With concrete jungles slowly and steadily becoming a reality, we have a few suggestions to help you slow down life, make yourself a beautiful and humble space at home with houseplants that can help you relax, tune out, and just breathe in some fresh air.
Benefits Of Having Houseplants
Plants have various benefits to them – they ease your anxiety, they make for great natural decor and most of all add character to you and your homes.
If you’re someone who has been toying with the idea of getting houseplants but has been hesitating because you’re scared you might kill them or aren’t ready for them, we’ve got you. We have taken the liberty to curate a list of easy-to-care-for air-purifying plants for new plant parents. But before we get into the list, let’s understand why we need houseplants in our life.
They can reduce irritation caused in one’s ears, eyes, nose, and throat (unless of course, you are allergic to pollen, get pollen-free plants), they can lower your stress levels, help boost attention capacity, ease congestion, and most importantly make your house look vibrant and beautiful.
Apart from that, the houseplants that we have listed for you below, are known to get rid of toxic gases that are silent killers and cause a lot of damage to you and your body. Here are some of the gases that are polluting your homes.
Benzene – It can be found in paints, furniture wax, glue, and detergent.
Formaldehyde – Can be found in disinfectants, emissions, and preservatives in consumer products.
8 Air Purifying And Easy-To-Care Houseplants
So without further ado, let’s get into the list of houseplants that you can get for your homes and embark on this journey of becoming a plant parent together.
1. Spider Plant
It is safe to say that Spider Plants, a.k.a Chlorophytum, is one of the easiest, most efficient air-purifying plants around, and they can be a great choice for beginners and new plant parents. These plants are big fans of bright yet indirect sunlight. The spider plants tend to shoot with flowers which then eventually grow into baby spider plants or even spiderettes.
You’d be surprised to know that Nasa conducted a test back in 1989 that showed how a spider plant has the capability to remove around 90% of potential cancer-causing chemical, formaldehyde from the air. So it’s a great idea to have spider plants around in your kitchen and bathroom especially, as household products tend to have formaldehyde in ‘em.
What’s good – The Spider Plant is also pet-friendly. So if you have pooches or cats in your house, you have nothing to worry about.
2. Snake Plant Or Mother-In-Law’s Tongue
If you’re about to get your first plant ever, we recommend you go for the Snake Plant a.k.a Sansevieria trifasciata. It’s one of the hardest houseplants to kill. It needs to be watered occasionally, however, it prefers a drier condition. It can tolerate all levels of light and humidity which makes it easier for you to place it in the room of your choice.
Apart from its natural benefits, the snake plant looks stunning as decor and will definitely add character to your home especially if planted in a white pot like so.
What’s good – In small quantities, snake plants can absorb pollutants like CO2, benzene, formaldehyde, and toluene. They also act as protectors against airborne allergies.
3. Boston Fern
Boston ferns are slightly more high maintenance than the other houseplants mentioned above. So if you have taken care of a plant before, you can challenge yourself with this one. The Boston ferns need a cool place with lots of humidity and indirect sunlight to thrive. However, one can also say that they are worth all the maintenance because of their air-purifying properties.
If you live in a place where it’s usually cold, come winter, it’s a good idea to provide additional humidity for them. You can do so simply by running an air humidifier or by placing a tray filled with stones and water near it.
What’s good – They can take care of the pollutants that come out of your car and remove them from your surroundings.
4. Peace Lily
This beautiful flowering plant is a great option for an indoor or office plant. It blooms in its full glory when there is more light. You must keep this plant in an area where it gets direct sunlight.
One thing you might want to keep in mind about this houseplant is that it produces pollen, so if you’re sensitive or allergic to it, you might want to look at another air-purifying plant.
What’s good – The Peace Lily can break down toxic gases like carbon monoxide and benzene.
5. Aloe Vera
Not only does this houseplant have healing properties when used for medicinal purposes, but this succulent acts as a great air-purifier as well.
It can make a great addition to your kitchen’s windowsill since it absolutely loves sunny spots and will most definitely thrive in such an area.
What’s good – Aloe Vera is a good addition to facemasks and can be used medicinally for kitchen burns too.
6. Devil’s Ivy or Pothos
The Devil’s Ivy is the perfect air-purifying plant for new plant parents. Known for its large waxy leaves, this houseplant can grow in almost all kinds of light conditions, however, they will thrive better in a well-lit spot. These plants love moisture, so they make good plants for the kitchen or the bathroom.
You can water them when the soil feels dry or even weekly. They are the most non-fussy plants you could have in the house.
What’s good – They can thrive in both soil and water and grow at a fast rate.
7. Rubber Plant
Rubber plant a.k.a Ficus Elastica is a low-maintenance houseplant. According to a study, it has been recommended by Nasa as one of the best air-purifying plants and will brighten up any desk or windowsill.
However, this plant can be toxic for dogs and cats, so you might want to keep an eye out for your pets if you plan to get this plant.
What’s good – They thrive in low levels of light and these plants are easy to take care of.
8. Bamboo Palm
Live in a house that does not get much natural light? The Bamboo Palm just might be the perfect houseplant for you. It’s got a fun tropical vibe to it and can become the focal point in any living area.
You can water this plant regularly, however, do make sure that the soil is dry before its next re-watering session. This air-purifying plant can grow tall, up to 10 feet, and look super-lush in your home.
What’s good – Its arching leaves act as great air-purifiers and they are known to remove formaldehyde from the air.
Dear new plant parents, we hope this has inspired you to get some new houseplant babies for yourself. We are glad to have been a part of this new journey that you will soon begin.
