Bring Nature into Your Home with Plants

Bring a refreshing touch to your interiors by placing some potted plants and cut flowers inside your house. It is a simple and economical method to give your house a classy update while still staying close to nature. Studies have shown that indoor plants increase oxygen levels and purify the air. Some plants even cut out harmful radiations and emissions from home appliances to create a safe environment for your family.

You cannot bring every plant into your household, as some may be good and some not so safe. Choose houseplants with care. Here's a list of plants that you can have inside your house:

This flowering plant with vibrant flowers and waxy leaves is not just a pretty addition to your home interior. The leaves are great absorbents of xylene, formaldehyde, ammonia and toluene. Actually, you will not be directly using these chemicals at home, but they are released by some of the electrical appliances we use and from cigarette smoke. Once in a while, you should wipe the dust from the leaves or clean them with some water.

These hardy plants are suitable for any climate and grow well with minimum care. They grow a little high, so you should place them in corners or places with lesser traffic. These plants naturally purify air and remove carbon monoxide released from cigarettes.

Ferns grow pretty well indoors and are relatively easy to maintain. They also remove harmful chemicals such as xylene and toluene.

Also known as common ivy or European ivy, this plant is an evergreen vine. Place it near bathrooms and restrooms to prevent spreading of excreta.

Another common plant that you can grow indoors is the money plant (Pothos). It has glossy green leaves with yellow stripes. This plant doesn’t require direct lighting and not much watering. It is a climber that grows very well in humid climates. You can place a support pole in the centre of the pot and twine the branches around it. Or, you can tie strings across the room or veranda and allow the plant to spread itself as it grows along the vine. You can also plant Pothos in hanging containers, and the leaves will gradually grow downwards.

It grows very well in humid conditions and doesn’t require much sunlight. This hardy plant has broad green leaves with yellow borders. Go less on water for this plant. If you water it more, then it can rot and become smelly. You can place this plant in or near bathrooms as it absorbs formaldehyde found in most personal care products.

With long spidery leaves in shades of green and yellow, this plant adds a cheerful touch to any room. This plant needs lot of water, so keep it by the window sill or any other place where continuous watering will not dirty the space.

This small leafy plant absorbs pollutants found in varnishes. Though this plant grows well in artificial or filtered light, it prefers direct sunlight. Keep it in a place where it receives the morning sunlight. This plant is prone to damage, so place it in a low traffic area.

This short and hardy plant requires less maintenance and grows well even in low sunlight. The succulent plant removes benzene and formaldehyde from the air. The fleshy leaves are known for their medicinal properties and are used to treat a number of skin problems.