Air Purifying Plants

Air purifiers are cumbersome. They require filters and constant water refills. These bulky gadgets never look good with any kind of decent home decor and just seem to make a mess. A great alternative that would look wonderful on a table, window seal, or even a floor is a house plant. All of the following plants have been studied under NASA and found to lower levels of various indoor contaminants including benzene, trichloroethylene, and volatile organic compounds (VOCS).

Snake Plant

One well known air purifying plant is the snake plant. It is closely related to the mother-in-law's tongue plant. Even though these two look somewhat alike and are easily mistaken for each other, they are in fact different. The snake plant has green-banded leaves that stand up to 4 feet tall. The mother-in-law's tongue's leaves are similar but have a yellowish border. Despite the differences, they are both great air purifiers that can withstand pretty much any condition. To kill these plants, you would have to basically drown them or not water them at all. They both prefer warm weather, loose soil and a mild cactus fertilizer. They do best in bright light to full sun and you should let the soil dry in between waterings.

Reed Palm

The Bamboo or Reed palm is native to Florida. They mostly enjoy moist soil. Newer plants tend to have a thick canopy and may lose some of their inner foliage as it starts to get accustomed to being indoors. If the palm gets too much water, you will notice the tips of its leaves turning yellow and newer growth coming up paler than usual. Too little water, and everything turns brown as with any plant. If not properly cared for, these palms may get spider mites when brought indoors.

Chinese Evergreen

The Chinese evergreen is a strong, low-light, and slow-growing plant. Its leaves are normally two-tone of silver green and dark green. This is a warmth seeking plant and if it gets too cold, brown spots will start to appear on the fat leaves. This evergreen does not like too much water nor does it enjoy being thirsty, so keep the soil damp. However, not so damp that your fingers actually get wet when you press down on the soil. You should always remove any discolored leaves growing toward the bottom of the plant to promote new growth.

English Ivy

English ivy is a strong and rapidly growing plant. It will even survive during the winter months. English ivy will wrap around and scale any nearby objects, including walls, trees, other tall plants up to 80 feet tall. There are 300 types of known ivy that evolved from English ivy. When this plant is fully grown, its leaves often acquire a fine fuzz or fir.

Janet Craig

Janet Craig plants are somewhat tall with dark-green glossy leaves that shine almost as if they were fake. They tolerate low light and require a dryer soil. These carbon dioxide suckers can become quite top-heavy, making them appear to almost lean toward one side. It is prudent to cut the stalks before they become too large and lose shape. The leaves can attain irreversible brown spots if watered with fluoride-laden water, so you may want to hydrate them with store-bought distilled brand.

Madagascar Dragon Tree

Lastly on or list is the Marginata, or more commonly know as the Madagascar dragon tree. This long, spiky devil can grow up to 15 feet tall. The foliage is rather wide and can collect dust, which needs to be wiped away to keep the plant healthy. The narrow pointing leaves are green with red and sometimes purple stripes on their outer edges. These plants like it warm -- around 75 degrees Fahrenheit -- with low water intake. They are perfect house plants. The stalks can grow straight like a normal tree but can be coaxed into curving and bending like a bonsai.