Office plant care guides

Light, water, temperature, and pet safety for six common office plants. The guides cite Kew, the Missouri Botanical Garden, NC State Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, and the ASPCA.

Reviewed October 17, 2026 by MotherBotanist. Each guide lists its sources.

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Plant	Light	Water	Cats and dogs
Fiddle leaf figFicus lyrata	Bright, indirect light or part shade	Regular water in spring and summer, less in fall and winter	Treat as toxic. The ASPCA lists figs (Ficus) as toxic.
MonsteraMonstera deliciosa	Bright light, no strong direct sun	When the top quarter to one-third of the soil is dry	Toxic (ASPCA)
Snake plantDracaena trifasciata	Bright light, tolerates some shade	Sparingly. Every 1 to 2 months in winter	Toxic (ASPCA)
Peace lilySpathiphyllum	Bright, filtered light, tolerates lower light	Keep evenly moist, not soggy	Toxic (ASPCA)
Ginseng ficusFicus microcarpa 'Ginseng'	Sunny, warm location	Keep consistently moist, do not overwater	Treat as toxic. The ASPCA lists figs (Ficus) as toxic.
Zebra plantHaworthiopsis attenuata	Bright, indirect light	When the soil is dry	Non-toxic (NC State Extension, ASPCA)

All plant care guides

Fiddle leaf fig Ficus lyrata A fiddle leaf fig needs bright, indirect light. Water it regularly in spring and summer, and give it less water from fall to late winter. Keep it above 55°F.
Monstera Monstera deliciosa A monstera needs bright indoor light without strong direct sun. Water it thoroughly, then let the top quarter to one-third of the soil dry. Keep it between 60 and 85°F.
Snake plant Dracaena trifasciata A snake plant needs bright light but tolerates some shade. Do not overwater it, and water it only every 1 to 2 months in winter. Too much water rots the roots.
Peace lily Spathiphyllum A peace lily needs bright, filtered light and tolerates lower light. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Keep it out of direct sun.
Ginseng ficus Ficus microcarpa 'Ginseng' A ginseng ficus needs a sunny, warm location and consistently moist soil. Keep it above 68°F all year. Too much water can cause root rot.
Zebra plant Haworthiopsis attenuata A zebra plant needs bright, indirect light. Let the soil dry out between waterings. NC State Extension lists it as non-toxic to pets.

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