Best Plants for the Home Office or Workplace

When you work from home, it is easy to become overwhelmed and overworked. In a home office or workplace situation, many of us struggle to achieve a healthy level of separation between our home and work life. Our home office space can become heavy and claustrophobic which makes us struggle to work efficiently and productively. One of the best ways to breathe life into a home office or workplace is to add plants to the area.

Why Plants?

Much as we bemoan it, the daily commute assists in separating the home and workplace. It gets us outside and, in the best commutes, into fresh air and through some greenery. So the two best ways to bring the benefits of nature to your workplace are: take a walk before you sit down at your home office desk, and bring the outside in to your home workplace with plants. 

Office Greenery

Most corporate offices nowadays include some level of plant decor. From flowers on a reception desk to floor plants in communal rooms to individual desk plants. Research has shown that natural environments can replenish our focus and raise productivity. This is good news for your business!

Mental Health

By keeping contact with greenery while you work, your focus and even creativity will benefit. Natural colours and shapes are calming and soothing, reducing your stress levels as you work. So, plants have the power to make you happier at your desk as well as more productive.

Physical Health

Plants remove toxins from their surrounding area. They also cushion acoustics, so if you’re spending a lot of your time in Zoom meetings, your ears will thank you. In this way, plants make your home workspace better for your physical health too! 

Best Home Office Plants

So, what are the best plants for the home office or workplace? For a really great working environment, combine both desk plants and floor plants. 

Desk Plants

Sansevieria Moonshine

• Low maintenance
• Will tolerate low light levels
• Only requires water once every 2 weeks and wont mind if you leave it for 3-4 weeks

Scindapsus (Epipremnum) aureum

• Low maintenance
• Trailing looks great running down off a shelf
• Will tolerate low levels of light
• Water once every 2 weeks

Tillandsia (Air plants)

• Super cool!
• Require a soak in warm water once every 2 weeks
• Position the plant where it gets a good view of the sky. Requires a reasonable source of natural light
• No soil required 
• Can hang them, scatter them in multiple ways to display allowing you to have a lot of fun/creativity with the display.

Floor Plants

Euphoria ingens, branched

• Perfect for a bright sunny spot
• Easy care, its biggest problem is over watering in the winter
• Can be left for up to 6 weeks during the darker, greyer months

Monstera

• Low maintenance
• Needs exposure to bright light but not direct sunlight (it can dry up to 75% before being watered)
• Popular office plant
• Nicknamed the ‘swiss cheese plant’ on account of the irregular holes in its leaves
• Give your office a Jurassic Park feel
• Its big leaves will hide any manner of workplace detritus!

Ficus elastica/robusta

• A striking plant
• Makes a great focal point
• Only medium light, avoid direct sunlight, so don’t place at a south-facing window

Taking care of your plants

Of course, plants are living and while most of us search for home office plants that are low maintenance, they do require some level of care. The important thing about home office plants is to balance the benefits of the plant with convenient levels of maintenance. So, what should you be aware of when you take care of house plants? And how can you dovetail plant care into your working routine?

Listen to your plant

In the absence of office colleagues and kitchen chats, listen to your plant when it comes to watering! It’s easy to feel daunted by care instructions. Don’t over water, don’t under water - it feels like a narrow window! However, a quick touch of the soil will tell you whether your plant needs water so try not to feel restricted and be led by your plant. 

Use your screen breaks 

When you are working from a home office desk, it’s easy to lose track of time and neglect breaks. Use your plant care to nudge you into taking that much needed break from your screen. Move your attention away from the screen and check soil, remove leaves and reposition if you feel so inclined!

We have an upcoming web shop …Justplantsemporium! Where we will sell plants mentioned above along with a range of ECO pots, made from recycled plastics. Perfect for the home office.