10 Plants Every Home Should Have

Houseplants used to be the domain of Grandmothers and people allergic to cats, but these days just about everyone has a houseplant or two and for good reasons! Many live in rented homes where they aren’t allowed to have pets or their lifestyles simply don’t allow for pets, so they get a houseplant. Houseplants have also proven to have a positive impact on your mental health while you’re at home. Many houseplants can also improve the quality of the air in your home. For all of those reasons, I’ve put together a list of 10 plants every home should have. This list is especially geared towards those who may not have ever had a houseplant before and are looking for something that is both beautiful and beneficial.

 

10 Plants Every Home Should Have

Snake Plant

As well as looking great it has been proven that snake plants also filter chemicals out of the air like benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene. All of which are present in homes as they leech out of furniture and other areas around the house. They also release oxygen into the air at night, the opposite of most plants. So, they’re great for providing clean air in your bedroom while you sleep.

 

ZZ plant

This rather unassuming looking plant might just be the best houseplant in existence. Not because it is good for pulling anything out of the air or anything like that. But quite simply because it is nearly impossible to kill. You can put it in the darkest corner where it only gets a few minutes of light a day. You can forget to water it for days…and it will keep on thriving. It takes a lot to upset a ZZ plant, which is why they are so often recommended for people who are just starting out or are convinced that they have a black thumb.

 

Rubber Tree

Rubber trees are one of those plants that you might be tempted to keep in every room of your house, I certainly am. Why? Because the rubber tree is known for removing more carbon dioxide from the air than most houseplants. Making it fantastic for keeping the air in your house fresh.

 

 

Aloe Vera

If you’ve ever had a really bad sunburn then you might already know about the amazing healing powers of aloe vera. Most people buy it in a tube but why do that when you can grow the plant?! Even if you aren’t using it for its ability to cool sunburns aloe vera is fantastic at taking formaldehyde out of the air. Think your home is formaldehyde free? Think again. A lot of furniture, cabinetry, and even the insulation in your house contain formaldehyde. Older houses, those built before 1990 release those gases a whole lot easier than newer builds which are better insulated and trap gas inside better.

 

Monstera Deliciosa

Not only is Monstera Deliciosa one of the most common houseplants it is one of the best at removing air pollutants from a house. It specifically works on Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Trichloroethylene. I don’t recommend this one for small apartments though, in some parts of the country monstera leaves can grow to be 2 feet tall, though this is pretty rare indoors.

 

Kalanchoe

Help fight seasonal depression in the winter time with a plant that flowers in the winter like Kalanchoe. This gorgeous plant will flower just about any time of year, but its ability to grow flowers in the winter is what makes it so special. It is a great way to help keep those winter blues at bay.

 

 

Ferns

Have you ever noticed that people who have ferns usually have them in the bathroom? There are a few reasons for this, and it’s not just because everyone else is doing it! First, yes, ferns like having humid environments and thanks to showers your bathroom is pretty much the most humid spot in your home. But ferns are also fantastic at taking care of things like Formaldehyde, Toluene, and Xylene, which enter your home through harsh cleaners, hairspray, and nail polish remover. All of which are commonly used in bathrooms. Just be sure that your fern does get light and isn’t sitting in a pudding all of the time.

 

English Ivy

If you only have one plant in your home to help clean the air then let it be English Ivy. Yes, it grows everywhere and it you aren’t careful it can damage walls, but well tended to, English Ivy is hands down the number one air purifier according to NASA. So get yourself some English Ivy and let it vine itself up a bookshelf or create a living wall of ivy in your home. The air in your home will feel so much cleaner for it.

 

Red-Edged Dracaena

The gorgeous red-edge dracaena is the perfect way to add a pop of color to any room in your house. While it makes a fantastic burst of color it isn’t just décor, it also has a job to do removing a number of different toxins from the air. This plant does need a decent amount of sunlight though, so you might want to consider supplementing with a growing light. For that reason I would say that the red-edged dracaena is a little bit of a more advanced plant than the others on this list. But, in my view it is well worth the little bit of extra work it requires.

 

Air Plants

Finally, I wanted to end on Air Plants. For those who don’t know, Air Plants are a type of plant the requires little to no soil or water. Mostly they just need air. From time to time you need to remember give them a spray of water, but that is all they need. They’re a popular choice for desk plants but you can put them anywhere you like. Their ease of care and ability to use them to decorate anywhere put them at the top of my list of plants every home should have.

 

 

This list of plants every home should have is really just the beginning of the wonderful world of houseplants. There are hundreds, even thousands more that you could grow just because they look amazing. But be warned, once you get bit by the houseplant bug you might end up needing them all.

 

 

 

 

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