There’s just something about plants that draws you to them, but who knew just having them could possibly improve your health? We’re not just talking about the beautiful aroma they let off, there are actually everyday houseplants that have been proven to improve air quality and more. If you’ve ever wondered why people get houseplants, this will explain exactly why. You won’t want to miss these awesome plants that can benefit your health.
Here are 36 plants that might actually improve your health.
This will have you rushing to the garden store!
1. Snake Plant
When you hear the word snake, you usually think about a terrifying slithering reptile but the snake plant is quite the contrary. Snake plants can absorb cancerous pollutants like CO2, toluene, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene. Not only that, but they can also rid the air of those pesky pollutants that cause allergies.
Nephrolepis exaltata, also know as Boston fern or sword fern is native to Africa, Polynesia, South America, Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, and Florida. Boston Ferns are known as one of the best plants to improve air quality. Not only does it remove harmful toxins from the air, but it also helps put moisture in the air and improve the humidity in your house.
English Ivy plants are also known as Hedera helix, and they do much more than just looking awesome. They can thrive in cold weather and low-light situations, so they’re perfect for people who may not have “green thumbs.” English Ivy plants can also improve the air quality in your house, along with all sorts of potential health benefits like clearing sinus congestion.
Aloe Vera is a plant we’ve all heard of and usually associate with helping to heal burns. Turns out, it can do a lot more than that! Aloe Vera also works as an air purifier, getting rid of harmful toxins from the air and replacing it with an abundance of oxygen.
Lavender is another popular plant that we’ve all heard of, and their smell alone is enough to want one. Also known as a mum plant, lavender in your house does much more than making it smell wonderful. It can actually clear the air of the chemical found in cigarette smoke known as Benzene.
Spider plants might sound like the creepy crawlers we’re so frightened of, but it’s quite the contrary. Just having one in your house may help your health. Spider plants clear the air of toxins by breathing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen.
It’s no secret that bamboo looks great, and has been used for thousands of years for all sorts of different things. But did you know there’s a plant known as a bamboo palm that can actually improve your air quality just by having one? That’s right, it gets rid of harmful chemicals like chloroform, formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide. On top of that, Bamboo Palm works great as a spider and mite repellent.
Golden Pothos may sound like a plant of the Ancient Greek Gods, but it goes by many different names. We’re not here to talk about the cool names, just the awesome health benefits having it can potentially bring. According to NASA, simply having Golden Pothos can remove toxic chemicals like benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, and more from the air.
Plant enthusiasts absolutely love Peace Lilys, probably because they don’t just look beautiful. According to research done by NASA, Peace Lily plants are among the top plants for removing toxins. So just having on in your house can make you healthier, that’s because it too removes harmful toxins from the air.
Rubber plants look exactly like their name sounds. In fact, you may have to take a second look when seeing one, to make sure it’s a real plant and not some fake imposter. Rubber plants can also improve the air quality in your house by converting carbon dioxide into breathable air.
Gerbera Daisys are mesmerizing to look at and smell incredibly beautiful, but that’s not the only great thing about them. NASA studied their Biohome feasibility and found that they also remove chemicals like Benzenes from the air.
Did you know everyday things like plywood and insulation actually have formaldehyde? Don’t worry, you can easily get the chemical out of your air space simply by having Azaleas. They’ll also put a gorgeous smell in your home, and they look absolutely lovely.
Mass Cane trees are also known as corn plants, and they’re one of the most popular trees from the Dracaenas family. Not only will they look great in your home, but they also will help clean your air inside. They’re proven to remove formaldehyde from the air, thus leaving your house nice and fresh inside.
Weeping Fig or Ficus Benjamin trees, do much more than just looking good, and you can grow it right out of itself! Ficus is native from Australia to India, and NASA also did a study on them cleaning the air of toxins, and what they found was mind-blowing. They found that Weeping Fig is very effective at cleaning the air of harmful toxins like formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.
Chrysanthemum flowers were originally discovered in China and used mainly for culinary purposes. All these years later, we now know that Chrysanthemum or “Mum” flowers work as an air purifier. They’re among the top plants when it comes to cleansing the air, and can get rid of toxins and ammonia alike.
Geranium flowers are a beauty to look at and have a very potent aroma. Another great thing about geraniums is that they’re easy to maintain, but even better, they can also help your health. They can purify the air of toxins, and also repel those annoying mosquitos that love to suck our blood.
According to NASA, the Dracaena family is among the best when it comes to purifying the air, and they’ll look great in your house. Dracaena Angustifolia is very effective at removing toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon dioxide.
Also known as “Mother In-laws Tongue”, Dracaena Trifasciata has pointed green leaves with bright yellow edges. Like the other plants from the Dracaena family, this plant can work wonders when it comes to purifying your home. Why buy an expensive air purifier when you can just get one of these?
Rosemary has been used for thousands of years for a whole range of things, including for its medicinal qualities. It’s fairly easy to grow, and even has one use many people don’t talk about. Being that Rosemary is evergreen, it works great for purifying the air in your home.
If you love clean air as well as coffee, you’re going to love this one. Coffee plants not only produce delicious coffee beans, but they may even help your health. The Arabica coffee plant originated from Ethiopia but is grown all over the world now. The lush plants work as a natural air purifier, cleaning out the bad toxins and cycling in new air.
Woodbine is also known and the European honeysuckle and is known for its delicious fragrance. This plant is native to Eurasia and like the rest of the plants on our list, may help purify the air in your home. Woodbine naturally cleans pollutants from the air, reduces carbon dioxide, and gets rid of bad smells.
Jasmine is a well-known plant that is popular for its wonderful smell, as well as its beautiful flowers. Extract from jasmine is used in essential oils all over the world, for a multitude of reasons but that’s to all it’s good for. Did you know Jasmine also works as a natural air purifier and deodorizes the air?
Heres another one you can grow straight from itself, and also has a wide variety of uses. Not only does mint smell delicious and taste wonderful in mojitos, but it also can have health benefits. By naturally purifying the air, just having mint in your home may help people with lung diseases breath better.
Basil originated in India but is often mistaken to be from Italy because of its wide popularity in the country. If you cook, chances are you’ve used this as an herb, but there’s something else basil plants can do that might surprise you. Basil plants work as natural air purifiers, so having them in your house may not be a bad idea.
This plant is also part of the Dracaena family, whose name comes from the Greek word drakaina meaning “female dragon. It’s called this because of the red resin in the stems which was compared to dragon blood. Like the other plants in the Dracaena family, this plant works as a natural air purifier, removing harmful toxins like carbon dioxide, benzene, and formaldehyde.
Also know as the Chinese Evergreen plant, red aglaonemas grow wild in the rainforests of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. They’re beautiful plants, with bright red, green, and yellow leaves. Red aglaonemas also work as a natural air purifier, so having in your home can help remove toxins from the air.
The Norfolk Island pine tree is native to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific. The lush tree is part of the Araucariaceae family, and can also be beneficial to your health. Having one in your home will purify the air, making it a safer environment for you to breathe in.
Legend has it that money trees will bring you good fortune and wealth, but who knows if that’s true. What we do know, money trees are the perfect tree to grow indoors because they grow well in low-light environments. We also know that money trees can clean the air of the chemicals let off in cleaning products.
Schefflera trees are also part of the Araliaceae family and are native to Java, New Guinea, and the Northern Territory of Australia. Not only will they leave your home smelling fresh, but they will also purify the air of toxins like toluene, formaldehyde, and benzene.
30. Broadleaf Lady Palm
Broadleaf Lady Palms originated in China, and are the easiest type of palm to maintain and grow. They were a prominent plant in Japanese palaces, before being spread around the world. Lady palms can purify the air of carbon dioxide, xylene, formaldehyde, and ammonia.
31. Flamingo Lily
Flamingo Lily is an evergreen plant, that is known for its gorgeous red flowers. Native to Columbia and Ecuador, Flamingo Lilys were found to be extremely effective at removing harmful toxins from your home when studied by NASA.
Dwarf Pygmy Date Palm is a species of date palm and sprouts bright green bushy leaves from its top. Like most species of date palms, dwarf date palms work great for purifying the air of dangerous chemicals.
The Lemon Button Fern originated in Australia and grows approximately one foot tall. They prefer to grow in hot and humid climates, and they too may have health benefits. Having one in your home can clean the air of harmful toxins.
34. Philodendron Plant
Philodendron plants first became known in 1644 and were named in 1829. They are part of the Araceae family and are easy to grow. Having one or more of these plants in your home will clear the air of formaldehyde.
Parlor palms are smaller palm trees that are native to Guatemala and Southern Mexico. One of best-selling palms on the market, parlor palms were also studied by NASA and proven to very effective at clearing benzene and trichloroethylene.
36. Fittonia Argyroneura Plants
Commonly called nerve plants, fittonia argyroneura plants are known for their beautiful leaves. This low-maintenance plant can also clear the air of harmful toxins like toluene, benzene, and trichloroethylene.
Who wouldn’t want cleaner air in their home? Our guess is no one. Anytime you can clear the air of the harmful chemicals that come in everyday, popular household products, it’s a win in our book. Don’t wait, go and get one or more of these 36 air purifying plants and stop breathing in toxins that may harm you and your family.
These 36 common household plants can amplify your health and wellness
Randy Aragon
03.30.21
There’s just something about plants that draws you to them, but who knew just having them could possibly improve your health? We’re not just talking about the beautiful aroma they let off, there are actually everyday houseplants that have been proven to improve air quality and more. If you’ve ever wondered why people get houseplants, this will explain exactly why. You won’t want to miss these awesome plants that can benefit your health.
Here are 36 plants that might actually improve your health.
