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The many benefits of office plants

Indoor air pollution and low humidity are now ranked as one of the top five threats to public health. Everyday while at work in our offices we are constantly bombarded with toxic fumes, from carpets, furniture, office cleaning products, computers, printers and photocopiers. Exposure to these chemicals can result in a general feeling of being under the weather, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and respiratory complaints - or even severe allergic reactions. Unless combated this can often lead to poor concentration and increases in sick leave.

Most people recognize the importance of spending some time in nature--living closer to nature can actually help you to live longer--but when it comes to bringing plants indoors, the importance is often overlooked. Plants do much more than just brighten up a room; they have real benefits to your health and living environment. Whether in the home or office, plants can be used strategically to improve air quality, ease asthma symptoms, increase your energy and creativity.

"There's now a growing body of scientific evidence that proves plants are good for workers and the working environment," explains Kenneth Freeman, international technical director at Ambius, the world's largest interiorlandscaping company. One study from the University of Washington found that workers in a windowless office who were surrounded by plants had a 12% quicker reaction time in computer tasks, and that their blood pressure readings were lowered.

Research conducted on workers at the Norwegian state oil company showed plants caused a reduction in health problems, with symptoms of fatigue falling by 30% and headaches by 20%. As Freeman explains, "companies are now seeing that plants have signifi cant benefits, not just the touchy-feely benefits but things which make a tangible difference."

There are several reasons why plants make such good colleagues. Not only do they exchange the carbon dioxide we breathe out for oxygen, purifying the air around us, but there is also evidence to suggest that plants can filter volatile organic compounds such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the atmosphere.

Forget about allergies - research from the Finnish Kuopio Institute found that plants can even reduce the level of allergens in the air, because they attract dust particles. If that wasn't enough, the leaves of plants also help to decrease noise pollution and, on a localised level, can restore balance in humidity.

Put a Plant on Your Desk

Adding greenery to your office is one of the easiest ways to become more productive and less fatigued at work. Studies have shown that people who work at computers for more than four hours a day feel better when they have a plant on their desk.


Modern office buildings are typically full of synthetic materials like carpeting, paint and furniture, which give of various toxic emissions. Plants are able to absorb pollutants from the air, making it cleaner and more pure. The following plants are particularly effective for air purification:

* Palms
* Ferns
* Peace lilies
* Spider plants
* Chrysanthemums
* Ivy
* Dracaena

Hospital patients who have a view of nature recover from illness and surgery more quickly than those who don't. Even if you are facing an illness at home, surrounding yourself with plants is an excellent way to improve your mood and speed your recovery time. Generally speaking, the more plants you have and the healthier they are, the better the effects will be.

Indoor plants can also reduce your chances of getting sick. One study found that houseplants reduce fatigue, coughs, sore throats and other cold-related symptoms by more than 30 percent.

Cleanse Indoor Air

Indoor air can be up to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air, but adding plants can actually help to make the air cleaner. Just some of the potential toxic vapors that can contaminate indoor air include:

* Formaldehyde
* Benzene
* Xylene
* Toluene
* Ammonia

According to NASA scientists, houseplants can actually extract volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from the air. According to one study, one six-inch houseplant per 100 square feet of indoor area acts as a decent filter for the air, and another U.S. government study found that 15 to 18 houseplants in six- to eight-inch containers helps to improve the air quality in an 1,800-square-foot house.

Contemporary buildings are sealed tightly to increase HVAC efficiency. Inside those sealed environments man-made articles such as paints, plastics, insulation, plywood, carpets, synthetic fabrics and detergents emit up to 300 harmful pollutants. However, leafy green help is available. NASA-funded studies directed by Dr. B. C. Wolverton, a 20 year veteran in horticultural research, proved that plants commonly used in interior plantscaping cleanse the air of many harmful pollutants. Material distributed by the Plants For Clean Air Council (PCAC), demonstrates that plants remove pollutants in varying quantities depending upon the species. The PCAC recommends one potted plant for each 100 square feet of floor space.

When the air is too dry, people are susceptible to colds and flu. When the humidity is too high, people can develop other ailments. Through their natural processes of transpiration and evaporation, office plants add moisture to the dry overheated air often found in sealed office environments. At the same time, studies show that plants do not add moisture in significant amounts when the air is already moist. A study conducted at Washington State University, suggests that plants help regulate humidity. When plants were added to an office environment, the relative humidity stabilized within the recommended “healthy” range of 30 to 60%.

If you're not sure what to grow, then the plant selector utility at www.plants-inbuildings.com is useful for choosing specimens that are suitable according to a range of factors. Surprisingly, even unforgiving environments such as unheated spaces with low light can still support attractive plants such as Pink Quills (Tillandsia cyanea). If you're keen on growing plants for their beneficial aspects such as the air purification, then research by Nasa shows that some plants are better than others: peace lilies, bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy and gerbera daisies are good for cleaning the air, and schefflera, bamboos and hemp can help to solve humidity problems.

Desktop edibles

If you're after a more edible return, there's no reason why you can't turn your desktop garden in to a mini-allotment. "In many ways offices are perfect environments for growing shoots," explains Richard Vine who grows shoots and salad plants for Gordon Ramsay among others.

"You've got temperatures around 20 C, so that's your germination sorted, most offices have air conditioning so that's your air circulation sorted, and there should be enough light, although if you're near a window that would help. You could grow these shoots in jam jars or if it's a posh office in a little kilner jar with some cotton wool at the bottom.

"When the shoots get big enough just get a pair of scissors and harvest them. There are some amazing things like red mustard shoots - in fact any of the sprouting mustards would be a doddle to grow. You could have a go at growing some mizuna, baby pak choi, chive shoots or baby leek shoots, which are lovely because they've got a subtler flavour. You could even try a tray of watercress and then when it comes to lunchtime, you snip some off and it will grow back again.

Some houseplants can be poisonous so be careful which varieties you choose, especially if you have small children or pets.