The 5 Plants That Secretly Keep You Healthy At Work

There’s one in every office – the Desktop Gardener. Their cubicle closely resembles a National Park, with each one of their 20 plants perfectly manicured and expertly fed and watered. We often wonder if they do work other than looking after their plants.

However, far from not doing any work, the Desktop Gardener may actually be more productive than everyone else at work.

Having a plant (or ten) increases oxygen levels around your workspace, refreshing that stale, recycled, dry air found in every office. More oxygen makes you feel more awake and alert, and so you get more work done in a shorter timescale. Plants also increase moisture levels in the atmosphere which helps relieve dry, tired eyes and dry skin, caused by over processed by air conditioning and heating.

In addition to that, plants help clean the air of dust, bugs and pollutants, which can stop you getting sick – even if the whole office has the flu!

So, if you’re switched on to the idea of getting a desk plant, here are the five least killable best plants to keep in your office.

Spider Plant, source

1. The Spider Plant

These grow best if you work in an office with good natural light, but thrive if you don’t sit right next to a window, as direct bright sunlight can make the leaves go all brown and crunchy. They also only need to be watered once a week, and don’t freak out if your boss is obsessed with keeping the air conditioning on, even in the winter. The classic office cubicle plant.

       2. The Pothos

This is more commonly known as Devil’s Ivy, but don’t let the name trick you – it’s actually super simple to take care of. It grows well in low light and low humidity for those dark, virtually windowless workplaces, and you don’t need to worry about forgetting to water it. Even if you just chuck your leftover coffee/tea on in every once in a while it should do fine. And if it grows a bit too much, just grab the scissors and chop some off. Easy.

      3. The Heartleaf Philodendron

Another plant that will tolerate just about anything you can throw at it. It lasts for just about forever, and thrives in office conditions. Fluorescent lights don’t bother this plant, in fact, it loves them; and even if you completely neglect it, it should still pull through with a good drink of water.

       4. Lucky Bamboo

One for the person that kills everything, bamboo doesn’t even need soil to grow. Just pop it in a vase with some water and pebbles for support, and watch it thrive. Just remember to top up the water every couple of weeks and you’ll have a stylistic, modern piece of greenery – it’s the cool person’s cactus. The stems are also bendy, so braiding and twisting them into fun shapes can make for a good distraction from the computer screen.

Peace Lily, source

      5. The Peace Lily

This plant is great if you need something hardy, but want something that little bit exotic. It grows well in the office conditions of dry air and low light, but fluorescent lights and constantly moist soil will mean you get the best blooms. Give it a little love, water it a couple of times a week, and you’ll get the payoff. Peace Lilies are also one of the best air purifiers, making one of the best office plants.

Have you tried growing any of these plants in your office? What are your favorite office plants?

Jasmine Ayres is a keen gardener with a special interest in how plants affect our wellbeing, particularly office plants. She recommends Ambius, the experts in plants, interior landscaping and how office plants help increase productivity and wellbeing at work.