Not only can houseplants help create a relaxing and happy space by beautifying your home, but they can also improve the air quality! According to an EPA study from the Office of Research and Development, the concentration of roughly a dozen common organic pollutants is 2-5 higher indoors than outdoors. With all of us spending more time in our homes these days, it is important to have a healthy environment to unwind in. Studies have found that there are a number of household plants that can filter out airborne toxins, dust, and germs from the air. Let’s have a look at some of the best air-purifying plants for cleansing your home!
1.Sansevieria – Snake Plants
Native to Africa and southern Asia, these succulents are known for their upright leaves. They require little care and easily live for generations. These plants release oxygen at night, and are particularly good at filtering formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene from the air.
Sansevierias grow best in bright indirect light and look great as statement pieces on tables, shelves or any other such surfaces. They require well-drained soil and need to be watered only once every few weeks.
2.Spider Plants
Native to tropical and southern Africa and is now common & easy to grow houseplant that produces long thin arched leaves that are solid green with white stripes down the middle. As your spider plant grows, it produces baby spider plants on the leaves that can be propagated into new plants! This plant is pet-friendly, and will help remove carbon monoxide and xylene from the air
Spider Plants are highly adaptable, and do well in partial to bright indirect light. They like a consistent watering schedule, and look great in hanging planters.
- Dracaena – Dragon Trees
Also known as the dragon tree, this eye-catching plant stands out for its slender gray stems and sharp, razor-like leaves that are green in the middle and red on the edges. Mainly originating from Africa, this is renowned as one of the most durable indoor plants used in commercial, office, and living spaces. It specializes in filtering out Trichloroethylene and xylene.
Like other dracaena varieties, it likes the soil to be a bit dry between waterings and prefers room temperatures around 75° Fahrenheit. Their growing season is during spring and summer and they need fertilizer regularly during this time.
- Aglaonema – Chinese Evergreen
This versatile plant can make even beginners look like master gardeners! Originating from Southeast Asia, it is used to tolerating extreme wet and dry climates which makes it adaptable to a variety of conditions. The Aglaonema has large green leaves with threaded silver veins running through, giving it a rather eye-catching appearance. This attractive plant is able to filter formaldehyde and benzene (both found in cosmetics) from the air.
This plant requires very light watering (only when the top two inches of soil are dry) and needs a light mist just once a week to keep the air around it moist. Not only is it tolerant of most living conditions, but it is also lovely to look at.
- Pothos – Devil’s Ivy
Green Pothos, also called the devils envy, has been rated one of the easiest houseplants to care for! These trailing and vining plants will grow for years producing new heart-shaped leaves regularly adding lush greenery for any space. whether you are an experienced plant owner or beginning your house plant collection, this is the perfect plant for people who want to add a little green to your home without all the maintenance. Pothos filter xylene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air.
To ensure a healthy and flourishing plant, when you are choosing a home to place your plant, find a bright space with indirect light to rest it on. High surfaces like a bookshelf, ledge, cabinet, or even a hanging basket will allow it the space it needs to reach out towards the sun. Pothos need watering once a week or when the leaves start to droop, this is the perfect plant for people who are busy but want that gorgeous jungle feel!
- Spathiphyllum – Peace Lilies
Also known as the Peace Lily, the Spathiphyllum is popular with both expert and beginner gardeners alike due to its no-fuss nature. It is adaptable to a variety of conditions and makes for an excellent indoor plant for both living and work spaces. The white ‘flower’ of the Peace Lily is actually a specialized hood that grows over the real flower – this resembles the flowers of the Calla Lily and is the reason behind its name. They filter out benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide.
It prefers medium to low light, and should be watered only when the soil is not damp. A good way to check if a Peace Lily needs water is to see if it is drooping, as the plant is more tolerant of underwatering than overwatering this method does not cause it any harm
- Heartleaf Philodendron
This popular house plant has been used as beautiful accent decor since the victorian times because of its beautiful ability to stretch and trail on anything. Place this plant in a hanging basket or on a shelf to allow your plant to stretch to the sun. Tack up its vines on a wall to create a dramatic piece of art or let its vines trail down onto the floor. Whatever you choose this plant is a great addition for those once a week waterers to add some spunk to their home! Heartleaf Philodendron will also remove formaldehyde from the air.
Water plants more frequently if leaves begin to droop. This plant can be propagated very easily. This plant can survive in regular household humidity but will benefit from occasional mistings.
8.Rubber Trees
A rubber tree plant is also known as a Ficus elastica. It is upward growing with stiff large darkly color leaves. Native to southern Asia, this plant was used for latex products prior to synthetic rubber products. In their natural habitat Rubber plants can grow up to 100 feet! They are also capable of filtering xylene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
The leaves tend to collect dust which can hinder photosynthesis, they will benefit from a light cleaning with a damp cloth occasionally to keep the leaves looking new!
- Boston Ferns
This large plant has large fronds or stems that can grow up to 4 feet long with smaller leaves that line up creating a bushy type of plant. These plants love to hang in a basket, raised container, or plant stand so they could provide that dramatic arch as the leaves grow out and mature. Boston Ferns filter formaldehyde and xylene from the air.
Like most ferns, they enjoy high humidity environments and consistently moist but not soggy soil. They would appreciate an occasional misting!
- Money Trees
This indoor plant is great for adding a touch of the tropical to your home! With its palm-like leaves and trunks that are braided together to form one large stem. The Feng Shui and Vastu practices assert that the money plant is believed to bring wealth to its owner and the braided trunks ‘lock in’ prosperity and luck. Native to the Americas, this plant is extremely popular in East and South Asia. Some believe that this plant has therapeutic health benefits and can reduce stress and anxiety. Money Trees are great at filtering chemicals from synthetic cleaners such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
It prefers humid environments and for the soil to dry out between waterings. It requires fertilizers around once per month, which should be fed only in the evening as it can burn the roots during the daytime
