This is the second post regarding my office plants. This post will look at the plants which grow on the windowsill in my office.
Ardisia japonica 'variegata'
I had written about my Ardisia japonica 'variegata' plant in January of this year. Since that time it has grown quite a bit but it still remains in the same pot as it was in at that time and is probably due for a new pot. It receives both fluorescent light and light reflected off some of the metal siding of the office building where I work. It normally gets watered about once a week and has only once started to wilt due to lack of watering on time. In the previous post I had written about it I envisioned this plant being able to produce some berries or small fruit, which I had read about while researching the plant, but thus far it has not produced anything beyond new growth. It obviously does not have the appropriate conditions to produce such fruit. The most likely reason for the lack of fruit is inadequate sunlight. Regardless, it still adds a little variety to my office plants with the variegation on the leaves. I had previously recommended it as an office plant and this recommendation still holds true. Go out and buy one for yourself!
Hedera helix "Ivy"
This Ivy plant was purchased back in January and you may have seen a picture of it in another post I did recently regarding an anniversary present, but this plant is another plant that provides a nice variety of color with it's variegated leaves. This plant has been doing well since I purchased it. The one thing that the plant seems to dislike is the amount of light it receives since it wants to grow towards the light outside and this has resulted in all of the leaves facing toward the window. This is not really a problem or anything, since I still like the plant, but I might have changed the location of the plant if I had known that it would grow like that.
Crassula ovata "Jade"
This Jade plant was purchased at Wal-Mart, which is not really known for their plants, but it sometimes offers somewhat decent plants. The plant has been growing well for the past year, although the speed of growth has never been all that impressive. The plant does not receive any actual sunlight in my office, once again only receiving reflective light off the metal of the building, but it does receive about eight hours of sunlight per weekday. It gets watered about once every seven to ten days, and since it is a succulent this watering schedules seems to be adequate. The plant itself is about ready for a new pot, but like my other plants needing a larger pot, I just haven't had enough time to get around to moving them. Also, you may notice that the plant has googly eyes on it and for more information as to why this is the case, you can read about it in this post. This plant is great if your office receives enough light or will have an adequate amount of fluorescent lighting. For only a few dollars to buy one of these plants, go ahead and try to grow one of these in your office!
Schlumbergera "Christmas Cactus"
My Schlumbergera or Christmas cactus (Thanksgiving Cactus, Holiday Cactus, whatever you want to call it...) has been doing fine in the office. I have had it in the office since last December. For a while this plant did not really do anything at all, but since May it has pushed out some new growth and looks relatively healthy. Hopefully I will be able to get this plant (or any of my other schlums) to bloom this year. This is also an easy plant that I would recommend for someone looking for a plant to have in their office.
Ficus retusa "Ginseng Ficus"
This is another plant that was written about previously. This Ficus retusa is still alive and has been doing rather well, although from looking at the picture of it in the previous post, which was taken back in January, I can tell that the leaves have thinned out a bit. This is likely due to slight changes in lighting or temperature which have occurred over the months. Additionally, there was one time for this plant where it may not have been correctly watered. Another change I made to this plant, on the great advice from readers, was to remove the rocks which had been glued on top of the soil. This has made it easier to tell when to water it and I think it has made the plant healthier. At the same time, however, I think it resulted in some temporary leaf loss, although the plant has since stabilized if it was indeed a result of moving the glued rock layer. This plant also, like the Jade plant, has two googly eyes on it. This is a nice plant, although it is sometimes fussy, so be aware of that if you want to buy one.
Fittonia argyroneura 'Pink Vein'
My Fittonia argyroneura 'Pink Vein', which is just one of many of my fittonia's, is a plant that adds more color to my office. This plant is one of my favorite office plants and it has been very easy to take care of. It does very well with the fluorescent lighting in my office and it also enjoys getting the reflected light from outside. The most difficult aspect of taking care of this plant is being able to tell when it needs to be watered. If I do not water it exactly at the right time, the plant gets very fussy and will wilt, which basically makes the plant look like it has passed out. It is a beautiful plant and I recommend it if you are looking for a nice office plant.
Sansevieria
One of the non-windowsill plants, which I forgot to include in the first part of the Office Plant posts, is my Sansevieria. The reason why I forgot to include it in the other post is because it is located at the other end of the building and I normally only see if when I go to water it. I had written a post in July about how the plant was blooming, and the plant has not done anything else since then. It is still alive and doing well. Sansevieria plants are great for the office because they do not require all that much light, so they are yet another recommended plant for your office.
