Which plants are best for your coworking space?

Okay, this might seem like a throw away topic, but stick it out with me for a minute.

Coworking owners and managers are always looking for ways to make their space more valuable for their members. It’s all about experience, right? From conversation nooks to phone booths and office pods to coffee and snacks, coworking operators are also in the hospitality business.

Plants are a big part of the experience of any space. There is science around it: our quality of life can be enriched by plants.

The color green is also a powerful calming element. Some scientists and researchers believe that because our eyes are at the peak of their perception to detect the wavelengths corresponding with the color green, the shade may calm us down. With less strain to perceive the colors, our nervous system can relax when perceiving the tone.

So let’s look at the specific plants you can bring in to offer a living, relaxing, and beautiful design element.

Low maintenance plants for your coworking space

As you peruse your options at your local nursery, look for plants in the aroid family such as:

• Sansevieria or snake plants. This is also known (unkindly so) as mother-in-law’s tongue.
• Aglaonema is a colorful, robust plant that thrives in low, medium, or bright light. 
• Pothos are an easy to grow and propagate vine
• Dracaena are also known as a Dragon Tree, and make excellent indoor plants because they are drought tolerant and among the more forgiving plants.
• Philodendrons, like pothos, typically grow best in partial sunlight. They naturally would get dappled light under a tropical canopy, not direct sun. Indoors, set them up by a window that gets bright, indirect light.
• Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or more commonly, ZZ Plants, offer visual interest and thrive under fluorescent lights, making them a popular plant choice for office buildings. 

Functional plants for outdoor spaces at your coworking operation

If you have an outdoor area in your coworking space, the plants can help keep it healthy and bug-free. There are many plants that can be used outdoors and repel pests like mosquitoes such as:

• Lemongrass
• Eucalyptus
• Catnip
• Citronella grass

Outsource your plants

Coworking community managers have their hands full keeping your members happy and functional and might resent the additional responsibility of an indoor garden. Reach out to your local garden center or nursery to see if you can create a partnership — they can market their plants for sale in your space, while keeping those plants alive and flourishing.