A little greenery on your desk does more than fill a corner. Studies of workplaces have found that a few plants around a desk can lift mood, lower stress and even help concentration through a long day at the screen. The trick is choosing plants tough enough to survive an office — low light, air conditioning, and nobody to water them over the weekend. Here are the ones we recommend.

What makes a good desk plant

An office is a harder home for a plant than it looks. The best desk plants share four traits:

  • They cope with low or artificial light — many desks sit far from a window.
  • They forgive missed watering — no one waters a desk plant on Sunday.
  • They stay compact — a desk has limited room.
  • They handle dry, air-conditioned air.

Skip fussy, thirsty or fast-growing plants. Choose slow, sturdy and drought-tolerant.

Our top plants for an office desk

  • Snake plant. The number-one office plant. It tolerates low light, wants water only every couple of weeks, and stands upright in a slim pot — perfect for a corner of the desk or the floor beside it.
  • Money plant (pothos). Nearly unkillable and happy in a dim office. Grow it in a small pot, or even a jar of water on the desk, and let it trail down the side.
  • Jade plant. A little succulent that stores water in its leaves, so it barely notices a missed watering. It is also considered a lucky "money" plant — a nice thing to keep at work.
  • Lucky bamboo. Grows in a pebble tray of water, needs no soil, and tolerates low light — a tidy, auspicious desk piece.
  • A small cactus or succulent. If your desk catches some sun from a window, these ask for almost nothing.
  • Spider plant. Cheerful and forgiving, and safe if pets visit the office.

Keeping a desk plant alive at work

  • Water less than you think. Overwatering kills more office plants than neglect. For snake plant, jade and pothos, let the soil dry out before watering — often just once every week or two.
  • Mind the AC. Do not sit the plant directly under an air-conditioning vent; the cold, dry draught scorches leaves. Air conditioning also dries the air, so an occasional misting helps.
  • Give it what light you can. Move it near a window if possible. Under pure fluorescent light, stick to the toughest low-light plants above.
  • Turn it now and then. Plants lean toward light — a quarter turn each week keeps them even.
  • Before a long holiday, water well and move it off the sunny sill so it does not dry out while you are away.

Common questions

What is the best plant for an office with no sunlight?

A snake plant, money plant (pothos) or lucky bamboo — all three cope with low and artificial light better than almost anything else.

Which desk plant needs the least care?

The snake plant. It handles low light, dry air and fortnightly watering, and shrugs off being forgotten.

Do office plants really help?

The strongest evidence is for mood, calm and focus — a few plants around a workspace genuinely make it a better place to work. Treat air-cleaning claims as a small bonus, not the main reason.

How often should I water a plant at my desk?

Less than you would at home. For the plants above, let the soil dry out first — usually once a week or once a fortnight. When in doubt, wait a day.

New to indoor plants? Our best indoor plants for beginners guide is a good next read. When you are ready, pick your desk plant from our indoor plants at the farm.