With people spending far more time inside their homes these days, it’s nice to add an outdoor touch of fresh greenery with beautiful, live house plants. Not only do houseplants add some color and life into your home, but they also help improve air quality by removing volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that hurt your health. In this way, houseplants are a breath of fresh air for your morale, your décor, and your good health.
The Importance of Houseplants for Good Health
Poor indoor air quality can create several negative effects on your health, with can occur right away or can manifest themselves years after exposure. Immediate effects include irritation and itchiness of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Delayed effects and effects from long term exposure could be far more serious, including respiratory conditions (such as asthma), heart disease and certain cancers. And aside from these direct effects, a clean, pure supply of oxygen is vital for every function, organ, tissue and cell in your body. So, for good health, it’s important to ensure that the places you spend a lot of your time in – which, for many people, is indoors – has a good quality of air.
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In the late 1980’s, NASA conducted a two year study on the ability of house plants to help people breathe easier. The study looked at the ability of 15 houseplants to remove three common VOC’s (benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene) from the air. They found that many of the houseplants that were studied were quite effective at removing VOC’s from the air. Additionally, they found that several of the houseplants also helped to regulate indoor humidity levels.
Plants, whether rooted outside or potted indoors, are Nature’s air purifiers and humidifiers. And they are cheaper than the one’s at the store. So try sprucing up your inner spaces with these top ten houseplants for good health. Your lungs will be thankful that you did.
Top Ten House Plants for Good Health
1. Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens). Not only is this a pretty house plant to look at, but it is also highly effective at removing airborne toxins. Additionally, it helps to regulate humidity levels.
2. Lady Palm (Rhapsis excelsa). This is an easy-to-maintain house plant that is highly resistant to pests.
3. Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii). This is another house plant that is highly resistant to pests, and is highly effective at removing airborne chemicals and providing humidity control.
4. Rubber Plant (Ficus robusta). This house plant is very effective at removing formaldehyde from the air.
5. Janet Craig (Dracaena deremensis). This is a very attractive, low-maintenance house plant that is most effective at removing trichloroethylene from the air.
6. English Ivy (Hedera helix). This house plant is excellent at removing formaldehyde from the air.
7. Dwarf Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii). This house plant is very effective at removing xylene from the air.
8. Fiscus Alii (Ficus macleilandii). This attractive house plant provides general air purification, while also naturally resistant to pests.
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9. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata). This house plant may require a little more attention than the others. But it is quite effective at removing toxins from the air and maintaining humidity levels.
10. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp). This easy-to-maintain house plant adds a nice romantic touch to any room, while also removing chemicals such as alcohol, acetone, trichloroethylene, benzene and formaldehyde from the air.
In order to experience optimal good health benefits from the air purification from plants, add a variety of indoor house plants into your home. Not only will you experience better health, but you may also find that they rejuvenate your spirit, as well as the warmth in your home.
