7 Air Purifying Houseplants for Green Buildings

There are a lot of practices that you have to take into consideration when you are trying to run an eco-friendly building. We have talked at length about the importance of using renewable energy sources and designing the home to be more energy efficient.

However, there are other things that you have to think about as well when you are trying to manage an eco-friendly building. One issue is knowing how to purify the air.

The most obvious solution is to use traditional air purifiers. However, conventional air filtration and ventilation systems are known for having very large carbon footprints, because they need a lot of energy to operate, especially with a large building. They are also great for decorating your building.

A better alternative is to use plants. Plants require no energy beyond the water needed to keep them alive and the natural light provided by the sun. They can do a lot to purify the building with a fraction of the carbon footprint of traditional filtration systems.

Choose the Right Plants to Purify Your Eco-Friendly Building

With the “jungalow” style of decorating seeming to have some serious staying power, it appears that houseplants are going to be in vogue for quite a long time. On top of how houseplants decorate your living rooms and other spaces in your home, they also come with tremendous benefits. Houseplants are known to purify harmful toxins in your house and improve air quality. Let’s take a look at some of the best houseplants to purify the air in your home.

Snake Plants

Snake plants, also known as “Mother In Laws Tongue,” are some of the most common plants to see in people’s homes. Not only are they incredibly easy to propagate, but they’re also even easier to keep alive. They require little watering and don’t need as much sun as other houseplants. These beautiful plants are active and powerhouses at filtering out formaldehyde and benzene during the day.

Spider Plants

The stunning spider plant is another beautiful plant that’s easy to propagate and share with friends. Spider plants are a great addition to any corner of your house if you enjoy hanging planters where you want to add a hook to the ceiling. Though they require a fair amount of pruning to keep them healthy and looking their best, they are fantastic purifiers. Another bonus to the spider plant is it’s non-toxic to pets, so if you’ve got fur babies in your family, this is a safe plant for your space.

Hoya Sunrise

The beautiful Hoya Sunrise is a plant that can boast the ability to purify all five of the harmful VOCs. Not only that, this plant is ridiculously hardy. Though they do well in high light situations, they can also survive in low light. They also don’t need too frequent watering, so you can have them in your office as well and not worry about them while you’re using your PTO or sick days. Also known as the Porcelain plant or Wax plant, their beautiful green leaves feature stunning white flecks.

Aloe Vera

If you’re like many people, you remember seeing an Aloe plant on your mother or grandmother’s windowsill at all times. Not only is aloe fantastic at soothing burns from the kitchen or sunburns, but they also purify the air in your home! Aloe plants are great at filtering benzene, which is found commonly in household cleaners and detergents. They don’t take up a lot of space either, so that you can place several throughout your home for maximum benefit.

Pothos

Also known as Devil’s Ivy, the Pothos plant is one of the most common plants you’ll see in people’s homes. This plant trails beautifully, making it a conversation starter depending on how long you’ve had the plant. They look great on top of bookcases and shelves or hanging planters because of their long, trailing vines. These plants are hard to kill, so they’re great for beginners, just starting with houseplants. They also love moisture, so make sure you’re watering them weekly year-round and consider putting them in your bathroom where they can enjoy all the steam and humidity.

Flamingo Lily

If you’re looking for a pop of color as you’re purifying the air in your home, look no further than the Flamingo Lily. You may not know them by name, but you probably would be able to on sight. These beautiful red blooming Lilies are great at filtering out harmful toxins. They require plenty of sunlight so put them in a sunny room or directly on a windowsill. They’re also thirsty little plants, so make sure you’re watering once or twice a week–just check their soil first.

Kimberly Queen Fern

Ferns can be intimidating to some people when it comes to houseplants because they’re quick to dry out and shed leaves without the proper care. However, the Kimberly Queen fern is one of the best plants you can own to filter out harmful air contaminants. Luckily, this breed of fern doesn’t require the same level of care as other ferns, so make sure you’re keeping her in a low-light location and watering every five to seven days.

Adding houseplants to your already green home is a beautiful, inexpensive way to improve the air quality for you and your family. While there is a bit of a learning curve to caring for plants, plenty of apps and online resources make it easy to work. So, here’s to your home and your health!

Plants Are Great for Purifying Green Buildings

You need to know how to properly purify your eco-friendly building. You have to find energy-efficient solutions, which means conventional purification systems are not a good option. These plants are much better alternatives.