Choosing the Perfect Plants for Your Home Office

This is the time of year you find yourself missing green spaces, blue skies, and warm sunshine. And, if 2021 finds you still working from home, it definitely feels like the time to freshen up your home office space. Adding a live plant to your home office is the perfect way to bring the natural world indoors. Not only do plants bring the beauty of nature into your space, but they also improve the air quality in your work environment, increase your productivity, and reduce your stress levels.

The first step is finding the right plant for your office space. There are several factors to keep in mind to ensure that your relationship with your new officemate is a long and healthy one. The size of your space, the amount of natural sunlight, and how much time you are willing to commit to your plant will determine which plant is your best match. The following guidelines can help you choose the perfect plant.

1. Choose a Plant That Fits the Space.

Keep in mind that your plant will grow and change over time. Make sure that your plant will have adequate airflow and space to grow. If your office has limited space, choose accent décor plants, air plants, or jade plants. You can also look at plants that prefer hanging, such as spider plants, which will not take up surface space. Choosing a slow-growing or small potted plant provides all the benefits of a live plant and a compact design.

2. Know How Much Light Your Plant Requires

Be sure to consider the amount of light your plant will receive in your office space and the time of day the room receives the most sunlight. Many plants prefer the morning sun rather than the much harsher afternoon sunlight.

Tropical houseplants such as Schefflera arboriis prefer a generous amount of sunlight but do not tolerate direct sunlight. If you have a home office with little natural light, consider plants such as peace lilies or Chinese evergreens. Regardless of the amount of light in your workspace, there is a plant out there that is suited to your space.

3. Consider the Amount of Time You Want to Spend on Plant Care

Be realistic about the amount of time you want to spend caring for your new officemate. Adding a plant to your workspace should be a source of joy and not another task on your to-do list. Caring for plants can improve your self-esteem and help you prioritize your own self-care, but only if caring for your plant is manageable. Snake plants, spider plants, and succulents require very little care. Other plants may require pruning, repotting, and consistent water monitoring to thrive. Plants such as croton, a tropical plant, require lots of humidity, and ficus trees will need yearly repotting to thrive. Make sure that the plant you choose matches your desired level of interactions.

Stop by Marquette, MI’s tropical greenhouse and let us find you the perfect match. All plants are currently 20% off throughout January. Contact us at (906) 273-1335 and let us help you bring the beauty of the natural world to your home office.