Office Plant TIps & Ideas

The much-loved Phalaenopsis orchid is a member of the family Orchidaceae, the second largest family of flowering plants, consisting of over 20,000 species! In addition, commercial producers of orchids have developed over 100,000 horticultural varieties.

The species that people are most familiar with is Phalaenopsis, pictured on the right. The number of spectacular colours and patterns that are available in this species is endless. Deep purples, mottled white and purple, yellows with delicate pink centers, and pinks of every shade, to name a ...

The name philodendron derives from two Greek words meaning ‘love’ and ‘tree’. In their natural habitat, philodendrons are almost always associated with trees, either starting from seed high in the canopy of large trees or lower on the trunk. They take water and nutrients from the tree initially, then send down thick aerial roots to obtain nutrients from the soil. These roots can be seen on a few varieties commonly used as houseplants and can reach incredible lengths.

The Philodendron genus ...

A long-standing staple of interior landscapers, members of the Dracaena are hardy, low-light tolerant tropical office plants. Their long arching leaves add a simple elegance to groupings, mass plantings, or as a single specimen in a modern container. One of the newest varieties is the Limelight Dracaena. The Limelight Dracaena is characterized by its unique, vibrant colour. The leaves are bright neon green, and they stand out beautifully against plants with more traditional dark green foliage.

Limelight Dracaena plants are available in ...

The Peace Lily is a popular tropical office plant. It is suitable for lower light locations but remember, all plants need light for a minimum of 8-10 hours every day. It will do well if it is close to constant fluorescent lighting, or filtered light from a window. The Peace Lily will produce its characteristic lily-like flowers year round if it receives sufficient light. It does not do well in very bright locations. It is often requested by our clients as the  Continue Reading →

The Kentia Palm is our personal favourite and the plant we have chosen for our company logo. It is a premium palm, having elegantly curving fronds with long slender leaves.  We use it frequently in entryways, lobbies and other areas of offices that require a plant with impact.

The Ficus Alii (Ficus binnendijkii ‘Alii’) tree is a less commonly seen species of the Ficus genus. Most people are familiar with the Ficus benjamina or Benji tree. The Ficus Alii has longer, more slender leaves which droop somewhat. Like the Benjamina, this Ficus requires good light. We will only recommend this tree if it will be positioned close to a west or south window. In light that is too low, the tree will quickly shed its leaves. In the ...

Would you like to have the benefits of a green wall in your office without the significant capital investment and maintenance fees of an integrated living wall? Consider our simple alternative. Over the years we have developed a simple, effective and affordable Green Wall.  Our wall consists of basic shelving with an assortment of trailing-style plants in simple, inexpensive pots. The plants are allowed to grow naturally, with minimal pruning, so that they cascade over the shelves. Maintenance is straightforward, quick and efficient ...

The Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) is one of our favourite plants for use in office plantscapes. It is a very showy palm, with dark green, glossy leaves. The leaves are produced from multiple sturdy canes that are covered in unique brown fibrous material. New canes shoot from rhizomes in the soil, so the plant grows in width as well as height. This is one of the few indoor plants that we can purchase at a very large size. Specimens of 12-18ft ...

Feeling that there is no end in sight to winter this year? Start your gardening now, indoors. Your indoor tropical plants have had a long winter too.. the short daylight hours and low humidity will have taken a toll. April is a great time to give your tropical house or office plants a spring make-over. Start by removing any dead leaves from the plant or on the soil. Dead plant material can attract pests. Inspect the plants for signs of ...