10 Important Plants to Grow Inside Year Round

People like to joke about their inability to keep house plants, but the older I get the more I realize that it's no joke. Not only is it not easy to keep houseplants alive, but houseplants can be instrumental in keeping us alive. This list includes houseplants that will increase your overall health on the daily basis along with a few that can keep you alive in case of emergency.

This common houseplant is technically named Sansevieria trifasciata, but also goes by the names "Viper's Bowstring Hemp," and "Snake Plant." It is not the prettiest plant, but it has many benefits, especially for those lacking a green thumb. The Mother-In-Law's Tongue is a hardy plant that can go extended periods of time without watering which is perfect for those of with poor memories and those who travel a lot. In fact, if you water this plant too much it will begin to rot. What is more important about this common houseplant is that it removes toxins from the air and converts CO2 to Oxygen at night to clean the air that you breathe the most office.

The aloe plant has been used medicinally for years which is one of the many reasons why it deserves a spot in your home. They are not the most beautiful plants, but they are not the worst looking things either. Aloe can be used to soothe sunburns as well as a pain reliever for minor scrapes and cuts. Perhaps most importantly, Aloe has been known to remove harmful cleaning chemicals from the air. This magic plant will even start to brown at the edges when the level of chemicals gets too high which tells you that you shouldn't be breathing in the air in your home either.

It may sound like a joke, but growing an avocado plant indoors is not only possible but beneficial. These plants do grow rather large, so you need to have plenty of room for it, and it should go outside during the summer months if possible. Avocados plants aren't particularly well known for cleaning the air, but the fruits themselves have a ton of health benefits. If you are ever in a situation where food sources are scarce, you will want to be the one person who grew an avocado tree in their home, because these unique fruits are a complete meal in a tiny green package. It doesn't hurt that avocado trees are relatively aesthetically pleasing and a conversation piece for whatever room they are in.

Gerber Daisies are a fantastic dual purpose plant for the house. They are effective at pulling multiple man-made chemicals out of the air. What makes these flowers so special is that, even though they have a job, they look good while doing that job. These plants are not as easy to take care of since some of the others on the list as they need to be misted several times a week and they like their soil to be drained. A well maintained pot of Gerber Daisies are great for your health, add a pop of color, and smell fantastic.

The flamingo flower is far more than just a pretty name. This beautiful plant pulls multiple chemicals out of the air, but the most important is ammonia which ends up in the air around our house from various sources. When the Flamingo Flower is not purifying the air, it does a great job bringing color into the room. While this plant is beneficial to the air quality, it is not the most friendly of foliage. Its leaves are toxic and can burn your skin even with a passing touch; it is best not to keep the flamingo flower if you have pets who like to eat plants.

The peace lily is a popular house plant because of how beautiful it appears, but it turns out that its beauty is more than skin-deep. This unassuming flowering plant is actually a powerhouse when it comes to cleaning the air in our homes. As far as the sheer number of chemicals that the Peace Lily filters out of the air it may be the best plant to keep in your home. The one problem with this plant is that the leaves can be toxic to animals so use caution if you have an animal who like to nibble on houseplants.

I thought it was best to lump all of the herbs in one category given that they so similar, yet so different at the same time. It is a fantastic idea to keep fresh herbs around the house for plenty of reasons. First, herbs are always the best tasting when they are fresh. Fresh herbs also hold more nutrients than those that have been dried. Herbs can also add a nice touch as a decor piece in the kitchen.

The venus fly trap is just an all around fun plant to have in the house. They are not as hard to keep as one may think, but they do have their quirks so it is good to read up on them before you buy one. Contrary to popular belief, Venus Fly Traps do not live solely off of bugs. They are just like any other regular plant that needs sunlight and water to survive, it is good for them to get at least one bug a month though. Keeping one or two of these around the house is great for decreasing the bug population which is especially spectacular in the summer months when flys and mosquitos like to sneak in every time you open the screen door.

Catnip is a great plant to keep around, especially if you have cats. It is no secret that cats love the stuff, so maintaining a live plant around the house is like keeping a keg tapped at all times. Catnip also has some other great benefits both proven and anecdotal. The plant is said to have medicinal benefits including soothing gastrointestinal issues. Perhaps more importantly, its strong scent has been shown to repel some of nature's biggest pests including the disease carrying mosquito. It is perfect for growing outdoors as the first line of defense, but keeping it inside is just as beneficial.

English Ivy is often seen as an invasive pest, but when controlled it is an amazing plant to keep indoors. The reason why this plant is considered a pest is one of the reasons why it makes for one of the best houseplants. English Ivy is nearly impossible to kill which makes it perfect for the brown thumb. Moreover, this plant is a superstar when it comes to ridding the air of toxic chemicals and transforming CO2 into Oxygen. Given its tendency to sprawl this plant may not be for everyone, but you can't deny its health benefits for any home.

These are not the only houseplants that are beneficial to keep in your home, but they are some of the best. These plants will increase your quality of life and possibly your longevity by pulling toxins out of the air your breath and filling you with healthy nutrients. The best part about most of these plants is that they don't require a botanist to keep them alive. If you are looking to break into keeping plants, these selections are a great way to start, and if you are seriously health conscious, you can't go wrong here either.