Best Small Plants for a Desk or Office

Small footprint, tolerant of indoor office light — these compact plants suit a desk or shelf.

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Air Plant

Tillandsia

Pet-safe Moderate

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Chinese Money Plant

Pilea peperomioides

Pet-safe Easy

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Baby Rubber Plant (Peperomia)

Peperomia obtusifolia

Pet-safe Easy

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Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum raddianum

Pet-safe Fussy

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Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura

Pet-safe Moderate

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Nerve Plant

Fittonia albivenis

Pet-safe Fussy

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Polka Dot Plant

Hypoestes phyllostachya

Pet-safe Easy

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Rex Begonia

Begonia rex

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Wandering Dude

Tradescantia zebrina

Toxic to pets Easy

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Purple Shamrock

Oxalis triangularis

Toxic to pets Easy

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African Violet

Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia

Pet-safe Moderate

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Christmas Cactus

Schlumbergera truncata

Pet-safe Easy

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Echeveria

Echeveria elegans

Pet-safe Easy

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Zebra Haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

Pet-safe Easy

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Flaming Katy

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Toxic to pets Easy

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Silver Dragon Alocasia

Alocasia baginda 'Silver Dragon'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Black Velvet Alocasia

Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Jewel Alocasia (Melo)

Alocasia melo

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Pigtail Anthurium

Anthurium scherzerianum

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Miniature Wax Plant

Hoya lanceolata subsp. bella

Pet-safe Moderate

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Eternal Flame

Goeppertia crocata

Pet-safe Fussy

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Red Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura var. erythroneura

Pet-safe Moderate

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Green Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura var. kerchoveana

Pet-safe Moderate

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Lemon Lime Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura 'Lemon Lime'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Fishbone Prayer Plant

Ctenanthe burle-marxii

Pet-safe Moderate

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Iron Cross Begonia

Begonia masoniana

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Escargot Begonia

Begonia rex 'Escargot'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Fireworks Rex Begonia

Begonia rex 'Fireworks'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Cleopatra Begonia

Begonia 'Cleopatra'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Beefsteak Begonia

Begonia × erythrophylla

Toxic to pets Easy

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Watermelon Peperomia

Peperomia argyreia

Pet-safe Easy

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Emerald Ripple Peperomia

Peperomia caperata

Pet-safe Easy

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Peperomia Rosso

Peperomia caperata 'Rosso'

Pet-safe Easy

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Peperomia Hope

Peperomia 'Hope'

Pet-safe Easy

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Peperomia Frost

Peperomia caperata 'Frost'

Pet-safe Easy

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Happy Bean Peperomia

Peperomia ferreyrae

Pet-safe Easy

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Beetle Peperomia

Peperomia angulata

Pet-safe Easy

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Rabbit's Foot Fern

Davallia fejeensis

Pet-safe Moderate

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Button Fern

Pellaea rotundifolia

Pet-safe Easy

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Kangaroo Paw Fern

Microsorum diversifolium

Pet-safe Moderate

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Lemon Button Fern

Nephrolepis cordifolia 'Duffii'

Pet-safe Easy

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Silver Brake Fern

Pteris cretica 'Albolineata'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Heart Fern

Hemionitis arifolia

Pet-safe Moderate

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Japanese Painted Fern

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum

Pet-safe Easy

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Black Prince Echeveria

Echeveria 'Black Prince'

Pet-safe Easy

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Lipstick Echeveria

Echeveria agavoides

Pet-safe Easy

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String of Buttons

Crassula perforata

Toxic to pets Easy

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Ghost Plant

Graptopetalum paraguayense

Pet-safe Easy

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Lavender Pebbles

Graptopetalum amethystinum

Pet-safe Moderate

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Blue Chalk Sticks

Curio repens

Toxic to pets Easy

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Living Stones

Lithops aucampiae

Pet-safe Fussy

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Ox Tongue

Gasteria bicolor

Pet-safe Easy

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Panda Plant

Kalanchoe tomentosa

Toxic to pets Easy

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Hen and Chicks

Sempervivum tectorum

Pet-safe Easy

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Jelly Bean Plant

Sedum rubrotinctum

Toxic to pets Easy

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Golden Barrel Cactus

Echinocactus grusonii

Pet-safe Easy

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Moon Cactus

Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

Pet-safe Moderate

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Old Lady Cactus

Mammillaria hahniana

Pet-safe Easy

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Fairy Castle Cactus

Acanthocereus tetragonus

Pet-safe Easy

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Bishop's Cap Cactus

Astrophytum myriostigma

Pet-safe Moderate

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Star Cactus

Astrophytum asterias

Pet-safe Moderate

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Peanut Cactus

Echinopsis chamaecereus

Pet-safe Easy

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Pincushion Cactus

Mammillaria crinita

Pet-safe Easy

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Easter Cactus

Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri

Pet-safe Moderate

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Slipper Orchid

Paphiopedilum insigne

Pet-safe Moderate

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Jewel Orchid

Ludisia discolor

Pet-safe Easy

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Venus Flytrap

Dionaea muscipula

Pet-safe Moderate

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Purple Pitcher Plant

Sarracenia purpurea

Pet-safe Moderate

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Round-leaved Sundew

Drosera rotundifolia

Pet-safe Moderate

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Cape Sundew

Drosera capensis

Pet-safe Easy

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Mexican Butterwort

Pinguicula moranensis

Pet-safe Moderate

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Rabbit Bladderwort

Utricularia sandersonii

Pet-safe Easy

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Spoonleaf Sundew

Drosera spatulata

Pet-safe Easy

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Anubias Barteri

Anubias barteri

Pet-safe Easy

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Anubias Nana Petite

Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'

Pet-safe Easy

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Java Fern

Microsorum pteropus

Pet-safe Easy

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Cryptocoryne Wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Pet-safe Easy

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Cryptocoryne Parva

Cryptocoryne parva

Pet-safe Moderate

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Java Moss

Taxiphyllum barbieri

Pet-safe Easy

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Bucephalandra

Bucephalandra motleyana

Pet-safe Moderate

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Christmas Moss

Vesicularia montagnei

Pet-safe Moderate

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Anubias Congensis

Anubias congensis

Pet-safe Easy

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Water Sprite

Ceratopteris thalictroides

Pet-safe Easy

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Dwarf Sagittaria

Sagittaria subulata

Pet-safe Easy

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African Water Fern

Bolbitis heudelotii

Pet-safe Moderate

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Marimo Moss Ball

Aegagropila linnaei

Pet-safe Easy

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Dwarf Hairgrass

Eleocharis parvula

Pet-safe Moderate

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Lemon Bacopa

Bacopa caroliniana

Pet-safe Easy

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Monte Carlo

Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Pearlweed

Hemianthus micranthemoides

Pet-safe Easy

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Staurogyne Repens

Staurogyne repens

Pet-safe Moderate

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Downoi

Pogostemon helferi

Pet-safe Moderate

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Water Lettuce

Pistia stratiotes

Toxic to pets Easy

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Common Duckweed

Lemna minor

Pet-safe Easy

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Marsh Marigold

Caltha palustris

Toxic to pets Easy

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Neoregelia Fireball

Neoregelia 'Fireball'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Earth Star

Cryptanthus bivittatus

Pet-safe Moderate

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Xerographica Air Plant

Tillandsia xerographica

Pet-safe Moderate

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Sky Plant

Tillandsia ionantha

Pet-safe Easy

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Bulbous Air Plant

Tillandsia bulbosa

Pet-safe Easy

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Medusa's Head Air Plant

Tillandsia caput-medusae

Pet-safe Easy

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Shirley Temple Air Plant

Tillandsia streptophylla

Pet-safe Moderate

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Spearmint

Mentha spicata

Toxic to pets Easy

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Thyme

Thymus vulgaris

Pet-safe Easy

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Oregano

Origanum vulgare

Toxic to pets Easy

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Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

Toxic to pets Easy

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Chives

Allium schoenoprasum

Toxic to pets Easy

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Moon Valley Friendship Plant

Pilea involucrata 'Moon Valley'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Baby Tears Pilea

Pilea depressa

Pet-safe Easy

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Aluminum Plant

Pilea cadierei

Pet-safe Easy

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Tradescantia Nanouk

Tradescantia 'Nanouk'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Small-leaf Spiderwort

Tradescantia fluminensis

Toxic to pets Easy

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Moses-in-the-Cradle

Tradescantia spathacea

Toxic to pets Easy

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Iron Cross Plant

Oxalis tetraphylla

Toxic to pets Easy

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Goldfish Plant

Nematanthus gregarius

Pet-safe Moderate

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Cape Primrose

Streptocarpus hybridus

Pet-safe Moderate

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Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum

Toxic to pets Moderate

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