Compact plants for desks, shelves and windowsills at home or in the office. Most are in 12–14 cm pots and cope with ordinary indoor light. Free tracked delivery across Ireland and 24 more EU countries.
How to choose a desk plant
Start with the light, because it decides more than anything else whether a desk plant thrives. A desk more than two metres from a window, or lit only by office lighting, counts as low light. Choose a pothos, ZZ plant, parlour palm or philodendron for these spots. A desk right by a bright window suits almost anything, including flowering plants like anthurium and kalanchoe. Keep succulents such as aloe for sunny sills.
| Your desk | Good choices | Watering |
|---|---|---|
| Far from a window or under office lights | ZZ plant, golden or satin pothos, parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans), philodendron | Every 1–3 weeks when the top of the compost is dry. The ZZ plant can go even longer. |
| Bright, but no direct sun | Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides), rubber plant, anthurium, calathea, alocasia | About once a week in summer, less in winter |
| Sunny windowsill | Aloe vera, kalanchoe, ornamental pineapple | Sparingly, when the compost is completely dry |
| Shared office or a home with pets | Parlour palm, spider plant, calathea, bird's nest fern | Keep lightly moist |
Desk plants and pets
If cats or dogs share the space, choose plants listed as non-toxic by the ASPCA. In this collection those include the parlour palm, spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), calathea and bird's nest fern (Asplenium). Use the Pet-safe filter above. Pothos, ZZ plant, philodendron, dieffenbachia and aloe are toxic if chewed. See all our pet-safe plants.
Desk plants as gifts
The plants in pink ELHO Vibes pots arrive ready to display, with no repotting or wrapping needed. They make an easy gift for a new job, a colleague or a home office. For a larger workspace or a team, see our office plants or email info@plantgift.ie about a bulk order.
Frequently asked questions
Do plants really improve an office?
People generally report feeling better in workspaces with plants, and a plant makes a desk feel more personal. We don't claim that a few desk plants noticeably clean the air in a room. The laboratory studies behind that idea don't translate to real offices.
Will a desk plant survive under office lights only?
The low-light plants here, such as ZZ, pothos, parlour palm and philodendron, cope with bright office lighting even without a window, although they grow more slowly. Give them a spell near a window now and then if you can.
What about weekends and holidays?
Most desk plants are happy left for a week if they're watered well beforehand. The ZZ plant and aloe can go two to three weeks.
More ideas: low light plants · all indoor plants · best office plants for Irish workspaces