Plants are a fantastic way of improving the quality of life in an office job. This small but meaningful connection to the natural world can bring positive mental health benefits to employees. As Melbourne Environmental Consultants, we understand the importance of creating a healthy and safe working environment. Plants should not be underestimated in their benefits. Introducing evergreen plants to an office space can help reduce stress and noise, improve office productivity, and produce oxygen.
Which plants are suitable for your office space? In this list, we will discuss several options for some beautiful office plants to add some natural elements to your workspace. With many Melbourne offices shifting to a hybrid model of working from home and in-person, it is important that the plants remain low-maintenance and evergreen, so they are colourful and green all year round.
Philodendrons
Philodendrons are an easy plant to look after due to their adaptability to indoor conditions. The plants are responsive to poor conditions and will provide visible signals that they need more attention by virtue of their colouration. The world checklist of selected plant families has accepted 489 different species of philodendron, with the family originating from the Caribbean region and parts of tropical South America.
Position the plant in a bright area with indirect sunlight, if the leaves turn yellow, it means too much light is hitting the plant.
Peace Lily
These plants thrive indoors and are easy to care for. Peace lilies require shade, minimal sunlight, and watering once a week. The plant will signal if it is unhealthy with the leaves starting to droop. In the spring season, a white flower will bloom from the plant’s stem. A notable feature of this species is their air purifying capabilities. The NASA Clean Air Study established that peace lilies can “clean gaseous environmental contaminants, including benzene and formaldehyde.” However, the air purifying capacity is too small to be reasonably functional.
Sansevieria Moonshine
Due to the appearance of the twisting vertical leaves, Sansevieria is alternatively known as the ‘snake plant.’ The species is native to the west African region. Common house and office plants, grow rapidly, reaching a size of up to 60cm. However, their upward growth and small horizontal profile make them great to fit in office spaces. Sansevieria Moonshine flourishes in morning sunlight or other forms of natural, indirect bright light. A member of the succulent family, this plant is low maintenance and requires minimal feeding and watering – hence its popularity indoors.
Yucca
This evergreen plant is native to arid, desert and grassland regions throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and some parts of southern Canada. There is a wide range of species suitable for a variety of environments and climates, coming in various shapes and sizes. Yucca species can be recognised through their head of sword-shaped leaves that protrude outwards from the top of the plant’s trunk. The appearance and trunk resemble that of a miniature palm tree. However, not all Yucca species are suitable for office use. Y. Alofolia is colloquially known as ‘the Spanish bayonet’ due to its incredibly sharp leaves. Avoid this species for any use where people may encounter the leaves. The most common species of indoor Yucca is Y. Elephantipes. Try and provide your Yucca with the maximum amount of light possible for the given space. Throughout summer and the hotter months of the year, increase watering to as frequently as once a week.
Kentia Palm (Howea Forsteriana)
As environmental consultants in Melbourne, we understand the importance of utilising native species when introducing plants to artificial environments. If you are looking for an indoor plant that is native to Australia, consider the Kentia palm. (Well, technically this plant originates from Lord Howe Island, however, it is common in Australia.) This is a larger office plant that you can put in the corner of a room or in an open space away from a walking path. Potted Kentia palms can tolerate a lack of care. Low humidity, in-frequent watering and cooler temperatures are suitable for this plant, as over-watering can rot the roots and kill the plant. In their natural environment, these plants can grow up to the immense size of 10m. It is unlikely that they will achieve this size potted in an office, and they grow very slowly.
Alpha Environmental are a Melbourne environmental consultant team dedicated to generating the best environmental solutions for your office and business. Whether you need site test, contaminated soil testing, asbestos testing or more – Alpha Environmental provides a wide array of services to cover all your environmental business needs.
To learn more about our Melbourne environmental consultant capabilities, get in touch with us today by calling 1300 039 181 or by filling out our online contact form.
