Best Low Light Plants for Greening Your Home Office

Let’s face it, most home offices are often in the least desirable, spare room of a house  and often have low light which can be difficult when it comes to greening your remote work space. Luckily, there are many indoor plants that can thrive in low light and still give you the benefits of a greener home office. Greener offices have been shown to increase concentration, boost productivity, and add to feelings of emotional well-being (read more here). In addition, a Texas study showed that plants in work spaces increase innovative thinking, creativity, and problem solving. They even increase humidity in the air to healthier levels.

Growing Conditions

Before choosing a plant it’s important to check the type of care it needs: how much water and fertilizer. If a high maintenance plant doesn’t fit into your work day then purchasing one that thrives with less water might be the better choice. Many houseplants of tropical origin will require higher humidity levels and misting if your indoor air is dry. Houses heated by forced air will generally have dry air and houses heated by steam radiators will have more humid air. If the plant of your choice requires a little extra light to bloom, like a Christmas cactus, consider a grow light to give it the extra amount of time it needs to flower. Also look up how fast the houseplant grows. If it is a fast-growing plant it will require re-potting more often. Lastly, check how the plant reproduces - by plantlets, suckers, or stem cuttings. This information will factor into how many new plants you will either gain or have to give away to friends and family.

Terrariums

Buying or creating a terrarium, plants enclosed in a glass container, is a simple way to offer a warm, humid environment for tropical plants. A closed terrarium creates its own mini-water cycle so plants get the moisture they need. Small tropical plants are a good match for closed terrariums. Open terrariums can be planted with plants that thrive in dry air. Aloes and cacti are matches for this type of terrarium. With the closed terrarium you will not need to water much, because the plants, soil, water, and light are creating a micro-water system. An open terrarium will not require watering often, because the plants in it do not require much water. There are many videos online with instructions on how to create a terrarium from large fishbowl-sized ones to miniature mason jar ones.

If you’re ready to enjoy the benefits of indoor plants even in a home office with low light, scan the list below for some great additions to your office. Remember, if you have pets, children, or anyone in your home that might try to eat a plant, make sure it is nontoxic if ingested or touched.

• Bromeliads
• African violets
• Boston fern
• Cast iron plant
• Christmas cactus
• Corn plant
• Dracaena
• Goldfish plant
• Lipstick plant (will bloom in sunlight)
• Maidenhair fern
• Orchids (some species require more light than others)
• Peperomia
• Swedish ivy