Do you talk to your houseplants? If you’ve had your plants for a while, they become almost like dear friends. And they certainly add beauty to our homes and other indoor spaces.

But there’s another reason why our houseplants make us feel good: their holistic healing properties!

According to studies by the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) and others, indoor plants can essentially help:

• Reduce stress levels

• Combat effects of climate change

• Purify the air

• Boost overall well-being

Houseplants Can Improve Our Mood

Houseplants have been shown to impact mental health and well-being in a positive way. A study in Japan found that simply being around indoor plants can relieve stress (particularly techno-stress) and improve mood.

Other research indicates that plants can help increase our productivity, boost creativity, and even improve concentration, making them a great addition to home offices or study spaces. In studies by the University of Exeter, employees with plants in their offices reported feeling happier and more productive, and they performed better on memory and other psychological tests. This may be because calming, plant-inclusive environments help us feel more relaxed and focused.

In the Exeter study, “what was important was that everybody could see a plant from their desk,” said Dr. Chris Knight of Exeter. “In an environment where there's something to get you psychologically engaged, you’re happier and work better.”

Houseplants can create a similar natural mood lift in our homes. By bringing a little bit of nature indoors, we develop a sense of tranquility ─ a big benefit if you live in an urban area or anywhere with limited access to green spaces.

Houseplants Help Reduce Our Carbon Footprint

Experts suggest that certain houseplants may help to combat climate change by absorbing high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen back into the air.

Observing various plant types over a control period, scientists have found that several of them have the ability to decrease levels of CO2 within their surroundings.

This means our indoor plants can help contribute to a more sustainable, eco-friendly household. Adding a few houseplants to our work and living spaces positively impacts the environment and reduces our carbon footprint.

Houseplants Can Help Improve Our Air Quality

Importantly, houseplants have been studied for their potential to purify the air we breathe.

In fact, NASA’s groundbreaking study in the late 1980s found certain indoor plants effective at removing various toxins from the air ─ toxins such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene that can cause headaches, skin and eye irritations, and allergies.

These toxins can come from various chemical compounds in everyday sources ─ household cleaners, building materials, paints, appliances, and furnishings ─ which release pollutants through a process known as “off-gassing.” Toxins, of course, are also present in outdoor air pollution that can permeate our personal spaces.

While scientists don’t yet fully understand how certain plants help purify the air, they believe much of the work of filtering harmful contaminants may happen in the plants’ soil and root systems. The pollutants don’t appear to harm the plants, which safely metabolize the toxins into harmless components.

If your home has 8-9’ ceilings, the Old Farmers’ Almanac recommends one or two houseplants per 100 sq. ft. of floor space, planted in 6-8” wide pots, with the soil surface exposed to the air. According to B.C. “Bill” Wolverton, an environmental scientist involved in the original NASA study, the more air that can circulate through plant roots, the more effectively those roots can absorb and filter out pollutants.

7 Houseplants to Help Purify Air Indoors

Many houseplants can provide superior bioremediation ─ efficient removal of toxins ─ improving indoor air quality by literally absorbing, adsorbing, assimilating, or reducing the pollutants.

1. Aloe Vera

(Aloe barbadensis miller)

You may recognize aloe vera for its beneficial medicinal properties. But a study published in Science Direct notes that aloe vera also shows promise in helping to cut back high concentrations of CO2 and humidity from homes and office buildings that affect global warming.

2. Bamboo Palm

(Chamaedorea seifrizii)

The NASA study indicated that pet-friendly bamboo palms effectively removed 94% of benzene, 97% of formaldehyde, and 98% of trichloroethylene from the air in a sealed chamber over 24 hours. They also eliminate carbon monoxide, xylene, chloroform, and more.

3. English Ivy

(Hedera helix)

Besides several of the industrial toxins noted above, research shows that quick-growing English ivy has superior removal efficiency for other pollutants, including benzene, toluene, and octane, and was able to filter out up to 94% of airborne mold particles over 12 hours.

4. Peace Lily

(Spathiphyllum)

This is one of the few flowering houseplants to double as an effective indoor air purifier. Peace lilies can either absorb or break down and neutralize pollutants like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethylene, by up to 60%.

And like English ivy, they’re beneficial in humid regions or anywhere mold and mildew proliferate ─ a peace lily reduces mold spores by absorbing them as food! Peace lilies are especially useful in bathrooms to remove mold and absorb vapors from cleaning supplies.

5. Rubber Plant

(Ficus elastic)

Hardy rubber plants are excellent, low-maintenance air purifiers, eliminating benzene, carbon monoxide, and, most notably, formaldehyde from the air.

6. Snake Plant

(Sansevieria trifasciata)

Also known as mother-in-law's tongue, the snake plant is a popular houseplant that helps to purify the air by removing pollutants and chemical toxins. In the NASA study, snake plants effectively cleared up to 52% of benzene from the air of a sealed chamber in 24 hours.

7. Spider Plant

(Chlorophytum comosum)

The easy-to-grow spider plant is a champion air purifier that can help eliminate harmful benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. In testing, spider plants remove up to 90% of pollutants from a sealed chamber within 24 hours.

The Takeaway

Houseplants provide a wide range of holistic benefits for our homes and well-being. By creating a more natural and calming environment, improving our mental health, creating a more eco-friendly environment, and helping purify the air we breathe, indoor plants have a lot to offer.

So, bring a little bit of nature indoors and start reaping the benefits today. There's a houseplant out there that's perfect for you. (See NASA’s list for more ideas.)

Already have houseplants? The next time you talk to them, thank them for all they do!

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