Bamboo: Place in water and just simply keep the water level up. It will grow under regular office lights. They eventually wear out growing in water, but it can take years, and if you end up wanting to keep it, you can then put it in soil.

Aloe vera: These are perfect for offices that have plenty of sun (so if you have access to a window, it's a fun choice). You can slowly use the gel from inside the leaves of the plant to moisturize dry hands or calm burns. Or you can just enjoy the leaves for their sculptural, visual appeal.

Ferns: These plants typically grow on forest floors, where light is limited, so they can do well in offices with lower-light situations.

Ficus trees: aren't always trees, though you can buy them a few feet tall if you have that kind of space. Ficus trees come in houseplant size and take some time to grow, and can work well for an office space. Don’t disturb these plants too much or change them often as they will drop their leaves. Be sure they are well-watered and they can be a pretty addition to an office and are great air filters, removing toxic chemicals from the air, so well worth the extra effort.