Offices can be quite boring and lifeless, or overly busy, and cluttered areas. Of course, we all know that plants are vital to the worlds ecosystem and life in general, even the health of life. We have had various questions asked in the past about plants in office areas, so in this article, we are going to take a look at those questions, and the best office plants that you can use for a multitude of reasons.
Some of the more common questions about office plants that we have received are below.
- Are succulents good office plants?
- What are good artificial plants for office decor?
- Do artificial plants look good in office receptions?
- What are the best office plants for cleaning the air?
They are only some of the questions that we will be trying to answer throughout this article. However, if you have any other questions or ideas, feel free to comment in the section at the bottom of the post.
Are Succulents Good Office Plants?
First of all, we need to know what a succulent is. Succulent plants are varieties of plants that store water in their leaves and stems, giving them a swollen appearance. They have this ability to store water from the adaptation to living in dry environments. Depending on if you are a botanist or a hobbyist, you may consider cacti as succulents. However, for this article, I will include them, just so that you have more choice.
Before we get into the specifics of which plants you could use, you need to know that the generic ability of succulents to thrive in low water areas also include the need for a lot of sunlight. However, if you care for them properly, there is no reason why you can not grow them in low light environments such as offices.
Before you do so, here are a couple of points that you need to consider.
- Do not overwater them.
- Ensure the soil they have is well-draining.
Gasteria
Gasteria is a group of plants that include a variety of unusual plants that you can grow indoors. They are usually small and compact plants, making them ideal to have on your office desk. Growing Gasteria indoors is quite simple, as they will grow in either cool rooms with low amounts of sunlight or a window with direct light.
Another great thing about the Gasteria is that they do not attract insects much. However, one point worth noting before you purchase one of them is that you need to ensure that you keep the leaves dry, as they will go soggy and not look very nice if the water is on them for too long.
Aloe Vera
Possibly, no, probably the most common and well-known succulent is the Aloe Vera. They are known for producing the Aloe Vera gel that you see in many health and beauty products such as aftersun lotion and other skincare products. If you have one of these plants in your office, you can use the gel from the plant as an occasional moisturizer.
Aloe plants are another one of the best office plants that you can buy. As they are such low maintenance, you do not need to water them very often. Therefore, you will not have to worry about going away on holiday and leaving it behind.
Talking about watering, overwatering the Aloe plant will cause the roots to rot. But, in my opinion, that makes it even better for a busy environment such as an office. Learn how to care for you Aloe here.
So, in a mini conclusion, the answer to Are Succulents Good Office Plants? The answer has to be yes. They require a small amount of maintenance, they can live in environments that an office will provide, and they will live for long enough for you to have holidays and not need to water them.
What Are Good Artificial Plants For Office Decor?
Next on the list of common questions is; what are good artificial plants for office decor? Well, in my personal opinion, it is much better to have a plant like the succulents that I have already spoken about earlier. The reason for that is, they are natural, real plants that will give an added benefit to having a visually pleasing look. However, if you are determined to have an artificial plant for your office, then you will need to consider what you want it to look like first.
The one great thing about having an artificial plant in your office is that you can have almost any type of plant that you want, no matter the maintenance requirements of the real thing.
However, before we look at what plants are best to have, we will need to consider a few things.
- Where you want the plant
- Office decor
As you can see, there is not a lot of considerations for picking an artificial plant. Therefore, let’s have a look at a couple of types that you can buy.
Tabletop Artificial Plants For Office
Your tabletops or desks often look dull and uninviting. The question is, how do you work in that sort of environment? You can brighten up the area by adding a tabletop artificial plant. Not only will it brighten up the workspace, but adding some color into the workspace will reduce stress, therefore, increase productivity.
Freestanding Artificial Office Plants
If you have the room next to your desk or a communal area, then you may want to think about freestanding artificial office plants. They can add a considerable amount of color to an office with just one plant, and they do not require any maintenance other than the occasional clean. One thing that you will want to think about with these is where you are going to put it.
Of course, the first place you think about is, somewhere that many people can see. Although, what you may not think about as much is, if it is a high traffic area. If it is in a high traffic area, you will want a more sturdy, and less spikey plant, as you don’t want people knocking them over, or hurting themselves. Having a nook or secluded corner of the office may be a great place to put one.
So, as another mini conclusion, the things you need to think about when buying an artificial plant are where you want to put them, and the traffic of that place. Otherwise, there are no terrible artificial plants although I would still urge you to purchase a real one if you have the time to look after it.
Do Artificial Plants Look Good In Office Receptions?
Again, with the office plants section above, yes they will look great in office receptions. However, as you know, the reception is where you will be having all of the visitors to your company. Therefore, maybe something a bit more fitting for that company would look best. However, if it is just a generic plant that you are looking for, then, again, you have two main options — first, a freestanding artificial plant, secondly, a desktop plant.
Desktop Artificial Plants For Office Receptions
Having something a little more modern will give off the “up to date” look that you probably want for your company. Dark colors and sharp edges will often complete the contemporary look very quickly. If you take a look at the next image, you will see that this would look beautiful, modern, and stylish on a reception desk in any company. It would even look great on your work desk, too.
The other great thing about the image above is that it would not look overpowering on any desk, but it still adds a lovely touch of color. However, if you have ample space, then you may want to look at the next section.
Freestanding Artificial Plants For Office Receptions
When you have a larger area for a reception, it can quickly look too bare and uninviting. Only adding one of the plants like the one above, will probably not make much of a difference. Now is the time to look at some larger, freestanding plants.
Again, as a little conclusion, you can make a considerable impression with some of the best office plants, if you choose them well.
What Are The Best Office Plants For Cleaning The Air?
We all know that the air we breathe is lowering in quality all the time. The reason for this quality drop is due to the increase in toxins. There are toxins all around us that make us feel unwell. It is no wonder that we all pay so much for air purifiers. However, what if I told you that there was a way to have a beautiful office, that filtered the air at the same time?
Peace Lily
The peace lily is one of the most amazing indoor plants that you can have. They are known to filter the air that you breathe of at least five different toxins that you breathe while being in an office environment.
Those toxins include the following.
- Benzene – Found in glues and inks.
- Formaldehyde – Glues and cleaning products.
- Trichloroethylene – Solvents and adhesives.
- Xylene – Paints, varnishes, nail polish, and adhesives.
- Ammonia – Window cleaners
As you can see, there are many benefits to having a peace lily in your office. There are probably a couple of those items that your office uses daily. Not only do they take out some of the common toxins that may be present in the office environment, but they also look beautiful too.
Conclusion
Plants offer a range of benefits to any environment. However, if you use the best office plants that we have been talking about, then you will have the additional benefits too. Not only do they look beautiful, but they also give a peaceful and purer atmosphere to work in too.
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