💼 Office & Remote Work
🌿 Well-being at work
💼 In brief
On the desk: Pilea, Peperomia, Zamioculcas, small Scindapsus · Behind you (video call): Monstera, Ficus Elastica, Dracaena · No window: Zamioculcas + LED lighting · Key rule: favor robust plants that forgive forgetfulness
A plant on the desk or in the corner behind you during video calls — beyond aesthetics, greenery in the workspace has a real impact on well-being and the quality of the environment. You just need to choose the right species according to your setup and habits.
Why put plants in your workspace
Research in environmental psychology is clear: the presence of plants in a workspace reduces perceived stress, improves the feeling of well-being, and helps make the environment more pleasant during long sessions. It’s not a gimmick — it’s a concrete design choice.
For remote work specifically, the plant also plays a role in visually separating the workspace from the living space and improves the background in video calls — an increasingly important criterion in hybrid professional environments. See our article on the hidden benefits of plants on mood and concentration.
What profile are you?
Plants to place on the desk
For the office proper, the main constraint is size: the plant must not obstruct the screen, keyboard, or vision. Choose compact, graphic, and space-saving species — those that fit in a pot of 10 to 15 cm.
The quintessential office plant. Its round, coin-shaped leaves on thin petioles are immediately recognizable and very decorative. Compact and easy, it is watered about every 10 days and only needs indirect light.
See the Pilea →
The Peperomia genus includes hundreds of varieties, all equally compact — perfect for a desk corner. Their fleshy leaves store water, making them very tolerant of missed waterings. Not demanding in light, they adapt to almost any workspace.
See the Peperomia →
The ideal plant for poorly lit offices and people who regularly forget to water. Zamioculcas can go without water for several weeks, tolerates darkness, and keeps shiny, graphic foliage all year round. Monthly watering is enough.
See the Zamioculcas →
Scindapsus Pictus is the velvety cousin of Pothos, with very decorative dark green leaves spotted with silver. Compact at Ø12 cm, it easily fits on a desk corner or shelf. It tolerates partial shade, missed waterings, and the dry air of air-conditioned offices.
See the Scindapsus →
The coffee plant in pot is a classic in architects' and creatives' offices. Its shiny green foliage and small red berries make it a graphic and original plant. It needs good indirect light — ideally near a window — but only requires moderate watering.
See the Coffee plant →
Aloe vera is perfect for a desk near a sunny window. Its fleshy leaves store water — watering every 15 days is more than enough. Discreet but graphic, it adds a touch of greenery without ever demanding special attention.
See Aloe vera →Plants for the videoconference background
The video call background has become a communication space in its own right. A well-placed plant behind you sends a positive signal: care for your environment, attention to detail, pleasant living space. For this use, choose plants with strong visual impact and large foliage — those instantly recognizable even in low video resolution.
The Ficus Elastica is one of the most recognizable and appreciated plants in interior decoration. Its large, shiny dark green oval leaves make an excellent video call background. It tolerates partial shade and grows slowly — a safe choice for workspaces.
See all Ficus Elastica →
The most photographed plant on Instagram is also one of the best for a video call background. Its large cut leaves are instantly recognizable and add a lush tropical touch. It adapts well to partial shade and grows steadily with little care.
See all Monstera →
The Dracaena marginata with its slender stems and fine green foliage edged in red is very architectural. Its slender shape makes it ideal for a corner of the office — it occupies vertical space without cluttering. Very resistant to missed watering and partial shade.
See the Dracaena →
The Pachira is traditionally associated with luck and prosperity in many Asian cultures — hence its nickname "money tree." Very popular in professional offices, it is as easy to care for as it is decorative with its braided trunk and lush foliage.
See the Pachira →
The Strelitzia Reginae is the more compact version of the Strelitzia Nicolai. It delivers a strong visual impact with its large blue-green oval leaves on long petioles. It needs good light but tolerates drought well — watering every 10–15 days is enough.
See all Strelitzia →
The Aglaonema is one of the few very decorative plants that truly tolerate low light. Its silver and green foliage brings color and movement even in windowless or poorly lit offices. Very low maintenance.
See the Aglaonema →Windowless desk: solutions
A desk without natural light is not a death sentence for plants. Two effective approaches:
The most tolerant plants
The Zamioculcas, the Sansevieria, and the Aglaonema are best suited for darkness. Check out our complete guide on plants without light for all options.
Horticultural LED lighting
A full spectrum LED bulb (6,500 K) turned on 12 to 14 hours a day allows you to keep a Pothos, a Scindapsus, or even a small Ficus in a windowless office. Placed 30–50 cm from the plant, it reproduces enough light to keep the plant healthy.
The Sansevieria is one of the toughest plants — it withstands low light, prolonged missed watering, and the dry air of air-conditioned offices. Its vertical and graphic shape fits elegantly in a corner of the desk.
See the Sansevieria →
The Pothos placed on a high shelf with its long trailing stems creates a very decorative jungle effect. It tolerates low light, neglect, dry air — the perfect combination for a workspace. With LED lighting, it even grows in a windowless office.
See the Pothos →
Sold in a hanging pot, the String of Hearts is perfect hung near a window or placed high on a desk shelf. Its long trailing stems adorned with small marbled heart-shaped leaves create a very decorative effect. Succulent, it tolerates missed watering well.
See the String of Hearts →Quick comparison
| Plant | Min. light | Watering | On desk | Background | No window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zamioculcas | 🌑 Shade | 1×/month | Yes | Medium | Ideal |
| Sansevieria | 🌑 Shade | 1×/month | Yes | Good | Ideal |
| Pilea | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/10d | Perfect | Medium | No |
| Peperomia | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/2 weeks | Perfect | Medium | No |
| Aglaonema | 🌑 Low | 1×/2 weeks | Yes | Good | With LED |
| Pothos | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/2 weeks | Shelf | Good | With LED |
| Ficus Elastica | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/2 weeks | Too big | Excellent | No |
| Monstera | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/week | Too big | Excellent | No |
| Dracaena | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/2 weeks | Too big | Excellent | No |
| Pachira | 🌥️ Partial shade | 1×/week | Too big | Excellent | No |
| Coffee plant | ☀️ Light | 1×/week | Yes | Original | No |
| Ceropegia | ☀️ Light | 1×/2 weeks | Shelf | Medium | No |
Office care: practical rules
Watering at the office: adapting your routine
The main challenge at the office is irregularity — weekends, days off, busy weeks are often forgotten. The solution: choose plants that tolerate this irregularity (Zamioculcas, Sansevieria, Peperomia) and always water on Monday morning after checking with the finger test. A fixed weekly watering on Monday is more effective than watering "when you remember."
Dry air in air-conditioned offices
Air conditioning and heating strongly dry the air in workspaces — sometimes below 30% relative humidity. For sensitive tropical plants (Calathea, ferns), this can be problematic. Favor robust plants that tolerate dry air: Sansevieria, Zamioculcas, Pothos, Peperomia.
- Water on Monday morning after checking — a fixed routine prevents forgetfulness
- Check the substrate 3 cm deep with your finger before each watering
- Clean the leaves once a month to optimize light absorption
- Rotate the plant a quarter turn regularly for even growth
- Ask a colleague to water during your vacation — or choose plants that last 3–4 weeks without water
💡 The monthly calendar as a reminder
To never forget the care of your office plants, check the month-by-month care calendar — it tells you exactly when to water, fertilize, and repot according to the season.
Verdeia Collections
Plants tailored for the office and remote work
Compact, resistant to neglect, decorative — a selection designed for workspaces.
Frequently asked questions
For an office, favor compact and low-maintenance plants: Pilea, Peperomia, Zamioculcas, Coffee plant. These plants fit in a pot of 10–15 cm, don’t obstruct the screen, and withstand office conditions (dry air, artificial light, missed watering).
The Zamioculcas and Sansevieria are the most suitable — they tolerate darkness better than any other plant. With horticultural LED lighting (12–14h/day), Pothos and Aglaonema also become options. See our complete guide on plants without light.
For an impactful video call background, go for plants with large, recognizable leaves: Ficus Elastica, Monstera, Dracaena, or Pachira. These plants are decorative, easy to care for, and create a professional and welcoming work environment.
Studies in environmental psychology show that the presence of plants in a workspace reduces perceived stress and improves overall well-being. The direct effect on concentration is hard to measure precisely, but a more pleasant environment indirectly boosts productivity. To learn more, see our article on the benefits of plants on mood and concentration.
Yes — the key rule at the office is consistency, not frequency. Water on the same day each week (Monday for example) after checking with the finger test. Also choose plants that tolerate irregularities: Zamioculcas, Sansevieria, Peperomia.
Verdeia Shop
Transform your workspace with greenery
Each plant comes with its care sheet — brightness, watering, repotting. Order on weekdays, direct delivery to home or office.
