Find the perfect houseplant for you by answering a few questions
Indoor plants bring more than just natural beauty to your home. Many common houseplants also have amazing air-purifying properties. These plants can absorb harmful toxins in the air, helping to improve indoor air quality. Studies from NASA even suggest that certain plants can eliminate up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours. Here are the top 10 houseplants that are not only attractive but also excel in purifying the air in your home.
The Spider Plant is a popular choice for an indoor plant because it's easy to grow and does an excellent job of cleaning the air. This resilient houseplant can filter benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and xylene from the environment.
Spider plants thrive in indirect sunlight and can tolerate a fair bit of neglect, making them an excellent choice for novices or those who forget to water plants regularly.
The Snake Plant, also known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, is a great air purifier. Its unique ability to produce oxygen at night while removing toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene makes it a suitable bedroom plant.
This houseplant prefers low light and infrequent watering, making it extremely hardy and easy to care for.
Peace Lilies are not only beautiful with their dark green leaves and white flowers, but they are also known for their powerful air-cleaning abilities. They can effectively remove ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene from the air.
They do well in shade and cooler temperatures and add a wonderful tropical feel to any indoor setting. However, keep in mind they are poisonous to pets if ingested.
The Boston Fern is known for being a natural humidifier and can effectively remove formaldehyde and xylene from the air. Their lush fronds and delicate leaves make them attractive additions to any home decor.
This plant does require a bit more attention and care, preferring a cool location with high humidity and indirect light.
Bamboo Palms are excellent air purifiers and have a high transpiration rate, which helps to increase humidity within a room. They're particularly good at clearing formaldehyde from the air.
These tropical plants prefer bright indirect light and require regular watering and feeding for optimum growth.
Rubber plants are effective at removing formaldehyde from the air, improving the indoor air quality. Their large leaves also contribute to increasing the overall oxygen levels.
These plants need a bright spot (but not direct sunlight) and a good watering when the soil has become dry to the touch.
Aloe Vera is a useful plant to have around for more than just its air purifying abilities. While it does help remove formaldehyde from the air, it's also known for its medicinal properties, particularly for skin conditions.
This succulent prefers lots of sun and requires infrequent watering, making it a low-maintenance houseplant.
English Ivy is an excellent plant for air purification, known to remove toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene. Some studies have even shown it to be beneficial in removing airborne fecal-matter particles.
English Ivy prefers a humid environment, so it's great for bathrooms. It needs bright light for best growth.
Dracaena plants come in various sizes and shapes, but all of them are effective at removing indoor pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene.
They are easy to care for but do prefer indirect sunlight and a more humid environment. Note that Dracaena is toxic to cats and dogs.
Philodendrons are good at battling formaldehyde from sources such as particleboard. These are fast-growing plants with many varieties and sizes available.
They prefer bright, indirect sunlight and water when the top inch of soil is dry. Similar to some other plants, Philodendron is poisonous if ingested, so it might not be the best choice if you have pets that like to chew on plants.
Find the perfect houseplant for you by answering a few questions