They can also increase the humidity around a desk and add visual interest to your workspace.
The most important aspect of an office plant is that it’slow maintenance.
It should be able to survive without frequent watering andhandle low lighting.
The Spruce / Ellen Lindner
Ready to go green in your office?
Here are 27 of the best office plants to bring a little life to your desk.
Read the plant label carefully to avoidchoosing a cultivarthat grows several feet too tall for your workspace.
The Spruce / Alonda Baird
Instead, look for a dwarf selection like ‘Futura Superba’ or ‘Whitney’.
Snake plant is toxic to pets.
A window that faces north or east provides ideal light conditions but avoid placing this plant in direct sunlight.
The Spruce / Alonda Baird
English ivy is toxic to people and pets.
The nearly black stems and foliage of the ‘Raven’ cultivar look stunning in a neutral workspace.
The plant is toxic to humans and animals.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
The standardAloe barbadensis milleris attractive in amodern office space.
Consider the dwarf ‘Minibelle’ or the speckled ‘Tiger Tooth’ cultivar.
Grow them in a sandy cactus mix to ensure the excellent drainage these plants require.
The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
Aloe is toxic to humans and animals.
The philodendron requires regular moisture to keep its lush look so aself-watering potcould be a lifesaver.
Grow the silvery mottled ‘Brandi’ cultivar with the simple greenPhilodendron hederaceumfor a handsome combination in a container.
Tetra Images/Getty Images
All philodendrons are toxic to people and animals.
Tillandsia
Air plants(Tillandsia), do not require soil.
It’s also toxic to animals.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
ensure they also have sufficient humidity.
Rex begonias are toxic to pets.
Have fun on your breaks shaping lucky bamboo stems into shapes like spirals, weaves, or even hearts.
Geri Lavrov/Getty Images
Lucky bamboo grows well in low light and can grow in water.
Lucky bamboo is toxic to animals.
Grow pothos with long lengths of vines to trail along the walls of a cubicle or office.
Daniela White Images/Getty Images
Cultivars ‘Neon’ and’Silver Satin’are extremely tolerant of an office’s dark or low-light conditions.
Pothos is toxic to animals.
Cactus
The Spruce / Kara Riley
Cacti thrive as indoor office plants.
Elizabeth Fernandez/Getty Images
Some cacti produce blooms, such as theChristmas cactus(of the forest kind).
Cacti don’t need pruning and rarely need repotting since they grow slowly.
As soon as you see the peace lily droop, it’s telling you it needs a drink.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
The peace lily is toxic to animals.
These succulents have thick, fleshy green teardrop-shaped leaves that grow in a cheerful upright direction.
The right light is key for this succulent.
The Spruce / Anastasiia Tretiak
The jade plant is toxic to animals.
It can live up to 50 years but beware, it doesn’t like to be movedor ignored.
Its leaves are typically small glossy green ovals; variegated varieties includeFicus benjamina variegataandF.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
It requires minimal care for its lush foliage.
The plant does well in regular potting soil and almost any light.
Zebrina pendula.The plant is mildly toxic to humans and animals.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
It’s a slow-growing, long-living plant that even tolerates air conditioning.
Its ovate green leaves are decorated with deeply pronounced white, silver, or pink veins.
You’ll need to remember to water the plant because it likes high humidity levels.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
This plant tolerates diffused light and fluorescent lighting, making it the perfect cubicle plant.
‘Fortissimo’ or ‘Red Star’ varieties have pink veined leaves.
It’s a succulent rather than a true palm.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
The plant’s leaves remain flat during the day but fold up at night to look like praying hands.
However, they live in shady corners of the office that other plants may not tolerate.
Peperomia
Peperomia (Peperomiaspp.)
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant forgives some negligence.
Peperomia thrives in anorchid potting mediumor regular potting soil with some added peat moss.
verticillata’Belly Button' for its tiny leaves orP.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
caperata’Suzanne' with its deeply ridged foliage and silver accents.
This is ideal if you have an office with a north-facing window and room to fill.
The plant prefers to be left alone most often, though colorful varieties may need more warmth and light.
The Spruce / Krystal Slagle
The tropical houseplant has delicate drooping green leaves shaped like flower petals forming an umbrella shape.
Umbrella trees can produce solid green, variegated, or nearly white leaves.
‘Dazzle’ has nearly white leaves and ‘Gold Capella’ offers golden and green variegated leaves.
The Spruce / Alonda Baird
Just turn the plant for balanced growth.
The plant is toxic to people and pets.
This quick-growing plant adds 2 feet of height per year.
The Spruce / Lisa Ruschioni
Place it inbright to medium indirect sunlight, for at least six hours a day.
With the right touch, this cheerful green tree can live for a decade in your workspace.
This palm requires humidity, bright but indirect light, moisture, and annual repotting.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
The trick is in the lighting because too much sun can scorch and burn the fronds.
But it’s a beautiful plant for a bright corner of the office.
Try pothos, nerve plants, or a money tree if you have to rely on artificial light.
The Spruce / Anastasia Tretiak
Hedera helix.North Carolina State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
The zz plant | horticulture and home pest news.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
National Library of Medicine.
Dieffenbachia and Philodendron.National Capital Poison Center.
Dragon Tree.Pet Poison Helpline.
Leticia Almeida / The Spruce
Tradescantia.North Carolina State Extension.
North Carolina State University Extension.
North Carolina State Extension.
The Spruce / Kara Riley
The Spruce / Kortney Gloska
The Spruce / Kara Riley
