17 May 2019

10 Houseplants for Healthier Air Quality at Home

Everyone is talking about the benefit of growing houseplants for health!

We all have room for at least a few houseplants, which not only “green up” any room, but also help keep the atmosphere clean.

Back in 1989 NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) carried out experiments to find out which houseplants were most effective at removing harmful airborne toxins, dusts and germs in the atmosphere. These “volatile organic compounds” are released from synthetic products such as carpets, paint, furniture and cleaning products, and the plants remove the toxins through their leaves, roots or stems.

We know that all plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, but some are known to be more effective than others at filtering toxic substances found in our homes.

We’ve put together a selection of our favourite houseplants which are known for their air purifying qualities– plus they’re all easy to grow!

One houseplant per 10 square metres is enough to help clean the air so a few plants in an average-sized room will help make a difference!

1 - Peace lily: (Spathiphyllum species) Ever popular for being tolerant of low light areas indoors, the peace lily will flower on and off throughout the year.

2 - Spider plant: (Chlorophytum comosum) Easiest of all houseplants – it grows anywhere - plus it is so easy to propagate from the tiny plantlets that will appear on the end of its stems.

3 - Kentia palm: (Howea forsteriana) Beautiful elegant palm which is expensive but worth it. Lovely in a partly shady area.

4 - Boston fern: (Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’) Popular since the Victorian era, this fern needs bright but indirect light and high humidity. Therefore, mist the leaves regularly or keep on a tray of gravel with the water just below the surface.

5 - English ivy: (Hedera helix) Tough and attractive, easy to grow ivy needs cool conditions, especially in winter.

6 - Flamingo flower: (Anthurium andreanum) Beautiful waxy flowers last for weeks. Grows best in bright but indirect light.

7 - Snake plant: (Sanseveria trifasciata) Aka “mother-in-law’s tongue”. This plant is tolerant of almost any conditions and is available in many different foliage colours.

8 - Aloe vera: “First aid plant” This succulent is easy to grow in bright light. Water sparingly.

9 - Jade plant: (Crassula ovata) Aka money tree – bushy succulent thriving in hot, sunny conditions. Can get quite large and last for years!

10 - Devil’s ivy or golden pothos: (Epipremnum aureum) Also called Scindapsis aureus Very useful trailing plant or can be trained on a moss pole. Tolerant of low light levels