Considering livening up your leasing office with some foliage? You should! Various scientific studies show that plants reduce toxin levels, improve air quality, increase productivity, and reduce stress — in addition to their aesthetic appeal. Before having your office “go green”, however, it is important to know which plants thrive indoors and how to care for them. Let’s take a look.
Which Plants Should You Choose?
The following list contains just five of the best indoor plants to choose from:
1. English Ivy. In terms of ability to filter air, English Ivy was determined to be the highest ranking plant, according to a study conducted by NASA. English Ivy thrives in medium sunlight.
2. Snake Plant. The Snake Plant is highly durable and doesn’t require very much light or water. The snake plant is especially good at absorbing CO2 levels at night.
3. Bamboo Palm. The Bamboo Palm is another high scorer on NASA’s list for it’s ability to absorb toxins and purify the air. It needs a good amount of water and prefers indirect light or a bit of shade.
4. Spider Plant. The Spider Plant is easy to grow and fights pesky pollutants. It is also one of the most common indoor plants.
5. Red-Edged Dracaena. With a strong preference for lots of sunlight, the Red-Edged Dracaena can grow to be taller than 10 feet and removes airborne toxins.
How Should You Care For Them?
After purchasing your plants, you must learn to properly care for them. Two of the most important aspects of plant TLC is giving them proper lighting and watering.
Light.
Most plants that you buy include a tag that mentions how much light and water they need, and if not, you can always ask one of the workers. For plants that only need a small amount of light, don’t worry about their placement too much. Plants that require a medium amount of light should be placed by north-facing windows without direct sun exposure. Plants that need a high amount of light should be placed near south-facing windows or under a grow light.
Water.
The biggest fear of many plant owners is that they will accidentally under-water their plants. They may be surprised to find out, however, that the #1 killer of houseplants is over-watering.
Luckily there are a few tricks that help to know when or when not to water. If the soil has a lighter color or is beginning to crack, it’s craving some water. The soil should be moist but not wet (you can put your finger into the soil to check). If there is standing water at the bottom of the pot, if the leaves have brown, rotten patches, or if fungus or mold is growing on the soil surface, you are over-watering your plant.
Keep in mind that adding plants to your office can keep you, your residents, and potential renters happier, healthier and more productive!
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Taylor Fish
Taylor is a staff writer for Multihousing Friends and a student at Brigham Young University.