Top houseplants for air purifying

National Houseplant Week, a room full of plants

Greenery in the house isn’t just for Christmas, it’s something we can appreciate and enjoy all year round! So, if you are suffering from the post-holiday blues, this is the perfect opportunity for you to brighten up your house with an air purifying and attractive plant that you can enjoy from January to December. However, houseplants do more than just bring a splash of green into our homes, and National Houseplant week (10th - 16th January 2022) is all about raising awareness of the wonderful benefits of looking after an indoor plant.

Houseplants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen for us to breathe, improving the air quality in your home - a great fresh start to the year right? Plants also release moisture into the air, conditioning it with refreshing humidity that can actually make your house feel cooler! Plus, many houseplants are easy to care for and have an array of household uses that can actually help you save a bit of money. Whether you are new to the gardening scene or are a blooming green thumb, why not find out the top houseplants for air purification below, as well as some top health benefits.

At Round the Woods we have included plants in the shower rooms as well as in Willow Roundhouse, to bring nature indoors and purify the air.

What are the benefits of indoor plants?

Oxygen producing

They may seem small, but houseplants can contribute a surprising amount of fresh oxygen into the air. Even better, they produce oxygen with the carbon dioxide we exhale. Interestingly, all plants and animals have a metabolism that burns oxygen for energy, but during the day plants can use their green pigment to convert sunlight into a kind of energy they can store for later. The byproduct is oxygen, which they release into the air for us to breathe. Not just beautiful to look at, these plants also improve air quality by raising humidity levels to reduce skin and respiratory irritations as well as increase oxygen levels and reduce airborne dust levels so you can breathe healthier air.

They have multiple uses

Many edible plants can be grown indoors, from small herbs in window boxes to proud citrus trees in mighty pots. Aside from the obvious benefits of growing your own food, it feels good to be able to utilise the plants you've been tending in your home. There are some non-edible houseplants with uses too, such as the aloe vera plant, whose thick pointy leaves can be snapped open and squeezed onto minor burns, scrapes, and even sunburned skin. It can also be used as a natural eye makeup remover, shaving cream, and even as a cure for bad breath. Some plants can be made into smaller plants (more on this later) to save buying new plants to fill your home.

They freshen the air

That refreshing plant smell isn't just oxygen. Believe it or not, a houseplant will actually reduce the air temperature in your home. Plants produce humidity as well as oxygen, and this added moisture cools the air. Some plants produce more humidity than others, so you can pick a plant that conditions the air just the way you like it. As a general rule, desert plants produce less humidity than tropical plants. Temperate plants vary in the amount of moisture they release into your home, while flowers and other scented plants release odour particles as well. In 1989, NASA discovered that houseplants can absorb harmful toxins from the air, especially in enclosed spaces with little air flow. This study has been the basis for newer studies about indoor plants and their air cleaning abilities. While plants have less horsepower than air purifiers, they’re more natural, cost effective, and therapeutic.

Other benefits include increasing mood and productivity, as the therapeutic nature of caring for plants can reduce stress and fatigue. Aesthetically, plants bring colour and natural elements into the home and for those working from home, including plants in your workspace can increase productivity - this is a great idea especially in the winter, with the lack of warm sunshine.

Our top seven air-purifying indoor plants

Spider plant

Spider Plant hanging from the ceiling

The Spider plant is a fantastic air-purifying plant. The popular plant also known as ‘Chlorophytum Comosum’ is a low maintenance and easy to care for plant and works perfectly in any room of the house. The Spider Plant has variegated foliage which resembles blades of grass - it’ll produce small flowers that turn into Spider Plant babies or ‘Spiderettes’ - so it’s a really great plant to keep growing without spending a penny! It is known for its ability to clean the air of harmful chemicals like ‘formaldehyde’ and because it loves partial shade is a great plant to place in a bedroom where clean air is so important as you sleep. It’s a great one for beginners as it’s really easy to maintain and look after.

Snake plant

Snake plant sitting on a desk for National Houseplant Week

Recognised by NASA for its excellent air-purifying qualities, the Snake plant is really easy to maintain and care for. The Latin name for this plant is ‘Sansevieria Futura’ and it’s also called ‘Mother in Law’s tongue’. Not only does it look really pretty, it’s the most tolerant plant - the Snake plant care is very straightforward. These plants can be neglected for weeks at a time; yet, with their stripy leaves and architectural shape, they still look fresh and can handle many rooms in the house.

Aloe vera

Aloe Vera plants on the window sill

The Aloe Vera plant is one of the world’s most popular indoor plants that made it into Nasa’s famous air-purifying plant study. It was proven to remove harmful chemicals like ‘formaldehyde’ from the air. Renown for its medicinal properties you’ll find the gel inside of its leaves used in many expensive cosmetics and it’s great for sunburn. Aloe Vera also has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects. Ensure the Aloe Vera plant gets lots of light but not too much water. You can use a liquid fertiliser made for succulents and cacti to aid its growth in Spring and Summer. Pop it in a sunny room in the house or even on the bathroom window sill (we have these in our glamping site shower rooms for you to enjoy).

Red-edged Dracaena ‘dragon tree’

Dragon tree in the Roundhouse at Round The Woods, Norfolk

The exotic feeling ‘Red-edged Dracaena’ or ‘Dracaena marginata’ is an evergreen tree with curving multiple canes or stems and plenty of long thin, glossy dark green leaves trimmed with red. This plant looks great in any home or office paired with a wicker basket. It’s a popular houseplant because it tolerates low light and survives neglect - also great for those who work away from home a lot as it doesn't need much watering. The Dracaena marginata will purify your home or office from a carcinogen called ‘benzene’. 

Peace lily

Peace Lily plant

The Peace Lily plant, also known by its scientific name ‘Spathiphyllum’, is an indoor plant that looks great in any home or office space and is super easy to look after. Recognised for their graceful dark green foliage and long-lasting white flowers, this plant (according to the Nasa clean air study) is one of the best performers, as it’s able to purify pretty much every harmful chemical from the air. Avoid direct sunlight by popping it in a shady place and minimal watering is required.

Red Anthurium

Flamingo flower bringing colour into the home

The ‘Anthurium andraeanum’ is such an exotic plant. Also called the Flamingo flower or Lace leaf, the scarlet heart-shaped spathes provide pops of colour to your décor and adds interest to your home office all year round. This houseplant grows wild from northern Mexico to northern Argentina and parts of the Caribbean, it is easy to care for and therefore great for new gardeners. Place it somewhere shady, keep the free-drained soil moist, and dust the leaves regularly for the best results and to reveal that waxy red flower head. 

Boston Fern

Sword fern hanging from the ceiling

The Boston Fern is also called a ‘sword fern’ or known by its scientific name ‘Nephrolepis exaltata Bostoniensis. It’s a popular indoor plant renown for its air-purifying properties - it removes impurities from the air and converts them into oxygen and successfully made it onto Nasa’s clean air study, where it proved to be able to clean the air of harmful pollutants. The plant prefers to be placed in sunny spots but mist the leaves regularly to avoid them drying out. Keep the soil moist, without letting the plant soak in water.

Indoor gardening is great fun with many health benefits. Not only does it make our homes look beautiful, but houseplants also have health benefits that you might not even know about. From improving the air we breathe to helping lift our moods during the darker nights of winter. Why not join in and use the hashtag #HouseplantWeekUK and tag us on instagram in your posts over the next few months so we can see your green spaces evolve!

References: https://www.nasa.gov