A well-chosen houseplant can do much more than just add beauty to your space, it can help purify the air and increase oxygen levels, promoting a healthier home environment.
Some houseplants are especially adept at filtering harmful toxins and improving air quality, making them ideal additions to any room.
Whether you’re looking to boost your home’s aesthetics or enhance the air you breathe, these 20 houseplants can make a real difference.
#1. Spider Plant
Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are one of the easiest houseplants to grow and care for. They’re excellent at removing toxins like formaldehyde and xylene from the air.
In addition, they’re great at oxygenating your home, making them perfect for bedrooms or living rooms. Their long, arching leaves and small white flowers also add an aesthetic touch to your home.
#2. Snake Plant
This hardy plant is practically indestructible and does wonders at improving air quality.
Snake plants absorb carbon dioxide at night and release oxygen, making them a perfect bedroom companion. They also filter out pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.
#3. Peace Lily
Peace lilies are a favorite for their ability to both purify the air and provide a calming, serene aesthetic.
They’re excellent at filtering out ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. Known for their lush green leaves and white blooms, they thrive in low light and humid environments.
#4. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is widely known for its soothing properties on the skin, but it also excels at purifying the air by removing formaldehyde and benzene.
The gel inside its leaves can be used to treat burns and cuts, making it both a practical and beautiful addition to your home.
#5. English Ivy
English ivy (Hedera helix) is a fast-growing vine that can filter out pollutants like benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene.
It’s also known to reduce airborne mold spores, making it an excellent choice for homes with high humidity or allergy concerns. It thrives in hanging baskets or cascading down shelves.
#6. Golden Pothos
Pothos is a low-maintenance plant that thrives in a variety of conditions and is effective at removing harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene.
Its trailing vines and heart-shaped leaves add a touch of greenery to any space, and it’s especially good at purifying the air in offices or living rooms.
#7. Rubber Plant
The rubber plant is known for its large, glossy leaves and its air-purifying qualities. It effectively removes pollutants such as formaldehyde from the air.
This plant requires minimal care and can grow quite tall, making it an excellent choice for larger spaces like living rooms or entryways.
#8. Areca Palm
Areca palms are not only great for increasing humidity but also for purifying the air. They remove toxins such as xylene, toluene, and formaldehyde.
Their feathery, arching fronds bring a tropical touch to your home and can thrive in bright, indirect light.
#9. Boston Fern
Boston ferns are fantastic at removing pollutants like formaldehyde and xylene. Their lush, feathery fronds add a fresh and inviting look to your space.
They thrive in humid environments, making them ideal for bathrooms or kitchens, where air quality can sometimes be compromised.
#10. Bamboo Palm
The bamboo palm is an efficient air purifier, filtering out harmful chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.
It thrives in low to medium light and adds a tropical touch to your home with its elegant, feathery fronds.
#11. Dracaena
Dracaenas are beautiful plants that come in a variety of types, from the popular Dragon Tree to the Corn Plant.
They effectively remove toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, making them great for purifying the air in living areas or offices.
#12. ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant is known for its tolerance to low light and drought. It is a great air purifier, removing toxins like xylene, toluene, and benzene.
Its glossy, dark green leaves make it an attractive and easy-to-care-for option for busy households or offices.
#13. Philodendron
Philodendrons are renowned for their ability to filter out harmful substances, including formaldehyde and benzene.
With their heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines, they add an elegant touch to any space. They’re perfect for beginner plant parents due to their low-maintenance nature.
#14. Lady Palm
Lady palms are great at filtering out harmful chemicals and improving indoor air quality.
They remove toxins like ammonia, benzene, and formaldehyde and add a touch of elegance to your home with their graceful, fan-shaped leaves. They do best in moderate light conditions.
#15. Gerbera Daisy
This bright and cheerful flowering plant does more than just look good; it also purifies the air by removing toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.
Gerbera daisies thrive in bright, indirect sunlight and can add vibrant color to your living space.
#16. Crispy Wave Fern
Known for its curly fronds, the crispy wave fern is a unique addition to your home. It’s particularly effective at removing formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air.
This fern prefers high humidity and indirect light, making it a perfect fit for kitchens or bathrooms.
#17. Moth Orchid
Moth orchids are beautiful, low-maintenance plants that add a touch of elegance to any home.
Aside from their stunning blooms, they can purify the air by filtering out common indoor toxins like xylene and formaldehyde. Orchids thrive in bright, indirect light and are well-suited for windowsills.
#18. Chinese Evergreen
The Chinese evergreen is known for its air-purifying abilities and ability to thrive in low light.
It’s effective at removing toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia. With its attractive foliage and easy care requirements, it makes a great addition to any room.
#19. Geranium
Geraniums not only bring beautiful colors into your space, but their essential oils have air-purifying properties.
They can help remove toxins like formaldehyde and xylene from your indoor environment. Geraniums thrive in bright light and are perfect for patios or sunny windowsills.
#20. Ivy Geranium
The ivy geranium has cascading vines and beautiful flowers, making it both decorative and functional.
It’s great at absorbing indoor toxins, including benzene and formaldehyde. This plant thrives in bright light and can be placed in hanging baskets to add some color and greenery to your home.