The Best Air Purifying House Plants
There’s never been a better time to bring the outside indoors, and lots of plants in your home have the added benefit of cleaning the air you’re breathing, too.
So while we know that having loads of greenery in the house can boost our mood and look lovely, have you ever thought about your indoor jungle having health benefits?
Splurge on a couple of these lovely plants to freshen up your living spaces – both aesthetically and literally.
English Ivy
The classic English Ivy plant looks beautiful both in and outside the home, but when planted indoors has the added benefit of pulling pollutants from the air with her delicately white and green marbled leaves.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has loads of known benefits, including antioxidant and antibacterial properties as well as treating constipation. But did you know it’s an effective air-purifier, too?Formaldehyde and benzene, found in varnishes, floor finishes, and detergents, don’t stand a chance around this.
Snake Plant
Also known as the Mother-in-law’s tongue plant, the yellow tips of this plant release oxygen into the air at night, meaning this is a great addition to your bedroom to reap the benefits of truly fresh air while you catch the zzz’s.
Parlour Palm
Add a touch of glamour and elegance to your living space with a lovely parlour palm plant. So named after it was popularised by middle class Victorian families, we now know that it’s got great air purifying qualities thanks to its squillions of little leaves.
Weeping Fig
A weeping fig, with the right care, can grow into quite the show-stopping centrepiece and as a result, it’s large leafy surface area makes for an effective air purifier. In the wild it would grow small red flowers, but its glossy, dark leaves are beautiful enough on their own for your indoor houseplant.
Anthurium
Add a pop of colour to your indoor jungle with the anthurium plant, which blooms distinctive red flowers all year round. Also known as a Flamingo Lily, this is one of a handful of plants o feature on NASA’s list of top air purifying plants as part of its Clean Air Study in 1989. So, science.
Rubber Plant
The rubber plant is well known to be a favourite among gardening novices, and is a firm fixture in student living rooms the world over. Which is just as well, because it’s got secret purifying superpowers which filter airborne toxins effectively.
Patch Plants’ Plant Doctor Meg says, “As city-dwellers we spend more than 90% of our time indoors. Toxic compounds, like formaldehyde, from furnishings, upholstery, building materials and cleaning products all contribute to making indoor air quality less than squeaky clean. Outdoor air contaminants can also find their way inside, such as pollen, bacteria and molds. But it’s not all doom and gloom – as well as looking great, houseplants are pretty nifty air purifiers, removing these toxins from the air and transforming them into oxygen.
“So how do indoor plants manage this neat trick? Well, as plants absorb carbon dioxide they also take in toxic particles from the air. During photosynthesis they transform these toxins into lovely, pure oxygen which they then release into their environment.”
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Yours.
