Having house plants in the office is good for you – it’s official! According to research published in 2014, employees who are able to actively engage with their office surroundings perform better at work than those stuck in bare, soulless work spaces. Surprised? Us neither.
One of the easiest ways to liven up an uninspiring office is by a bit of greenery. Pot plants don’t have to be expensive nor take valuable management time to water them. The benefits in terms of productivity, morale and overall happiness are immense.
Here are three popular plants you might like to consider.
1. Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Succulents are very on-trend at the moment, so bring your office up to date with a pretty Japanese money tree. According to folklore, a Jade plant brings good fortune and financial success, which sounds like the perfect reason to have one on your desk.
Its characteristic dark green, glossy and fleshy leaves grow up and out, giving a structural and rather minimalist appearance, and the Jade plant responds well to bonsai cultivation. If you’d rather have a flouncy fern on your desktop, this is not the plant for you.
Some lucky owners may even be rewarded with a show of little white or pink flowers, but it’s probably not advisable to hold your breath.
Like all succulents, Jade plants retain water because of their plump foliage, which is very handy as they only require minimal watering – less than once a week. Overwatering is probably the best way to kill a money tree.
Jade plants will survive in most environments, even offices, but they do need a bit of daylight.
If you have a little patience, you can even grow your own. Simply break off a leaf, plant in fresh soil and wait for the roots to sprout.
2. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Another classic indoor plant, the beautiful peace lily is an eye-catching addition to any office environment. It’s a showy, space filling plant with plenty of dark green foliage and striking white ‘flowers’ which are actually modified leaves that grow hooded over the inner flower.
Peace lilies love shade and indirect lighting, making them perfect for offices that don’t have large windows. Nor do they like a great deal of water – a little attention once a week should be fine as long as you don’t let the soil dry out.
Interestingly, research into air purification properties of plants carried out by NASA as far back as 1989 concluded that peace lilies have exceptional air cleansing properties, including the ability to remove benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia. So, should you need a valid justification for putting one on your desk, there it is.
3. Fig Tree (Ficus benjamina)
Also known as a ‘weeping fig’, ‘Benjamin tree’ or ‘Java fig’, this piece of glorious greenery can range from a small pot plant up to a 3 metre high indoor tree. A popular evergreen shrub, its hanging branches have an abundance of dark green (sometimes variegated) leaves – perfect for adding a bit of nature’s allure to brighten up your office.
Make it as big or as small as the workspace around you allows. How about investing in several fig trees to screen off a reception area or hide an untidy kitchenette?
Ficus like lots of natural light and should ideally be positioned near a window. However, they hate draughts and they don’t like being moved. Once you have decided on the location of your tree, it’s best to leave it there as it will drop its leaves when unhappy. But don’t despair, just keep it well watered and all will be fine.
If you’re expecting functionality as well as lifestyle benefits from your plants, you’ll be pleased to hear that a fig tree in your office can help filter out toxic chemicals found in carpets and furniture that are trapped in the air.
Article provided by Mike James, an independent content writer in the interior design sector – working with a select few companies including Sussex-based mobile plant specialists Indoor Plants, who were consulted over the information contained in this post.
