Best Office Plants – 6 Plants to Brighten Your Work Day

It gives a sense of enjoyment and peace, health, and prosperity.

Why is it important in an office?

Let’s face it, computerized work, deadlines, and reports can be stressful and energy-draining tasks. It’s normal and a little bit frustrating but we roll our sleeves up coz bills and lifestyle are way stressful. Aren’t they? ( chuckles )

You also spend a large portion of your day working in your office, so why not make it a more enjoyable and beneficial place by adding some of these best office plants?

Besides making the area look better, the right choice of plants can provide oxygen, purifies the air and even improve feng shui.

Let’s see what the best plants for offices and cubicles are.

Office Plant Requirements

It is important, especially if you are working in a cubicle, that a plant you choose can tolerate, if not thrive in a low-light environment.

Another thing is low maintenance. Cubicle plants that require daily care, drop leaves easily or need a strict watering regimen may not be a perfect choice for a cubicle or even an office.

Feng shui may not be your thing, yet why not give it a try and energize your working area?

6 of the Best Office Desk Plants

Snake plants ( Sansevieria )

Easy to care for and edgy looking, a Sansevieria or snake plant is a good option for low to medium light office spaces.

It does not require frequent watering as it is able to retain a lot of it.

It is enough to water it every two to three weeks.

As it grows vertically it will grow neither too tall nor too fast as to overpower even the smallest of desks.

It is a great air purifier, easy to take care of and brings a unique look to any office space. You can check our Sansevieria care guide here.

ZZ plant ( Zamioculcas zamiifolia )

At the top of the list of ‘office plants, no natural light’ category is the ZZ plant.

It needs almost no water (you can water it as rarely as once a month!), it does not shed leaves, it can withstand low light environments (such as cubicles), and it does not grow very fast.

All of this makes it an ultimate desk plant, and you do not even have to worry if it will survive your vacation days alone in the office.

Besides being practically indestructible, it is quite interesting to look at.

It is dark green and has thick leaves aligned like a feather.

The ZZ plant really brings that personal touch to every office space, however small it may be.

Pothos ( Epipremnum aureum )

Pothos plants come in a lot of varieties and any of them would be a perfect choice among the best cubicle plants.

This plant is very resilient although it looks delicate.

Its other name is Devil’s Ivy. It can grow in soil or in water – which can give your cubicle a unique look.

It can form a bush or a vine, and it is up to you to decide how you want to grow it.

When it comes to watering it (if it is planted in soil) just use your finger to feel if the top inch or two of the soil is dry.

If it is – water it.

When kept in a water-filled container (i.e. glass) just make sure that the water is clean.

Pothos are perfect as office plants for they can tolerate low to medium light settings and can withstand drought. 

Pothos are one of the most forgiving indoor plants that would still grow with neglect. When you see their leaves drooping, that’s an indication that you already need feed.

Lucky bamboo

The bamboo plant is often found in offices because it is extremely low-maintenance.

All it takes to keep it alive is fresh and clean water.

Depending on its shape (it can come in really magnificent arrangements), you can keep it in a shallow glass or ceramic container filled with pebbles, a tall flute glass, or a bowl.

Just add a bit of water to keep the level optimal, and, from time to time, wash the container.

Do this when you notice the water getting greenish.

Lucky bamboo is a good cubicle plant since it requires moderate light. And it is said to bring luck and prosperity to a person who owns it. This is great if your performance needs a bit of a boost.

Besides, with its minimalist look, it always appears polished and modern and gives your cubicle an exotic feel.

Peace Lily ( Spathiphyllum )

The peace lily is by default an outdoor plant. However, they can adapt indoors and are considered to be one of those good office plants that can actually form beautiful flowers.

It does not require direct or bright light, and it can tolerate artificial light as well.

It is a bit more demanding in the watering department. Peace Lily likes the soil damp and starts to wilt when it is dry for a few days.

To avoid this, make it a habit to check the soil condition once a day, and you will know when it needs watering.

According to feng shui experts, it brings harmony and peace to the environment, as its name suggests.

However, it is the best at producing oxygen and for its air-purifying properties.

It will keep you alert and it will neutralize harmful radiation and positive ions from electrical appliances such as laptops or computers.

Succulents and Cacti

Succulents and cacti are for those of you who are likely to forget that you have a plant to care about even if it is in front of you for eight hours every day.

Luckily for you, you can go without watering them for over a month.

Mini succulents and cacti look adorable in their tiny containers. And you can even have a few without them crowding your space.

Great varieties are the Jade plant and Chinese money plant. Both are believed to bring money to the owner which is great for a workplace plant.

The greener it is the more money it gets. The same goes for the number of leaves.

The only thing you should worry about is that they do require at least moderate light. This means they are good for offices or window-side cubicles, while cubicles with no natural light might not be the best option.

Other suggestions for office or cubicle plants are philodendrons, dracaenas, aloe, and ficus. And, if all else fails, you can simply pick up a flower arrangement on your way to work, and enjoy it while it lasts.