Healthy House Plants

There are many criteria you can use to choose a favorite houseplant. Common points to consider are color, ease of care, and even size, but did you know some houseplants even promote a healthy environment by destroying things like mold, and other toxin? Here is a list of a few of the top houseplants to beautify your home as well as keep it healthy.

The Boston Fern

Boston ferns are very popular houseplants because they are very easy to care for. They take quite a bit of abuse from either over or under watering, grow well in all types of lighting, but will only grow and thrive with direct sunlight. Although they enjoy warmth, Boston ferns are okay with sudden drops in temperature. What most people do not even know about their beautiful, feathery Boston fern is that it is also a great air cleaner. Boston ferns remove formaldehyde from the air and exude oxygen for a fresh, healthy environment.

Areca Palm

If you have floor space this large potted palm is an extremely beneficial houseplant. The areca palm produces moisture and increases the humidity in a room. At the same time, the areca palm removes toxins from the surrounding air. They do not require a great deal of attention and thrive indoors. The areca palm prefers well-lit areas, but will do well even in a corner. Like any plant, they do best when watered with attention to proper amounts and timing, but even an amateur can keep an areca palm healthy. They are tolerant of mistakes.

English Ivy

Loved for its shapely leaves and heavy, bushy foliage, the English Ivy removes toxins like mold spores and formaldehyde from the surrounding air. English Ivy performs double duty in homes with pets by absorbing general pet odors and litter box odors. It is a colorful plant with various size leaves. The English Ivy is very hardy. You can also grown English Ivy outdoors, but it will quickly take over any area, so beware. Container planting, both indoors and out helps keeps Ivy in its place.

Peace Lily

A lesser known, and slightly more difficult to care for plant that still tops the list of great houseplants due to its various cleansing attributes is the peace lily. Peace lilies must have well-drained soil, and be placed in an area where light is available, but not direct where it may burn. Peace lilies, also known as Mauna Loa, remove toluene, xylene, and benzene odors commonly released by nail polish, solvents, adhesives, and paints. They are great plants for shops, beauty parlors, and salons as well as bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. The peace lily has an extra quality of being a plant you can place directly in the water of a clean fish tank, specifically beta fish who will feed on the root system.