Transform your home into a sanctuary of fresh air with these 15 indoor plants that can help improve your home’s air quality. This insightful blog post highlights plants that not only add beauty to your space but also provide tangible health benefits.
If you’re passionate about improving your indoor environment, learn more about cool indoor plants ideal for cleaning the air or delve into the world of indoor plants that grow well even in the dark. Are you eager to create a fresher, healthier living space? Explore this blog post and breathe new life into your home with these air-purifying plants.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Indoor plants can help improve air quality in your home by removing harmful toxins. |
| Spider plants, peace lilies, rubber plants, and snake plants are some of the best indoor plants for improving air quality. |
| Indoor plants improve air quality through a process called phytoremediation. |
| Common indoor air pollutants that can be removed by plants include formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. |
| Not all indoor plants improve air quality, so it’s important to choose the right plants for your home. |
| The number of plants you need to improve air quality in your home depends on the size of your space and the types of plants you choose. As a general rule, experts recommend having at least one plant per 100 square feet of space. |
Aloe
Aloe is a succulent plant that is a great air purifier. Aloe plants are easy to care for, and don’t require much light. They’re also beautiful and can be planted in many different areas of your home.
A word of caution: aloe plants can be poisonous if consumed (especially the sap), so keep this in mind before giving one as a gift or planting it near small children.
If you want a plant that is easy to care for but still looks nice, an aloe might be right up your alley!
“Burnt leaves can actually be beneficial for your garden soil as they release nutrients that can promote plant growth. To learn more about how burnt leaves can improve your soil, check out our article on Are Burnt Leaves Good for Garden Soil?.”
Areca Palm
Areca palm is a tropical plant that’s native to South and Southeast Asia. It has large, thick leaves and can grow quite tall (sometimes as tall as 20 feet!).
As an indoor plant, the areca palm grows well in low light conditions, making it a great choice for those who don’t have natural sunlight in their homes.
The plant tends to be fairly easy-going and requires little attention once it’s established though you may need to trim its roots occasionally if they start growing into other areas of the home (or around your furniture).
If you want your areca palm to look good year-round, it’s important that you keep it moist at all times so that its leaves stay healthy and green.
Areca palms also help purify the air in our households by filtering out many of the toxic chemicals found indoors such as benzene from paint fumes or formaldehyde released from flooring materials like carpeting or wood laminate floors (which can cause allergic reactions).
Boston Fern
Boston ferns are a very easy plant to grow, making them ideal for people who don’t have much experience with houseplants.
They prefer to be placed in a shady area of your home, where they will thrive and make a great addition to any room.
Boston ferns do well with regular watering and can tolerate dry air as well as wetter conditions. Once you get the hang of it, pruning is also easy! They can be grown indoors or outside depending on your preferences.
“Don’t throw away those eggshells! They can be a great addition to your garden soil as they provide calcium and other essential minerals for plant growth. Learn more about the benefits of using eggshells in your garden soil with our article on Are Eggshells Good for Your Garden Soil?.”
Gerbera Daisy
Gerbera daisy is a perennial plant that can help improve air quality in your home. It’s also known as Transvaal daisy and belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes sunflowers. (Fun fact: they’re named after Dr. Gerbert van Berkel, a Dutch botanist who discovered it growing in South Africa.)
The plant has puffy flowers with showy petals and centers ranging from orange to yellow or bright pink. They’re often used as cut flowers because they last longer than most other varieties of gerbera.
People who suffer from allergies or asthma may find that having one of these plants around helps ease their symptoms especially since they make it easier for you to breathe deeply while inhaling their scent too!
Dwarf Date Palm
The dwarf date palm is a great plant for beginners. It’s easy to grow, tolerates low light and can be a great addition to your home. This palm will grow up to 3 feet tall and live in your house for 20 years!
If you want a quick way to improve the air quality in your home, add some plants! Not only will they make your space feel more alive, but they will also cleanse the air of pollutants that are produced from everyday activity.
English Ivy
English ivy (Hedera helix) is a popular houseplant that’s also known as Boston ivy, American ivy, and climbing hydrangea. It can grow in low light and high humidity and will climb walls or hang from the ceiling if you let it.
English ivy is one of the best air purifiers you can find for your home because it removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor air. VOCs are chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde and toluene that are emitted by household items like paint and furniture and they’re highly toxic to humans!
English ivy will help cleanse them out of your home while simultaneously filtering out other pollutants like allergens like pollen and mold spores.
Unfortunately for cat owners, the leaves of this plant contain calcium oxalate crystals which may cause an upset stomach in felines so make sure Fido stays away when you’re planting English ivy in your space!
“Leaves are often seen as a nuisance in the garden, but they can actually be a valuable source of organic matter for your soil. Our article on Are Leaves Good for Garden Soil Explained explains the benefits of using leaves in your garden and how to properly incorporate them into your soil.”
Ficus/Weeping Fig
If you’re looking for a plant that’s easy to care for and can help improve the air quality of your home, the ficus is one of the best choices. It’s also an attractive addition to any room in your home.
It prefers bright indirect light, so it’s a good choice if you live in an apartment or have limited space. It also does well with low lighting conditions, making it perfect for those who don’t want to spend too much time caring for their indoor plants.
The weeping fig can grow up to 6 feet tall and wide if not pruned regularly (about once per year), but even at its full size, it won’t take up much space it’s one of our favorites because it looks great both alone and as part of a group display!
Heartleaf Philodendron
Heartleaf philodendron, or Philodendron hederaceum, is a member of the family Araceae. This plant can grow to be between three and six feet tall with heart-shaped leaves that range from two to seven inches long and two to five inches wide.
They are typically green on top with purple underneath, but they may also have white edges on some of their leaves.
This plant grows best in shaded areas where there is plenty of humidity, so it’s commonly grown indoors as an artificial plant as well as outdoors in tropical climates like Florida or Hawaii where it can reach its full potential size.
It prefers humid environments and should be watered regularly but not allowed to sit in water because this can cause root rot
Rather than letting soil dry out completely between watering sessions you should allow your potting mix to become slightly dry before refilling with fresh water again after being emptied out first!
“Worms are a gardener’s best friend! These little creatures can help improve soil structure, increase nutrient availability, and even aid in pest control. Check out our article on Are Worms Good for Garden Soil? to learn more about how worms can benefit your garden.”
Peace Lily
Peace lily is a popular houseplant, and for good reason. This tropical plant can survive in just about any room of your home. It’s easy to grow and maintain, so it’s perfect for anyone who’s new to indoor plants or wary of their upkeep.
Plus, the peace lily is one of the best air purifiers you’ll find according to NASA research, it removes benzene (a toxic substance found in car exhaust) from the air around it far more efficiently than other common houseplants.
Peace lilies are so effective at cleaning up your living spaces that they’ve been known to help prevent asthma attacks by reducing levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and xylene; these substances come from many products we use in our homes on a daily basis (think paints and solvents).
They also contribute significantly toward improving overall health by boosting humidity levels during winter months when heating systems are running full blast!
Spider Plant
The spider plant is a great choice for people with low light conditions and beginners.
If you don’t have a lot of time to care for your plants, this is the one for you. Spider plants require little attention, so they’re perfect if you can’t be around as often as you’d like to during the day.
They will likely survive even if their leaves get a bit droopy or yellowed, but they’ll flourish if provided with water once or twice a week and indirect sunlight throughout the day (no direct sunlight).
Golden Pothos
Golden pothos is commonly known as golden pothos or devil’s ivy. It’s a member of the araceae family, which also includes philodendrons and dracaenas. The plant originates from southeast Asia and has become popular due to its ease of care.
Like many other plants in the Araceae family, golden pothos grows quickly when it receives good light conditions and ample water.
When you first bring your plant home, keep the soil moist while it adjusts to its new environment (about 2 weeks). After this time period, you can water as needed until your potting soil becomes dry but don’t let it sit in soggy soil for long periods of time!
“Wood chips can be a great addition to your garden soil as they can help improve soil structure, retain moisture, and even suppress weeds. Our article on Are Wood Chips Good for Garden Soil? Brief Explanation explains how to properly use wood chips in your garden and the benefits they can provide.”
Snake Plant/Mother-In-Law’s Tongue
The snake plant, or mother-in-law’s tongue, is arguably the most popular indoor plant on the market today.
It’s easy to grow and can thrive in low light conditions. But did you know that it’s also an effective air purifier?
The snake plant is great at removing toxins from your home’s air including formaldehyde and benzene, which can be found in carpets and furniture.
Formaldehyde has been identified as a carcinogen by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), while benzene is linked to birth defects when levels get too high in pregnant women’s bodies.
Chinese Evergreen
If you’re looking to add some greenery to your home without taking up too much space, Chinese evergreen (also known as “cast iron plant”) is a great choice.
It’s also an easy-to-care-for houseplant that can help freshen the air inside your home.
Chinese evergreens require moderate light and regular watering in order to thrive; they don’t need a lot of water, but they do like consistent moisture throughout the year.
This makes them ideal for indoor spaces with less than ideal light conditions like offices or kitchens which tends to make things difficult when it comes to watering pots regularly.
Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palm is a good choice for low light, low water and high humidity. This plant can be grown in full sun or partial shade, but it prefers bright indirect light. Bamboo palm is also known as “Lady Palm” because it looks similar to an old-fashioned hoe handle.
Conclusion
If you have pets, children or elderly people living in your home, these plants are a great way to help improve air quality. You’ll also love having them around for their beauty and easy maintenance.
Further Reading
For more information on indoor plants and improving air quality in your home, check out these resources:
10 Best Plants for Cleaning Indoor Air from HGTV: This article provides a list of plants that are known for their air-purifying qualities and includes pictures and care instructions for each plant.
20 Plants That Improve Air Quality in Your Home from EcoWatch: This article provides a comprehensive list of 20 plants that can help improve air quality in your home and includes information on the specific toxins they can help remove.
20 Great House Plants to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home, According to Science from Fox 26 Houston: This article provides a list of plants that are scientifically proven to improve air quality in your home and includes tips on how to care for them.
FAQs
What are some of the best indoor plants for improving air quality?
Some of the best indoor plants for improving air quality include spider plants, peace lilies, rubber plants, and snake plants.
How do indoor plants improve air quality?
Indoor plants improve air quality by removing harmful toxins from the air through a process called phytoremediation.
What are some common indoor air pollutants that can be removed by plants?
Common indoor air pollutants that can be removed by plants include formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene.
Do all indoor plants improve air quality?
No, not all indoor plants improve air quality. Some plants are better at removing toxins from the air than others, so it’s important to choose the right plants for your home.
How many plants do I need to improve air quality in my home?
The number of plants you need to improve air quality in your home depends on the size of your space and the types of plants you choose. As a general rule, experts recommend having at least one plant per 100 square feet of space.
For 15 years, Hellen James has worked in the gardening industry as an expert and landscape designer. During her career, she has worked for a variety of businesses that specialize in landscaping and gardening from small firms to large corporations.