Philodendron - A Versatile Plant For Your Office

Philodendron oxycardium, heart leaved Philodendron, has been a staple in the foliage plant industry with unlimited uses. It works beautifully to enhance your office space as a hanging plant, desk plant or a floor plant when trained on a support. Some of the creative uses are when it is used in dish gardens, terrariums or groundcover in large architectural planters.

This Philodendron also has an interesting past. First collected in the West Indies in 1793 by Captain William Bligh, yes, the Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty, and returned to England where it has graced homes and offices around the world since. We currently use these in many of our Cambridge Ma. office locations.

It's Not Always About Flowers With Interior Office Plant Design

When we think of adding a colorful accent to our indoor office plants we often think about cut flowers or a flowering potted plant. Actually there is another option. Tropical foliage plants that have beautiful colored leaves. If your office has the right conditions, bright light and warm temperature, there is an unlimited selection of plants that have colorful foliage and variegated leaves. Crotons, Cordyline, Rex begonias, Stromanthe are just a few that can brighten your office with some color. We use many of these on locations in the Boston metro area. Colored leafy botanicals have unlimited plant possiblities.

Diversity in the Workplace?

Well, I'm not talking the "PC" kind, but the diverse plant genus, Ficus. This genus of plant has an almost unlimited range of sizes, forms and textures which make it an excellent choice for the office. From the ubiquitous Ficus benjamina (pictured here), in the standard tree form, to the bold leaves of the Ficus lyrata (fiddle leaf fig) down to the tiny leaved Ficus pumila, there is a member of this family to suit every office environment. Ficus, in general, are native to India and parts of Asia. They exude a white milky substance, or latex, when cut. Ficus elastica, also commonly known as the rubber plant, was the basis for rubber products but has been replaced with a species of another plant genus, Hevea.

Office plants, whats in a name?

The split leaf philodendron is a common foliage plant that has some points of interest. These plants can provide a beautiful accent to your office space whether your have low to medium light conditions or wonderful natural light. Botanically named, Monstera deliciosa, aptly describes its attributes.
The genus Monstera refers to the monstrous green leaves it produces in its native habitat of Mexico and Central America. The plant climbs to a height of more than eighty feet producing leaves that are three feet long and almost as wide. The leaves are deeply incised on the margins and dotted with holes in the center. This allows the plant to withstand storms and hurricanes by allowing the wind to blow through the leaves minimizing damage to the plant.
Monteras for the most part are poisonous. Except for the fruit, hence the species, deliciosa. After flowering, the arum of the flower develops into a delicious scaled fruit that is fragrant and has a flavor of pineapple and pear.
Who said Latin was difficult?