I need a raise. You need a raise. Who doesn't need more money? According to researchers, one fast track to success is putting a green plant on your desk.
Having office plants can make you nearly 50 percent more creative and 40 percent more productive at work, British researchers reported recently. The findings come on the heels of an earlier study, by scientists at Texas A & M University, that concluded that workers in offices with live plants like their jobs more and feel better about the work they perform.
How do you measure increases in creativity and productivity? Researchers from the University of Exeter set up an experiment at last year's Chelsea Flower Show, creating four typical office settings in which 350 participants performed the same tasks. The results showed a marked boost in well-being, creativity, and productivity in workspaces that included live plants.
In Texas, horticulturalists at Texas A & M surveyed 450 office workers, asking them 80 questions about their satisfaction levels with their performance, supervisors, and coworkers. Office workers in workspaces that had live plants and window views reported feeling much happier at work.
I'm convinced. We all need an office plant. But which plant? Here's a list of 11 office plants we recommend. If we've forgotten your favorite, let us know in the comments section below:
Above: A pot of pothos tumbling from a mantel and a potted jade plant; photograph via Brass Tacks Garment Co.
No. 1: Pothos. There's a reason Golden Variegated Devil's Ivy Pothos ($10.99 from Amazon) was such a popular houseplant in the Seventies; it's a hardy plant that tolerates low light, and it will reward you with cascading growth if you just give it a little water once in a while.
Above: A Mother-in-Law's Tongue via Time of the Aquarius.
No. 2: Mother-in-Law's Tongue. Basically, this is A Houseplant You Can't Kill.
Above: Cactus at work via My Paradissi.
No. 3: Cactus. A single potted cactus looks adorable. A Tabletop Cacti Garden of different shapes and sizes is even more striking.
Re-potting? We've rounded up 65 of our favorite Pots, Planters, and Plant Stands in our Gardenista Shop.
Above: Paperwhites (R) and hyacinths under glass on a desk via Ikea.
No. 4: Paperwhites. Forced bulbs are a seasonal treat, and January is high season. Buy a few Paperwhite Bulbs from a local nursery, and pot them yourself. Here's a foolproof DIY: Paperwhites.
Above: A jade plant on an office bookshelf via My Paradissi.
No. 5: Jade. It's a succulent. It won't mind if you forget to water it. If you're a tactile person, dust off its leaves from time to time. We love the way Jade Looks at Home With Companion Plants.
Above: A desk-size fiddle leaf fig tree via The Nester.
No. 6: Fiddle Leaf Fig. We recently discussed How to Keep a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Alive; this desktop version would also be right at home in an office.
Above: Sized for a desktop, topiary as indoor accessory. Potted olive trees via Bo-laget.
No. 7: Olive tree. Yes, we agree; Tabletop Topiary Olive Trees are irresistible. Or Shop all our favorite Potted Topiary.
Above: A pencil cactus in a west-facing window; photograph by Erin Boyle.
No. 8: Pencil cactus. The New "It" Office Plant is a pencil cactus. And with good reason. Euphorbia tirucalli owes its popularity both to its good looks and its hardiness.
Above: The evergreen shrub Ming aralia.
No. 9: Ming aralia. Native, to Asia, has feathery foliage. A Ming Aralia in a 14-inch pot is $185 from Houston Interior Plants.
Above: Tillandsia suspended on a wall grid in the San Francisco offices of designers Philpotts Interiors.
No. 10: Tillandsia. You may know these hardy plants as air plants. But do you know How to Water an Air Plant?
Above: Photograph via Keshiki Bonsai.
No. 11: Bonsai. There's an easy, modern way to create a tabletop landscape at your desk. See DIY: Grow Your Own Bonsai.
Looking for the perfect office mate? Shop our Desktop Plant picks.