Indoor plants have enjoyed a great comeback in recent years. What would be the most suitable species for your desktop? Find out and win one for yourself.

Does your dad spend every summer in the garden? Is your mum that crazy lady with bazillions of flowers inside the house? Have your friends gone crazy over decorating with plants? Do your colleagues talk about something unfamiliar called biophilia?

One way or another, if you wish to sort out which plants are best for you in your workplace, you came to the right place. Clip has chosen plants either because they are independent growers or they have great air filtration skills. And sometimes even both!

Compete and win a green friend!

Take a guess which plants Clip GIF-ed and shoot us a message with the correct answers (at least 3 plant names) on FB Messenger to win one of these a-ma-zing plants. 1,2,3, CLIP! OK, OK, you might feel a bit unsure about the plants you just saw. You can come back after you’ve read about them below.

Friendly feeling forward

First things first. Let Clip shortly explain what biophilia stands for and why you should hop on the green bandwagon too. The term biophilia is relatively new. It was popularised in the 1960s by psychoanalyst Erich Fromm.

Bio means life and philia means “friendly feeling forward”. A decade later, the American biologist Edward O. Wilson extended the word’s meaning to rich, natural pleasure that comes from being surrounded by living organisms.

Biophilia in the office

Nowadays, when we talk about biophilia in the work environment, it’s all about access to natural light, green views, plants in the office and biophilic design – natural materials used in the workspace, green walls, aquariums, and even river sounds. The term is as broad as nature itself.

And why should you care about it at all? Having access to natural light and greenery contributes greatly to stress level reduction. People report a 15% rise in their perceived wellbeing and work productivity than those with no natural elements in their proximity.

Which plants should you choose for the office, though? Building materials, furnishings, fabrics, cleaning products and air fresheners often contain common pollutants (volatile organic compounds). The VOCs can irritate your nose or pharynx and can lead to respiratory problems. Luckily, there are plants which can help and filter VOCs from the air.

Keen yet? Yes? Then, let’s explore how you can improve your office experience with Clip’s plant selection.

Snake plant

Snake plants can be found in many public places such as schools and healthcare centres. This is no accident. They absorb all 5 of the most common pollutants from office air (e.g.: benzene, xylene, toluene…) and produce oxygen at night (unlike most flora). What a plant to have for fresh morning air indoors.

Ficus elastica

Attention! Well, the beautiful Ficus elastica really needs it. Ficus is from India, thus what it loves most is bright filtered light and wet soil. Take good care of it and it will reach the sky for you while living on carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

Peace lily

What’s magical about peace lilies? They can keep the surrounding air clean by removing benzene and formaldehyde from the environment. Plant a lily and its gentle flowers will help you find your inner peace in your office.

Chinese evergreen

Do you like being up-to-date? Then you will love the Chinese evergreen! Why? It doesn’t only purify the air, it also maintains the indoor humidity. You can grow it in a little pot or get creative and decorate a whole wall with them. Your choice.

Golden pothos – Devils ivy

Cheeeeese! Snap! Golden photos. Oh right, not photos but Pothos! It’s the plant also known as Devil’s ivy. If you are too afraid of another plant dying under your care, Pothos is the right choice. It’s a survivor. It likes dark, undisturbed corners and occasionally a splash of water. Can you feel a friendship forming yet?

Fiddle leaf fig tree

Fig trees belong to the Ficus family. It not only means it has great cleaning abilities but also loves a good sunbath in filtered light! Enjoy its daily dose of ever-changing living art.

Kimberly queen fern

Forget about time! Kimberly Queen ferns have been with us for thousands of years thanks to their ability to adapt and self-reproduce. They thrive even in the most extreme conditions. Just do your own thing and the fern will too. What a productive relationship!

Finished reading and feel like there’s something missing on your work desk now? Clip has thought of that too. Go up to the article, name three plants and win one of these green indoor heroes.