The weather outside can be frightful this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your green thumb on — indoors, that is.
Research encourages it, actually.
Findings of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Clean Air Study, published in 1989, suggest that certain indoor plants may help remove toxic chemicals like benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde from the air. These pollutants can cause various health problems such as itchy eyes, skin rashes, drowsiness, headaches, and respiratory and sinus congestion.
“In this study the leaves, roots, soil, and associated microorganisms of plants have been evaluated as a possible means of reducing indoor air pollutants,” the Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement states. “Additionally, a novel approach of using plant systems for removing high concentrations of indoor air pollutants such as cigarette smoke, organic solvents, and possibly radon has been designed from this work.”
Love The Garden’s infographic highlights some of the best air-filtering plants based on NASA’s study.
If you’re not horticulturally inclined, don’t worry. Tara Beaire, owner of Tara’s Floral Expressions, has a few examples of easy-care plants you’d have to try to kill.
Perhaps the most low-maintenance of them all is the pothos, or devil’s ivy.
“That’s probably the easiest, simplest, best purifying plant,” Beaire said.
These plants grow like weeds (mature pothos can reach 30 feet indoors) and can survive a lot of damage, Beaire said, meaning they’re great for people with black thumbs.
Another plant that requires minimal care is the snake plant.
“They don’t need a lot of water; they like it very, very dry,” Beaire said. “If you have a hard time keeping a plant alive, that’s a good one to have because it takes a lot to kill it.”
Dracaenas are also easy to grow, she said. They resemble palm trees, but aren’t as sensitive, she added.
One of the most popular air-purifying plants sold in Beaire’s shop is the peace lily.
These water-loving plants bloom flowers that look like those of a calla lily and don’t require much light.
Many people like the weeping fig (ficus), but they tend to be a little temperamental, Beaire said.
“When you buy (a weeping fig) from the store, it needs to acclimate at home,” she said. This means some leaves may turn yellow or brown and fall off.
With any plant, it’s important to refrain from getting too overzealous with watering.
“It’s usually overwatering that damages plants,” Beaire said.
She recommends putting your finger in the dirt, a little beneath the surface. No watering necessary if it’s moist to the touch.
To help prevent over- (or under-) watering, be sure to use the right size pot, which ideally is the same size container it’s growing in. When it has outgrown its pot, Beaire suggests transplanting it to one that’s approximately 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter.
Another thing to keep in mind is temperature variation, which can affect how much you water your plant. Plants positioned next to a heat vent, for example, are likely to dry out more quickly during the winter.
Above all, don’t sweat it if your plant doesn’t always look Pinterest-worthy.
“Unless you have a completely perfect atmosphere, you’re always going to have some brown leaves,” Beaire said. Just pluck them off or “give the plant a haircut.”
