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Air Purifying Plants
The Definitive Guide
This is a complete guide to indoor air purifying plants.
So if you’re looking for:
Best NASA recommended air purifying plants.
And how do they work?
Then you’ll love this in-depth guide.
Let’s get started.
Not every companion speaks! Plants are its biggest example. Aren’t they a sight to behold? Probably the best thing you can imagine in green.
But when they are not only a treat to your eyes but also your health builder, they become an even greater blessing!
Yes, that’s what air purifying plants does for you.
Mastering your indoor air quality can really feel like a genuine freedom.
As per NASA’s study, keeping your indoors packed with plants can reduce the pollutants level by more than 60%.
The most perceived scenarios when we talk of pollutants are of massive factories emitting black fuels, older and ill-kept cars causing carbon monoxide emissions, chemicals drained in site constructions, etc.
Well! You’re not wrong here but there is much more to it! What we are missing out here is the indoor air quality.
This brings into picture our air purifying plants that are a strong security check whether working at office or lounging in your bedroom.
With growing urbanisation, the amount of toxic air we consume has exponentially increased. Air pollution is one of the most compelling public health concerned issues that needs an immediate attention.
Air purifying plants are a strong security check whether working at office or lounging in your bedroom.
Most of the people sleep for an average of 7-9 hours per day. Studies show that Indians could be one of the most sleep-rich people in the world. This makes fresh air an inevitable need.
With most of these pollutants being odourless, colourless and intangible in nature, their presence doesn’t really make us anxious. But sad thing! This doesn’t hinder their performance in any way.
The plant helps in removing benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, trichloroethylene and xylene like monstrous air spoilers.
Do you still think that these chemicals are too fancy names to be present in your air?
You would be surprised to know that their sources are al the regular day-to-day things we use.
Usage of oils, paints, plastics, etc. releases benzene, formaldehyde is released from gas stoves, kerosene heaters, wood-burning stoves and other kinds of fuel-burning appliances.
Most of these plants give a fancy and enchanting look to your house along with great positive energy. So, buying one is a 100% profitable deal.
By air purification, we don’t only aim at regulating the bacterial and poisonous elements, but to make the air quality better in all respects.
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is one of the key decisive factors in human health. Being surrounded by poor air quality has led to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, thereby causing higher fatality rate.
Various elements inside our home adds to this poor air quality, such as, combustion appliances like gas stoves, cigarettes, hookah, heaters, ac, artificial floorings, carpets, etc.
As if this wasn’t enough, one can’t begin to imagine when this is garnished by the outside air. This mix happens due to cross-ventilation, open windows, any hole or other type of opening.
After reading this you might be thinking of cutting down on these options. But wait! God forbid if you do so, all your toxins will pile up inside attacking your system.
Air purifying plants help in removing toxins by converting the carbon dioxide gas into fresh oxygen via the process of photosynthesis. This fresh air is crucial for better lungs health, a highly-energetic state, fast digestion, etc.
Wish to din in more? Let’s discuss about some key benefits of air purifying plants before you actually buy one!
- We all are so immersed in our day-to-day duties that we forget to take that much needed pause. Our life oscillates between personal and professional commitments. Sometimes so much that we overlook our mental health.
In situations like these, your air purifying plants can always be a breather. It has been scientifically proven that being surrounded by greenery can have calming effects on your mood, lower down your blood pressure and cause less stress.
- Feeling suffocated in your own house is really a terrible thing. Although there are many Do’s and Don’ts you can follow, but installing an air purifying plant can make it all things easy. It’s a natural and super easy way to regulate humidity levels.
They have this ability to absorb all kinds of excessive moisture at home caused due to various activities including bathing, cooking, dish washing, drying clothes, etc.
- It’s time to switch to organic ACs. Of course, we are hinting at plants. This summer beat the heat with these natural cooling systems.
One can never feel cool enough on those scorching summer days. With these easy-going plants, you can always lower down the temperature and feel the soothing effect.
- One add-on point is that these plants would also help in noise reduction. For all the science enthusiasts, you would love to read this. When sound hits a flexible material, i.e., leaves, the sound waves will be diverged in other directions causing lesser noise effects.
Don’t seem like an exhaustive information? Don’t miss a thing with WHO indoor air quality guidelines.
We hope by now you have a better idea about the importance of making air purifying plants a home essential.
Before you go and hit a nursery, we present to you a filtered list of top 9 plants that are a must go.
1. Peace Lily
SIGNIFICANCE: Worldwide, the plant is highly regarded as a symbol of peace and calmness.
With the plant bearing white flowers, it is highly associated with goodness and freshness.
As per the research conducted by NASA, the plant is in the top list when it comes to air purification. Well, rightfully so!
ABOUT: If you buy it once, you will buy it again, says every peace lily buyer!
Peace lilies are an excellent absorber for a lot many toxins that hover around you 24×7.
These are among the most favoured choice in plants when it comes to air purification. These are a bright combination of white and green colour.
Peace lilies will surely illuminate your house interior with its lavish vibes and
They require lesser care as compared to other plants which makes them fall under the category of most preferred plants with lustrous leaves.
COMMON MISTAKE: DO NOT OVERWATER! Yes, that’s one common mistake we tend to do as a caretaker. In fact, watering them once a week is all you need to do.
To keep a check on them, touch the upper surface of the soil with your finger tip to know how much moist the soil is. If it doesn’t stick to your skin at all, then it’s an indicator to water them.
Peace lilies feed themselves enough to not be fed with fertilizers too often. Fertilizing them once or twice in a year would do all the good.
CAUTION: All parts of the peace lily plant contain calcium oxalate. This substance can be a potential cause for your stomach and pulmonary related health issues due to its poisonous nature.
With small kids being more sensitive towards poisonous elements, they can catch serious skin allergies, skin and mouth infections, nausea and vomiting.
2. Devil’s ivy- Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
Would you believe me if I told you about a plant that requires the least care, is hard to kill and stays pests free! Sounds like a fairy plant, right? Well, they do exist. And you’d be surprised to know by what name. it’s the commonly known money plant!
SIGNIFICANCE: It’s a low maintenance plant that in Indian culture is thought to bring wealth, happiness and prosperity.
Helps in removing many common toxins like xylene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
ABOUT: As the name suggests, the plant has ‘devil’ as prefix because of its indifference towards its surroundings. You can’t finish it off by simply keeping it from sunlight.
It’s an indoor plant but only till it grows full. The plant is all about vines and foliage. The vines you see climbing from a first floor to the second floor or hanging from higher to lower heights of a building.
This is the reason why they top the list of cascading plants, ones that spill off from a hanging basket or fencing a garden. Smartly chop off the extra tendrils to make it look aesthetic as the plant grows like crazy!
While the plant can withstand low light, low humidity and eve cold temperatures, it can make it easily to your list of air purifying plants.
COMMON MISTAKE: Though there is not much scope for mistakes with such an easy plant. But again! DO NOT OVERWATER or UNDERWATER. This can make the leaves turn yellow. Normal tap water would do all the good.
CAUTION: Up till now it’s a too good to be true case right? Well, here’s the twist! It’s an enemy for your lovely dogs and cats or any other animal that you pet.
3. Aloe Vera
In the course of Indian history, this herbal plant and the fleshy pulp that it contains has never failed to surprise us with its nutritional benefits.
What is less known though is its ability to enhance the air quality.
SIGNIFICANCE: Need clean air? Aloe vera is the answer!
The plant works magical in absorbing many toxins which majorly includes VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Put simply, these are emissions from various indoor gases that can have both temporary or lasting effects.
It has the capacity to remove 90% of formaldehyde and benzene from the air. Yes! You heard that right.
ABOUT: Aloe stands as one of the plants tested by NASA during its air quality study. Home is the place where the air is so tightly sealed around us.
The bare minimum you need to do is keep them in bright, indirect or artificial sunlight. Water them enough but not too frequently.
COMMON MISTAKE: Don’t keep them in shadow, else they’ll dry. Keep the sunlight coming in any form, natural or artificial.
Don’t overwater them. This can give invite to fungal stems, leaf rot, root rot, etc.
Don’t keep them in the same pot for too long or the roots would rot. Replace them during their growth into a new pot.
CAUTION: Due to presence of sharp blades o its leaves, its better to keep it away from children.
4. Areca Palm (Dypsis Lutescens)
SIGNIFICANCE: This species of plants that will surely improve your home and office décor and can be the centre of attractions for big halls.
Palms are known to best purify the air, with areca palm topping the list.
It helps in absorbing toxins like acetone, xylene, toluene and formaldehyde. These harmful emissions are from stuff as common as furniture, nail polishes, wall paints, detergents, adhesives, cleaners, etc.
The plant is an absolutely safe options for your cats and dogs as well.
It also strengthens central nervous system in children and can save you from many respiratory diseases which might be as small as cough, sore throat or as severe as lungs cancer.
ABOUT: Areca palm, aka, the butterfly and the golden cane palm is yet another popular choice among air purifying plants.
It is called so because its frons represents butterflies in its arching leaves and the lower canes have a yellow/golden colour.
Warm temperature with adequate sunlight makes for their best environment.
It’s a medium sized palm plant that can go as long as 20m in height. It can be called as a lookalike of a bamboo.
Areca palm, being a super absorber of sunlight, can take in harmful toxins with same power.
It works magical in dehumidifying air and making it safer to breathe.
COMMON MISTAKE: Don’t wait for the soil to completely dry out before you next water it. Always keep it mildly moist. But this doesn’t mean waterlogging them.
Unlike the one we previously discussed; these count on fertilizers a lot more. Areca palm needs to be fertilized once in every two weeks during springs and summers.
CAUTION: Unlike money plants, these are not tolerant to regular tap water. So, use distilled or collected rainwater.
Too bright sunlight can damage the foliage.
5. Calathea Maranta
Calathea and Maranta, also known as ‘prayer plants’, possess dancing leaves. The leaves get unfolded in the day time and shrink during nights, giving it a look of hands joined together in prayer.
SIGNIFICANCE: both these plants are excellent air purifiers.
Calathea has a nature to thrive in atmosphere with good humidity levels. This is why its preferred locations are kitchens and bathrooms.
ABOUT: With or without flowers, Calatheas will never fail to please you. It’s a bold and beautiful plant having luscious dark green leaves with silvery brush like impressions on their top and purple colour underneath their surface.
On the other hand, marantas are plants with tricolour leaves having mix shades of dark green, velvet and yellow dots.
These plants enjoy medium indirect sunlight.
These plants like to be watered. it’s great if you are watering them 3-5 times every week.
Fertilize them on monthly basis. You can do it yourself by making a diluting any synthetic fertilizer or even using, good dirt plant food.
With the plant being sensitive to low humidity, keep a glass of water near them or add any other sort of humidifier.
COMMON MISTAKE: consider using distilled or collected rainwater over normal tap water.
Make sure you don’t place them in the proximity of breezy windows or heaters. This can dry out the plant real fast.
CAUTION: it is advised to not keep their roots soaked in water for longer times.
Make a small drainage hole at the bottom of the pot you plant these in.
You can also use some horticultural charcoal or pumice at the bottom of the pot.
6. Mother Snake Plant
SIGNIFICANCE: The Snake plant purifies air by absorbing toxins through the leaves and producing pure oxygen.
In fact, the Sansevieria is an ideal bedroom plant.
ABOUT: Also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, this plant is one of the best for filtering out formaldehyde,
which is common in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues and personal care products.
Put one in your bathroom — it’ll thrive with low light and steamy humid conditions while helping filter out
air pollutants.
The best position to place the plants in your office or home is a place that is enriched by the plant’s Wood element.
South-eastern, Southern, and Eastern corners are the best feng shui spots to place your plants.
these are super easy plants to look after.
even after days of negligence, they’d still shine on with the same freshness.
COMMON MISTAKE: Do not care too much!
Yes, you heard it right!
the one mistake that is common here is yet again, overwatering the soil. this may cause rotting the roots due to lack
of oxygen and damaging the plant’s health.
in fact, keep them a little on the side of under-watering. they can survive dry conditions better than the
over-love of being watered frequently.
CAUTION: These plants are NOT so animal friendly. they can cause serious allergies to your little ones, including
nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, etc.
7. Saplera Yellow Leaf Plant
SIGNIFICANCE: Saplera plant makes for a popular choice among in-house plants, due to its wide spread unique looking leaves with a mix texture of yellow and green.
it blooms crazy during spring and summers.
apart from the fact that its leaves release oxygen, it can abosrb toxins like benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, etc.
ABOUT: if you’re planning to gift somebody a plant, it makes for the best chocie. It’s an ideal 10 inches elegant plant with vibrant yellow-green leaves.
,Saplera plant can be planted and grown in living, dining, family rooms and bedrooms.
A low maintenance plant, it is also ideal for gifting purposes. Saplera makes a good choice for living, dining, family, and bedrooms.
Many people are especially fond of growing it in well-lit rooms because at night the houseplant is efficient at filtering indoor air pollution from the room.
COMMON MISTAKE: Do not keep the plant too away from sunlight.
In fact, if you want to revive your plant super soon, keep it in outdoors during summers. this will make the plant bushy
and healthy for upcoming winter season.
CAUTION: Do not make the soil too dry or too wet. They may dry out if kept in too dry conditions. a humidity level of 60-70% is preferred.
8. Snow-white Aglaonema (Snow-flake-Aglaonema)
SIGNIFICANCE: it’s a popular indoor air purifying plant that absorbs various toxins including formaldehyde and benzene.
It has a very attractive foliage colour
Its also known as ‘lucky plant’ and considered to bring in good fortune.
Can withstand limited air and moisture conditions.
ABOUT: it’s a hardy, drought-tolerant plant. This feature itself makes it’s a very low-maintenance plant.
This makes it a highly suitable plant for indoor conditions. It’s a new specie in this category and is preferred highly for home décor.
It has super flushed leaves with bright red and pink colour.
The plant can be placed mostly in living-room, bedroom or on office desks.
COMMON MISTAKE: don’t put the plant in full and straight sun. don’t overwater them!
Only water when the top layer of Aglaonema soil is half dry.
Repot as and when required. Light and swampy type is preferrable.
CAUTION: don’t keep them too organic. This means you need to fertilize them 2-3 times every month.
These plants possess an insoluble toxicity in the form of calcium oxates. This can harm the health of your pets and cause them burning inflammation in tongue, throat and maw.
9. Spider Plant
SIGNIFICANCE: The humble plant can make all the difference to the air we breathe indoors. They work hard at cleaning our air of these toxins and releasing humidity back into the atmosphere.
In fact, there are many health benefits to being near plants. Studies by NASA prove certain plants help keep the air in your house cleaner and increase oxygen levels.
The plant helps in cleaning out benzene, trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, xylene and many more toxins from your surrounding air.
ABOUT: spider plant can give you relaxing vibes, recover fast from common cold, less fatigue, less coughs, etc.
Spider plants rank among the easiest plants in terms of care, growth and their reluctant nature for perishing.
They need cool to normal room temperature with almost dry soil conditions.
These beautiful looking plants bear white flowers and are rich in foliage.
Guess what? The plant is absolutely pet friendly. So, all the pet lovers out there, you just can’t miss on this one.
COMMON MISTAKE: these plants hate extreme conditions. Don’t keep them in too bright sun or absolutely shady surrounding.
Water them enough and consistently during summers but water less during winters. Or else, the roots will rot.
Keep the moisture level good enough in the room they are kept in.
CAUTION: in scorching summers, make sure the temperature doesn’t exceed 50 degrees. This can cause drying of the plant.