Low maintenance indoor plants for the office

When well cared for, a splash of plant life can work wonders for your office environment. Plants infuse an office with a vibrancy and aesthetic charm that can elevate the well-being and morale of your staff. Additionally, they make the office a more welcoming space for visitors. However, it’s crucial to maintain the health of these plants, as their lush and colourful appearance can swiftly turn detrimental if they appear sickly or neglected.

That’s why low-maintenance indoor plants are some of the best options for your office. A plant that always looks its best with only a little bit of attention and effort is going to give back more than it takes in time and resources.

 

What do we mean by low maintenance plants in Australia?

Australia boasts an array of indigenous, low-maintenance indoor plants, many of which are robust and accustomed to arid conditions. However, ease of care extends beyond just their minimal watering requirements. A truly low-maintenance plant should also necessitate little pruning or cleanup of shed leaves.

In Australia, there are plenty of options depending on the space you have available. For instance, if you have a vast, unused area that you wish to utilise to purify the air or enhance the well-being of your occupants, you might contemplate plants like the Umbrella Tree or a fig.

In addition to trees and palms, a variety of small indoor plants are also known for their low maintenance. These compact plants, versatile in nature, are an ideal choice for desks or counters, and add a welcoming touch to any office space. Small indoor plants such as the snake plant or Chinese money plant can serve as serene desk companions while you toil towards your deadlines. However, they might not suit larger spaces like a foyer or big meeting room where they could appear out of place.

Here are some suggestions for low maintenance indoor plant species that would work in giving different spaces around your office a vibrant, noticable feel:

Large indoor plants – low maintenance

 

Dwarf Umbrella Plant

These can grow up to 10m outdoors and produce a vibrant red flower. Indoors you don’t get the same growth or the flowers, but you do get the stunning deep green leaves that remain in great condition year round. This is a plant that can be killed with kindness and doesn’t need much feed or watering, making it the perfect easy maintenance indoor plant.

The dwarf umbrella plant responds well indoors and doesn’t require bright indirect light. Low light does affect its growth, but will not damage the plant. Regardless, it is fast growing, and so will require some pruning to keep it manageable. Interior plant designers such as Prestigious Plantscapes can help manage its growth so you get exactly what you need for the space available.

Alternative species: Schefflera ‘Madame De Smet’, Schefflera ‘Amate’, False Aralia, Schefflera ‘Gold Capella’.

 

Fiddle leaf fig

The fig is one of the most popular indoor plants because of its vibrant and textured leaves. It’s a popular plant for interior designers looking to give life to a space.

This plant should be repotted occasionally to reach its desired height, but once you have it, they are surprisingly low maintenance considering just how much they light up a space.

This fig needs bright indirect light conditions, as direct sunlight will burn the leaves. It generally requires a humid environment to grow but is hardly enough to survive in dry conditions. In the absense of humid conditions, the leaves should be wiped down with a damp cloth every few weeks so they remain vibrant. Doing so helps with the plant’s photosynthesising abilities.

At the root of it, it’s all about location with this plant, as changes in temperatures and conditions could force the fig to drop leaves.

Alternative species: Ficus Francis Goldstar, Ficus Bushy Prince, Ficus Bushy King

Small indoor plants – low maintenance

 

Snake Plant

Snake plants, often referred to as Mother in Law’s Tongue in Australia, are exceptionally hardy and among the top contenders for low-maintenance houseplants, a quality that equally applies in office settings. They stand as undeniable frontrunners in the realm of easy-care indoor plants, thriving even in low light while their robust leaves adapt to a multitude of environments. These plants demand little water, resist pests, and thus, are particularly easy to keep healthy.

The finest indoor plants combine effortless upkeep with visual charm, a balance deftly struck by the snake plant. Their distinctive leaf shape and vivid hues add a touch of aesthetic allure to their resilience.

Despite their hardiness, snake plants can suffer from overwatering, which leads to rot. Thus, keeping them in dry soil is crucial.

They make excellent desk companions, but certain species can reach heights of up to four meters, making them a striking addition to your office’s common areas.

Adding to their versatility, snake plants can endure a broad range of light conditions, from bright to dim, making them an even more appealing choice for any office setting.

While these plants require minimal upkeep, certain maintenance tasks like dusting off their leaves can enhance their longevity and appearance. This is where the expertise of a professional plantscape company can be invaluable. Our skilled horticulturalists can provide all the necessary care to keep your plants vibrant and thriving.

Alternative species: spider plant, money plant, Christmas cactus, happy plant

 

Air plants

These low-maintenance indoor plants have the unique ability to thrive without soil, absorbing nutrients directly from the air. However, within an office environment, they do appreciate a misting of water to mimic their naturally humid habitat. Even without a green thumb, they are quite simple to cultivate. Furthermore, they’re incredibly versatile, with the ability to grow either suspended in the air or nestled within a glass bowl.

Watering these plants is a breeze; a light misting a few times a week will suffice. Similar to other indoor plants, choosing an appropriate location within your office can significantly reduce the maintenance they require. As air plants generate their nourishment from filtered sunlight, spots near windows that allow for ample bright light are ideal.

Given the multitude of varieties of these air plants available, seeking advice from an expert on green space for offices can be quite beneficial. They can guide you in choosing the right plants and locating the best brightly lit spots to enhance aesthetic appeal.

Alternative species: Tillandsia – Caput Medusae, Tillandsia – Victoria, Tillandsia – Argentina, Tillandsia – Aeranthos Miniata.

 

Cast Iron Plant

The cast iron plant, true to its name, is virtually invincible, securing its place at the top of low-maintenance indoor plants. It thrives even in low-light conditions that would prove detrimental to most other plant varieties.

Boasting deep green leaves that can stretch up to two feet in length, this plant is not just an obscure corner piece for an office. While it does require watering when the soil dries out, it’s important to avoid waterlogging the soil. In reality, this resilient plant fares better in less moist conditions.

While cast iron plants can survive in low humidity, they prefer higher levels. They don’t tolerate frost, but within a temperature-controlled office, they are nearly indestructible. Even those lacking a green thumb can successfully sustain a cast iron plant.

Alternative species: peace lily, rubber plant, aloe vera

Thrive or survive

Australia offers a vast assortment of low-maintenance indoor plants, and the climate-controlled settings of offices provide the perfect environment for growing varieties typically not found in the region. This presents a unique opportunity to incorporate exotic species that will not only aesthetically enhance the space but also captivate office visitors.

Certain species flourish in an office environment, while others merely survive, resulting in slowed or even halted growth. These slower growing varieties are deemed low maintenance as they seldom require pruning and are less likely to shed leaves.

Choosing the right locations for these plants initially is crucial as plants that deteriorate may not recover simply by moving them to a more conducive spot. Although most low-maintenance plants require minimal watering, proper care involves more than just that. It’s the easiest, but not the only task necessary for maintaining plant growth.

 

 

High-maintenance plants, on the other hand, demand pruning, consistent monitoring, annual repotting, pest control, and cleanup of fallen leaves and damaged branches. They also need specific environmental conditions to survive.

The plants highlighted in this article can flourish in an office environment, provided they receive adequate light.

At Prestigious Plantscape, our indoor plant consultation can match plant species to available light and ventilation, ensuring your low-maintenance plants always look their best.

Office lighting for low maintenance indoor plants

Most offices feature a combination of low, medium, and bright light conditions, suitable for indoor plants. When correctly positioned, low maintenance indoor plants require minimal care.

Low light areas are typically spots lacking natural light, such as desk cubicles and rooms without windows.

Medium-light areas are often large open spaces away from windows, like hallways, meeting rooms, and common areas like lunch rooms. These expansive office spaces also provide sufficient airflow for plants like air plants that require well-ventilated areas. Hallways and high-traffic areas also promote better airflow due to people’s movement.

Bright light areas are usually found near windows, and corner offices often provide more light, offering a great opportunity to introduce greenery to help purify the air.

The selection of plants for your office is influenced by office design and lighting, as much as by the range of available plant species. To start enhancing your office space with greenery, get in touch with our professional greenscape designers at Prestigious Plantscape today.