Best Air Purifying Plants For The Office
Liven Up Your Office Space With These Easy To Care For Plants
Not only do plants improve the atmosphere in your office, but did you know they also boost your productivity? Office plants are able to reduce CO2 levels, detoxify, and freshen up the air, providing a productive and stimulating environment that allows you to conquer your to-do list.
From many perspectives, and especially for your own health, it is worthwhile to stock up on these green friends. According to NASA's Clean Air Study, plants can reduce levels of benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, and other chemical compounds found indoors. It is recommended to have at least one plant per 100 square feet of living or working space to benefit from the air-purifying properties.
In this article, you will find a list of plants that can improve your indoor air quality while being extremely easy to care for which make them ideal for any office environment!
Snake Plant
It’s no wonder why we listed this guy as one of our top picks for the office. Snake Plants (Sansevieria) or also known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, are one of the toughest plants out there. You can neglect them for weeks on end, and they will still look fabulous. These extremely low maintenance plants come in 70 different species, and help remove toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene like a boss.
Light: Low light, or indirect light
Care: Very little water every few weeks when the soil feels dry.
Spider Plant
Spider plants (Chlorophytum Comosum) rank among the most common and well-known indoor plants. Beginners particularly enjoy this plant, as it is easy to grow and propagate, tolerant of neglect, and capable of thriving under most climatic conditions. Spider-plant gets its common name from the long, trailing stems that produce small plantlets that resemble spiders.
Light: Bright, indirect light.
Care: Water Water your Spider Plant when the top 50% of the soil is dry. This is generally once every week or two in the summer months, allow to dry a bit more during the winter months.
Chinese Evergreen
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema Modestum) is an extremely versatile tropical foliage plant that can make any office worker look like a gardening pro - it takes so little time and effort to keep healthy! This is probably one of the hardesty houseplants you can grow inside your office, tolerant of conditions like poor light, dry air, and drought - which are commonplace in many places of employment. Chinese Evergreen becomes a truly effortless plant when given the proper growing conditions.
Light: Can tolerate low light, but the variegated ones will maintain their luster in medium to bright, indirect sunlight.
Care: These plants don’t like being soggy, so wait until the top two inches of soil is dry, and then water thoroughly.
Peace Lily
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum), make a stunning addition to any house or office. They also known as closet plants, and a great air purifying plant known for their beautiful flowers. They help clear the air of formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and benzene. When it comes to indoor plants, peace lily plants are some of the easiest to care for. However, while peace lily plant care is easy, proper growing conditions are still important.
Light: Bright, indirect light
Care: The low-maintenance air purifying indoor plant's leaves droop when it is thirsty, essentially telling you when it needs water, but once a week is recommended.
Bamboo Palm
Bamboo Palms (Chamaedorea seifrizii) make the perfect addition to any office jungle – they bring depth and colour while being low maintenance. Unlike most tropical plants, which need bright indirect light to thrive, the Bamboo Palm can tolerate minimal light to thrive.
Light: Bright, indirect light
Care: Give the palm lukewarm water two to three times per week in the summer and once a week in the winter.
Pothos
In addition to being incredibly easy to care for, the Pothos Plant (Epipremnum aureum) or otherwise known as Devils Ivy, can tolerate even the darkest cubicles, and the brightest windowsills. This sprawling plant can survive even if you forget to water it every now and then. The Pothos Plant is a perfect office companion and will rarely give you any troubles. If you forget to water in every now and then, it will survive, although you should pay attention when the leaves start drooping – that means it’s thirsty! When the leaves start turning yellow, that means it is being over-watered.
Light: Bright to low light
Water: Water once the top inch of soil feels dry.
Zanzibar Gem (ZZ Plant)
While ZZs flourish in moderate to brighter lighting conditions, they will still survive in low light conditions. Like cacti, they also require very little water, so they don't need to be watered constantly. Additionally, it's a very hardy plant. When the leaves start to fall off, give it a good watering. It will bounce back in no time!
Light: Grow well in low light conditions but prefer bright, indirect light
Care: Water once every two weeks or when the soil is dry.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is often used in a variety of ways. This plant is used to soothe sunburns, make face masks, to hydrate drinks, to purify air, and so much more. Every office should have one. Aloe Vera is also known for its ability to filter out formaldehyde, which generally appears in wood varnishes and carpets. Maintaining it is simple, and it is very forgiving when you forget to water.
Light: Medium to direct light.
Water: Water once the soil is fully dry.
Not quite ready to commit to an office plant? We offer a variety of Air Purifying devices perfect for any office environment. Reach out to us today for more information.
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