15 Low Maintenance Plants That Will Actually Thrive in Your Office
- 1/15
1) Cacti
BUY NOW $18 for 4, amazon.com
If you're a plant novice, pick up a cactus. These plants thrive in natural light and only have to be watered once a week during the spring and summer, and every three weeks during the fall and winter.
- 2/15
2) Air Plants
BUY NOW $14 for 5, amazon.com
These spidery guys don't even need soil to survive. All you have to do to water them is dunk them in water for two or three hours every 10 days—a perfect activity while you labor the afternoon away crunching numbers.
- 3/15
3) Pothos
BUY NOW $20, amazon.com
Also known as Devil's Ivy, this sprawling plant is incredibly easy to take care of. It can tolerate the darkest cubicles and the brightest, window-filled offices with ease, and will still survive when you forgot to water it every once in a while. Look for cues on what kind of care it needs—yellow leaves mean it's been overwatered, while a droopy plant is thirsty.
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- 4/15
4) Jade Plants
BUY NOW $10, amazon.com
These plants only require medium light for a few hours every day, so they can sit just about anywhere in your office. Since the soil should dry out before you water them, we recommend taking a second to test the moisture when you walk in every morning.
- 5/15
5) ZZ Plant
BUY NOW $29, amazon.com
While ZZs thrive in moderate to brighter light environments, they'll still hold up just fine in low light. They also require little water, like a cactus, so you don't have to worry about watering them all the time. Plus, it's a hardy plant—if its leaves start falling off, just give it a good watering and it'll bounce right back.
- 6/15
6) Spider Plants
BUY NOW $12, amazon.com
Since these plants prefer to dry out between waterings, you can usually go a few days between sessions. They also like indirect light, so they'll flourish even if you have a dark, windowless office (the actual worst)
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- 7/15
7) Aloe Vera
BUY NOW $14, amazon.com
Forget to water your aloe vera? No problem. It's actually worse to overwater these plants than to underwater them. Just it give it a soak every week or two.
- 8/15
8) Snake Plants
BUY NOW $20, amazon.com
Since these vertical plants can survive low light levels and drought, they're basically designed for the kind of office life where you can't find 10 minutes to eat your lunch—let alone water your plants.
- 9/15
9) Succulents
BUY NOW $17 for 5, amazon.com
These waxy plants actually store water in their thick leaves. Therefore, they typically only require weekly waterings and enjoy sunlight and dry air.
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- 10/15
10) Bamboo
BUY NOW $19, amazon.com
This "lucky" plant needs very little light, meaning it's basically made for cube desks. Even better? It'll give your work space a much-needed Feng Shui boost.
- 11/15
11) Peace Lily
BUY NOW $21, amazon.com
These beautiful flowering plants are surprisingly easy to grow. Just keep the soil moist (but avoid overwatering!) and mist its leaves regularly, and you'll have a happy plant. Oh, and while they prefer some light, make sure you keep them out of direct sunlight.
- 12/15
12) Red Aglaonema
BUY NOW $30, amazon.com
This colorful stunner is a popular new plant with pink stems and reddish-pink leaf tips that's sure to add some personality to your desk. Plus, it's not hard to care for—it'll show the most color in brighter light, but it will thrive in low light, too.
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- 13/15
13) Rex Begonia
BUY NOW $13, amazon.com
These Tim Burton-esque plants require brighter light to keep their bolder color, but they should be kept out of direct sunlight. Wait until the soil feels dry to water your Begonia, but don't wait too long, or it'll wilt. They prefer higher humidity, so misting is key.
- 14/15
14) Ficus
BUY NOW $15, amazon.com
Whether your office is bathed in light or only offers filtered sunshine, these plants will survive. And since they actually prefer several days of dry soil, they basically thrive when you neglect them—right?
- 15/15
15) English Ivy
BUY NOW $20, amazon.com
When you first start growing these vines you should water them frequently. Once they're established, they can tolerate dry conditions. Even better: They do well in cooler temps. Good thing offices are notorious for being chilly.
Even your dark cubicle can't kill them.