a low-maintenance plant with sturdy foliage in a variety of textures, colors, and variegations. These plants are slow-growing and forgiving of neglect, making them a great choice for desk plants in bright, indirect light.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Cast-Iron Plant

The cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a sturdy and long-lasting plant that thrives in low light conditions and requires minimal attention. With its glossy green leaves and tolerance for neglect, the cast-iron plant is a great choice for office workers looking for an easy-to-care-for plant.

Light: Low light
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies

Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen plants (Aglaonema commutatum) thrive in low-light conditions and are easy to grow and maintain. With their large and glossy leaves, Chinese evergreens are a great choice for office workers looking for a slow-growing plant that adds a touch of elegance to their workspace.

Light: Low light
Water: Infrequent watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Umbrella Tree

If your office is brightly lit and has space to spare, consider adding an umbrella tree (Schefflera spp.) to your workspace. These plants have delicate green leaves shaped like flower petals, forming an umbrella shape, and come in a variety of colors and variegations.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies by cultivar

Money Tree

The money tree (Pachira aquatica) is a low-maintenance and hardy plant believed by feng-shui practitioners to bring positive energy into a space. With its rapid growth and cheerful appearance, the money tree is an excellent choice for office spaces with bright to medium indirect sunlight.

Light: Bright to medium indirect sunlight
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies

Majesty Palm

The majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis) has long arching green fronds and adds a tropical touch to any office space. While challenging to grow indoors, the majesty palm thrives in bright, indirect light and requires humidity and regular watering to thrive.

Light: Bright, indirect light
Water: Regular watering
Mature Size: Varies

While all plants require light to survive, some plants do well in low light and can even thrive with a grow light or fluorescent light. Try pothos, nerve plants, or a money tree if you have to rely on artificial light. Chinese evergreen, aloe vera, and lucky bamboo are among the easiest office plants to grow, though all of the plants on this list are easygoing plants that won’t be a hassle in the office. If your goal is to add greenery and color to your office, then fake plants can be a great alternative to real plants (they’re definitely easier to take care of!). However, real plants offer you the opportunity to nurture something in your office and take a few minutes to step away from your desk.

In conclusion, adding plants to your office space has a wide range of benefits, from improving your mood and productivity to purifying the air and enhancing the aesthetics of your workspace. With the top 27 best office plants listed in this guide, you can easily find the perfect plant to bring a little life to your desk. Remember to choose a plant that fits your office’s lighting conditions and maintenance requirements, and enjoy the many benefits that greenery can bring to your workspace.

References:
– Claudio, Luz. Planting Healthier Indoor Air. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119(10), A426-7, 2011, doi:10.1289/ehp.119-a426
– Snake Plant. ASPCA.
– Hedera helix. North Carolina State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
– The zz plant | horticulture and home pest news. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
– Aloe. National Library of Medicine.
– Aloe. ASPCA.
– Dieffenbachia and Philodendron. National Capital Poison Center.
– Heartleaf Philodendron. ASPCA.
– Shamrock Plant. ASPCA.
– Rex begonia. ASPCA.
– Dragon Tree. Pet Poison Helpline.
– Golden Pothos. ASPCA.
– Peace Lily. ASPCA.
– Jade Plant. ASPCA.
– Tradescantia. North Carolina State Extension.
– Aglaonema commutatum. North Carolina State University Extension.
– Schefflera. North Carolina State Extension.
– Schefflera. ASPCA.

By incorporating some of these low-maintenance office plants into your workspace, you can create a more inviting and productive environment that benefits both you and your colleagues. So why wait? Go green in your office today and enjoy the many benefits that plants can bring to your daily work routine!