07 Jun Video from Costa Farms on Benefits of Houseplants
Your office is your second home! Houseplants benefit you there too!
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12 Apr Office Plant of the Week : Ficus Lyrata aka Fiddle Leaf Fig
Office Plant of the Week : Ficus Lyrata aka Fiddle Leaf Fig
The Ficus Lyrata also known as the Fiddle Leaf Fig tree. Yes it really does grow figs in it’s natural habitat like to the left. That one is big! L
ook at the leaves up close, you can see where the name fiddle leaf comes from. The leaves are shaped similar to the base of the fiddles. The leave are large and leathery and come together on a wooded stem.
Although all ficus trees are beautiful the fiddle leaf is one our favorites to use in office space and lobbies. With it’s very large leaves it make a wonderful statement in any space. They are a mid-high light plant that is very happy next to the windows. This is a plant that you do not want to prune too much as the leaves do grow slow. Which mean as long as they are not over-watered you can count on them to remain in the present form for quite some time. There is the 
bush form and the standard, like the one pictured below.
This is just another great plant to help clean the air in your offices. If you are interested in finding out more about the Fiddle Leaf Fig, we are here to help you find out if it is the right match for your office.
27 Mar CNN Article Archives : Office foliage for feel good factor
Office foliage for feel good factor
By Nick Easen for CNN
(CNN) —
Watering your Peace Lily and talking to your Dwarf Date Palm could improve your office life.Putting plants in the workplace could be one way to celebrate Earth Day, but research shows that it may also promote staff well being. If your job makes you feel dreary,it could be time to introduce vegetation to your personal breathing zone — an area of six to eight cubic feet (0.2 cubic meters) — where we spend most of our working day. Office plants have become more popular over the last 30 years, with research reinforcing the belief that they improve the atmosphere, reduce stress, and sharpen concentration. Aside from boosting oxygen, indoor plants such as yuccas, lilies and palms also remove airborne toxins emitted by carpets, furniture, paints, and other synthetic products in the office. They could also alleviate health claims relating to “Sick Building Syndrome.” “If every employee urges their boss to adopt new plants, they will be greatly appreciated for the suggestion,” says M.J. Gilhooley from Plants at Work, a U.S.-based education campaign, which promotes office vegetation. Plants release moisture into the air alleviating the dry atmosphere generated by air-conditioning and central heating units, as well as computers. Leaves, stems, roots and icroorganisms in the potting mix also act as a filtering system. During photosynthesis — the process when the plant absorbs carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen — organic tissue absorbs airborne toxins. Plants at work may also stimulate employees’ concentration by reducing excess carbon dioxide. A study by Professor Derek Clements-Croome at the University of Reading, England compared the performance of schoolchildren in classrooms with and without plants. Better results were achieved in classrooms with vegetation, the study said. Absenteeism relating to “Sick Building Syndrome” also decreased when plants were part of the office, according to research by Professor Tove Fjeld of the Agricultural University in Oslo, Norway. And Jon Naar, author of “Design for A Livable Planet,” suggests that 15 to 20 plants are enough to clean the air in a 1,500 square foot office area (139 square meters). But if the unkempt office plant in the corner is left untended it can soon turn into a health hazard. “Mould (on plants) can irritate asthma, increase upper respiratory problems, cause headaches and affect concentration,” Dr. David Miller an expert on indoor air quality from Carleton University, Canada told the Globe and Mail newspaper.
Office plants may do wonders for your work environment as long as they are healthy.
April 22, 2004
Good removers of airborne toxins include:
• Chlorophythum elatum
• Rhapis palm
• Dracaena marginata
• Ficus robusta
• Musa cavendishii
• Spathiphyllum
• Philodendron
• Codiaeum
• Dieffenbachia
•Scindapsus
23 Mar A great infographic on the benefits of having plants indoors!
Thanks for sharing Urban Planters!
20 Mar Office Plant of The Week : Zamioculcas Zamiifolia a.k.a. The ZZ plant
Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, try to say that 5 times fast. The “ZZ” as most refer to it as is a favorite plant of many. Many of our clients here in Chicago love the ZZ plant in their offices. It has a bit more wild and exotic look to it although still keeping the simple and crisp feel. The ZZ looks great by itself or in a series with a few friends like the picture below. Any office space is complemented by the ZZ and it’s rich dark leaves. The ZZ is a medium light plant so it can grow in many office situations.
29 Feb Office Plant of The Week: Janet Craig Compacta
I am starting to get a little spring fever here. I bet most people in Chicago are. Especially today it’s sunny and over 50 degrees. Ah, that ‘s Chicago in February and March and well pretty much the entire year, 15 degrees one day 50 the next. I love Chicago. Soon everything is going to start turning green outside and I can’t wait. But til then I wanted to introduce you to some plants that are great to bring the outside in. I’m going to share a new plant that thrives in your office environment every week. Don’t have a green thumb? Well we do and we will take care of your office and lobby plants.
This weeks plant is the Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta. This is one of my favorite plants. It has a sleek leafy look with a deep green color that compliments any office. This plant is great in medium lighted areas.
These are also not prone to many pests. Their clean look can remain for quite a long time as the grow pretty slow. Just like any other green plant sometimes we have to remove the lower leaves which give it more of a stalky look with a poof on top.
If you’d like some of these in your office space in Chicago and it’s neighboring suburbs please contact us, we’d love to help you Green your space!
13 May Ozone-eating pot plants promise cleaner office air
We all know that pot plants in the office help make the environment that little bit greener, but they could also make the air significantly cleaner and safer, says a team of US researchers.
According to research published in an American horticultural journal, common house plants could save up to two million people each year from a premature death resulting from indoor air pollution.
The paper, Effectiveness of House Plants in Reducing the Indoor Air Pollutant Ozone, has been published in the April-June issue of HortTechnology. It warns about the detrimental effect of ozone on human health. The gas, which is a valuable protection mechanism against UV rays in the upper atmosphere, is conversely dangerous when absorbed in concentrated amounts indoors.
Office equipment such as laser printers produce ozone, which lingers in the air. It is caused by the reaction of oxygen to high-voltage electricity, and can cause respiratory problems. It is also an irritant to the eyes, nose and throat.
Read the entire article here.