Top 18 Indoor Plants for Improved Health and Well-being at Home
The Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a popular choice for improving indoor air quality, particularly beneficial for people with skin conditions like dermatitis, soothing dry noses, and sore throats. Another plant that excels in air purification is the Philodendron, which efficiently removes toxins and improves indoor air quality while inducing feelings of calm and alertness.
NASA's 1989 Clean Air Study highlighted 18 plants as the top choices for health and air purification, also noted for their ease of care. These plants include the Dwarf Date Palm, Boston Fern, Kimberly Queen Fern, Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum), Chinese Evergreen, Bamboo Palm, Weeping Fig, Devil's Ivy (Pothos, Epipremnum aureum), Flamingo Lily (Peace Lily, Spathiphyllum), Lilyturf, Broadleaf Lady Palm, Barberton Daisy, Cornstalk Dracaena, English Ivy, Variegated Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), Red-Edged Dracaena, Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum), and Florist's Chrysanthemum.
Spider Plants, Snake Plants, Peace Lilies, and Pothos are key favourites due to their resilience and ability to thrive with minimal light and watering. To maximize health benefits, NASA recommends having at least one plant per 100 square feet indoors.
Other plants, such as Dracaena, are excellent air purifiers, removing formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon dioxide. The Weeping Fig can help improve air quality and reduce the chances of getting sick, while Gerbera daisies make pretty flowers and are great air purifiers.
The Snake Plant helps purify the air, particularly effective against formaldehyde, benzene, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. The Parlor Palm purifies the room, particularly good at removing gases that may come off certain furniture materials.
Plants like the Rubber Tree or Rubber Plant are great for purifying the air, reducing allergies, acting as a natural anti-inflammatory, natural analgesic, and promoting stomach health. English Ivy is a very good air-purifying plant, known for its ability to remove mold from your home.
Aloe Vera is known to filter toxins like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene. The Peace Lily is one of the top plants for breaking down toxic gases in the air and purifying the room. The Pineapple Plant helps produce more oxygen, while Flamingo Lilies are effective at removing airborne formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, and xylene.
A study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology showed that plants in the home or office could help people feel more comfortable and soothed. Bamboo Palms help prevent spider mites, making them beneficial for the health of other plants. Areca palms can help purify toxins like toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde.
Indoor plants can help improve attention and concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, and even aid in recovering faster from illness. They also add oxygen to indoor spaces, improving air quality, and can help if you suffer from "brain fog" or short-term memory issues.
In conclusion, incorporating indoor plants into your living or working space can provide numerous health benefits, from air purification to stress reduction. By choosing plants from the list of 18 top plants, such as the Spider Plant, Snake Plant, Peace Lily, and Pothos, you can ensure a balance between NASA air purification efficacy and manageability.
- The Spider Plant, Snake Plant, Peace Lily, and Pothos are popular choices due to their resilience and ability to thrive with minimal light and watering, offering health benefits while promoting a relaxing and alert lifestyle.
- The Snake Plant is particularly effective at purifying the air, removing formaldehyde, benzene, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide, making it a useful addition to any home or office.
- The Parlor Palm purifies the room, being particularly good at removing gases that may come off certain furniture materials, contributing to better indoor air quality and reducing the chances of getting sick.
- Aloe Vera is a beneficial plant, known for filtering toxins like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and benzene, making it a valuable addition to your health-and-wellness lifestyle.
- English Ivy is a versatile air-purifying plant, known for its ability to remove mold from your home and improving overall indoor air quality, contributing to better health and wellness on a lifestyle and home-and-garden level.
