NASA approved, Easy to care/Best Indoor Air purifying plants

I think we’ve established that in the world we live in today, breathing fresh clean air is next to impossible. But one can try, right? Well the guys at NASA came through. In 1989, they put a bunch of plants in a closed space and pumped harmful chemicals like Benzene, Formaldehyde and Trichloroethylene. After a while, they found that the plants have significantly purified the air in the enclosed place. So why don’t we do the same in our homes?

First off, let’s understand these chemicals. We hear people use these big words without grasping just how common these chemicals are. Benzene is an industrial chemical used to make everyday items like plastic & detergent. Formaldehyde is used to make Plywood, paper products and is in cigarette smoke. Trichloroethylene is used to make inks and varnish. Prolonged inhalation of these gases can result in eye and skin irritation, nausea, headaches. A simple fix? PLANTS!

So, what a plant does is that it absorbs these gases or vapours and converts it into energy for itself, a process used in photosynthesis. The microorganisms in the potting soil also help in purifying our air.

Now that we know the basics, let’s get to the fun part. I made several lists to compare the plants and weed out *pun intended*

Here are the Top 5 Air Purifying, easy to care, indoor plants that are widely available.

 1. SNAKE PLANT (Sansevieria):

Also cleverly knows as ‘Mother in law’s tongue’, is must-have for every house, garden, office or even a bathroom. A plant that’s so resilient, even a person with zero gardening abilities will be able to make it work. The snake has many different varieties, all easy to care for.

It is known to remove Formaldehyde from the air. It will do well in any light conditions from extreme heat to very low light. It likes well-draining soil and being root/ pot bound. The long, upright pointy leaves, make it a great interior décor statement. 

The only thing to remember here is that this plant can get root rot if watered too much. So just relax, cut back on the watering and only give it water when the soil completely bone dry. 

2. PEACE LILY (Spathiphyllum):

 A cool green plant that has beautiful foliage and lovely blooms. These plants are known to filter Formaldahydes and benzene. 

They like to have moist soil and humidity. They like medium light or shade. They can tolerate low light, but may not flower in such conditions.

A pretty easy plant to take care of. Try to keep away from direct harsh sunlight and careful of overwatering and over fertilising.

 3. SPIDER PLANT(Chlorophytum comosum): 

These funky plants have the ability to filter formaldehyde from the air and look very cool while doing so.

They like well-draining soil and bright light. Wait for the soil to dry out between waterings as they don’t like being soggy. They are susceptible to dry tips, in that case, keep the soil slightly moist but not drenched.

If we get all these conditions right, these plants start shooting out little baby spider plants that are just too cute. You can then snip these baby plants and make smaller plants. I don’t know what could be better!

4. MONEY PLANT (Epipremnum aureum):

Also known as Pothos, this is a fast-growing, easy, beautiful vining plant. They like bright indirect light. They can do just fine in low light as well. They can filter out benzene. They are several different varieties with variegated leaves 

They like well-draining soil and likes the soil get dry between watering

They make a lovely plant for home décor. You can steak them up on a moss pole or a ladder or anything it can climb up on or leave it in a hanging basket for a completely different look. 

5. BAMBOO PLANT (Bambusoideae):

This a plant you see in all gift shops, kept in water, sold as a good luck plant. I don’t know if they bring you any luck, but they do give you loads of joy. A plant that grows fast when kept in bright indirect light. It can be kept in water or soil. It thrives in the soil!

It is can purify your air by filtering out carbon dioxide, benzene and formaldehyde.

If kept in water, the water should be changed regularly.

If kept in soil, it likes slightly moist soil, not soggy. 

You can arrange and tie the stalks (not too tightly) with a soft ribbon to keep its upright, tall structure!

So, if you haven’t already, you have yet another excellent reason to fill up your homes with lots of plants! 

Until next time,

Have a lovely day!

Gayatri Vaidya ©