9 Air-Cleaning Houseplants That Are Almost Impossible to Kill
Given that most people spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, air quality matters. Furnishings, upholstery, synthetic building materials, and cleaning products in homes and offices can emit a variety of toxic compounds, like formaldehyde for example. Indoor air pollution can also be caused by pollen, bacteria, and mould, because outdoor air contaminants find their way into buildings. All of these are made worse in small or poorly-ventilated spaces (maybe like that bedroom with the window you accidentally painted shut last year).
The good news is that there’s an easy and affordable way to combat the presence of the yucky stuff we may be breathing in, and it comes right from the natural world. Adding potted plants to a room has been shown to reduce the amount of air contaminants.
Plants absorb some of the particulates from the air at the same time that they take in carbon dioxide, which is then processed into oxygen. But that’s not all—microorganisms associated with the plants are present in the potting soil, and these microbes are also responsible for much of the same air cleaning effect.
Although houseplants may be intimidating to those with a “black thumb” or fear of commitment, it turns out that many plants are easy to care for—so easy, in fact, you’d have to try pretty hard to kill them.
Each kind of plant has its own favourite environmental conditions, so look for a tag that comes with the plant or online to find out how much sunlight and water it will need. If your plant doesn’t come in a pretty pot, or if it outgrew its previous one, you can easily re-pot it. Just find a pot that’s at least one inch larger than the previous container, add potting soil to the bottom, and place the plant so that the top of the soil remains at the same level as before. Finally, carefully pack potting soil around the edges of the plant and water it. Voilà!
Garden Mum
Pollutants removed: ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene
In NASA research, this plant was an air-purifying champion. Popular and inexpensive at garden stores, they can be planted outside after they’ve finished blooming.
Spider Plant
Pollutants removed: formaldehyde and xylene
Spider plants are among the easiest houseplants to grow, making them a great choice for beginners or forgetful owners. A fan of bright, indirect sunlight, spider plants will send out shoots with flowers that eventually grow into baby spider plants or spiderettes.
Dracaena
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene
There are more than 40 different kinds of Dracaena plants, making it easy to find one that’s a perfect fit for your home or office. They’re common foliage plants with long, wide leaves that are often variegated with lines of white, cream, or red. Pet owners might want to select a different plant, however, as these are toxic to cats and dogs.
Ficus/Weeping Fig
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene
Though the ficus is a tree in its native home of Southeast Asia, when it grows indoors, it’s a hardy plant that ends up being between two and 10 feet tall. Grow this low-maintenance houseplant in bright, indirect light and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
Peace Lily
Pollutants removed: ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene
Peace lily plants are relatively small compared to many of the plants on this list, but they still pack some major air-cleaning abilities. Easy to grow, these plants will flower for much of the summer. Just be aware that those flowers (like all flowers) do contribute some pollen and floral scents to the air, so you may want to avoid having a room full of them. Put peace lilies in a shady spot and keep the soil moist without overwatering.
Boston Fern
Pollutants removed: formaldehyde and xylene
These plants prefer to clean the air from a cool location with high humidity and indirect light. They’re relatively easy to grow, but they do need to stay moist. Check the Boston Fern’s soil daily to see if it needs water, and give it a good soak once per month.
Snake Plant/Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene
This is one of the hardest houseplants to kill. Although it does need to be watered occasionally, it generally prefers drier conditions and some sun.
Bamboo Palm
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene
A superstar for filtering formaldehyde, these palms thrive in full sun or bright light. Part of the reason they can filter so much air is that they can grow to be pretty big—as tall as four to 12 feet high, making them exciting (and pet-friendly) indoor additions.
Aloe Vera
Pollutant removed: formaldehyde
In addition to being easy to care for, aloe makes some serious health claims. The plant’s leaves contain a clear liquid full of vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, and other compounds that have wound-healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, and there is some evidence that aloe may help skin conditions like psoriasis.
Courtesy: Homeservice Club of Canada