Living in a modern, energy-efficient building can have unintended consequences. These consequences result in reduced air flow. When there is insufficient ventilation in an enclosed space, it gradually results in indoor air pollution, which can cause health issues including asthma and sick building syndromes.
Moreover, modern furnishings and synthetic materials, as well as your own carpet, may contain more chemicals than you think.
According to a study by NASA, houseplants are the best rescue in absorbing toxic chemicals in enclosed areas with little or no air flow. Despite being less efficient than air purifiers, plants can provide a better, and a natural therapeutic solution.
Although these plants do not require daily care, most of them would survive better if they are fertilized once a month.
Best Plants to Purify Air Review
19 Best Air Purifying Indoor Plants
So, let’s begin with the Spider plants first followed by other plants.
[TIP: If you have pets, please make sure to check whether the plant is pet-friendly or not. It might harm them if the plant is not pet-friendly and ingested.]
Resilient Spider Plant
The Chlorophytum Spider plants are low-maintenance plants that likely grows in warm and humid climates.
If you admire tropical feelings inside your house, get a spider plant, and enjoy the freshness in your room.
Here are the specifications of the Spider plant:
- No Direct Sunlight
Do not place the plant in direct sunlight, or else, it might die.
- Watering
Water this plant twice a week.
- Replantation
After every 2 years, make sure to replant it in a bigger pot.
- No harmful effects
Don’t worry about your pet or children playing with this plant, it doesn’t harm them.
- Manure
It grows well when you add cow manure or vermicompost every three months.
- Where to place it
Living room, Bedroom, Hanging Basket in Balcony, or Office desk.
- Removes Toxins
It battles against carbon monoxide, xylene, and other indoor air pollution.
Money Plant
The Money plant proves itself to be a valuable indoor plant due to its capacity to survive in low light.
For centuries, this plant is said to bring prosperity and luck to your place. So, get at least one money plant for your house.
Here are the specifications of the Money plant:
- Low light plant
It can survive in low light and also removes indoor pollutants.
- Low maintenance
Easy to care plants that can live on the balcony in hanging baskets, bedrooms, or living rooms.
- Texture & Design
The leaves of this plant are heart-shaped along with the speckles of white or cream colored.
It brings luck & prosperity to home as per Feng Shui.
- Water Requirement
Requires to be watered twice a week.
You can also water it when the top layer of soil dries.
- Height
Without pot: 6-9 inch
Plant spread: 8-11 inch
Pot height: 4 inch
- Pot included
A self-watering pot is included that stores excess water in the below reservoir.
Red leaved Chinese Evergreens Plants
Red Leaved Chinese Evergreen Plants also known as Aglaonemas, are the most exotic & stylish indoor plants. It’s an ornamental plant bringing luck.
The leaves are green with red borderline and this plant is commonly named Chinese Evergreens. It’s said to bring luck. Also, NASA recommends it to be an air purification plant.
Here are the specifications of Chinese Evergreens:
- Design & Dimensions
It’s a natural plant with a white ceramic pot.
Dimensions of pot: Height: 4.5 inches, Width: 4.5 inches
Pot and plant height: 12 to 14 inches.
- Maintenance
It’s a low-maintenance houseplant.
Grows well in shade or brightness. But Avoid excess bright sunlight.
Water when the top layer of the soil dries out. Also, try to keep the pot’s soil moist.
- Oxygen Emission
It tops in producing oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the larger leaf. Hence purifies the indoor air and provides clean air.
Purifies toxic indoor chemicals like formaldehyde, VOCs, benzene with phytoremediation process.
- Important care
When the plant arrives, water it thoroughly and place it outdoors under proper light conditions. After some days, you can bring it indoors after you feel that it starts growing.
- It brings luck & prosperity to home as per Feng Shui.
Anthurium Red Flamingo Flower Plant
Red Flamingo plants are also known as Laceleaf plants, Tailflower Live plants, or Anthurium plants.
Anthurium Red/ Flamingo plant is a plant with low maintenance that has heart-shaped red and waxy blooms lasting for max. 8 weeks.
This plant blooms for more than 250 days in a year, that too without requiring any special attention and bright indirect light.
Here are the specifications of the Flamingo plant:
- Requirements
Light, water, and action.
It grows well in bright indirect sunlight.
- Watering
You can water this plant once a week. Try to keep the soil moist.
- Where do they fit
They can be kept indoors, as they work for the purification of indoor air and provide clean air.
It also works as an indoor area decorator due to its bright & shiny presence.
- Maintenance
Low-maintenance plant
- Leaves texture
Dark, glossy, oblong-shaped leaves.
- Dimensions
Height of pot & plant: 19-22 inches
Width: 13-15 inches
- Fertilizer requirement
It requires high phosphorus fertilizer once every quarter & healthy soil to grow well.
Ferns Plant (Pteridophytes)
Golden Fern is what you wish for while purchasing a Fern plant. Being an Air Purifier indoor plant, the fern is also a best-selling indoor plant.
It is also known as a hanging plant. Let’s look at its specs.
Here are the specifications of Golden Fern
- Leaves & Texture
This plant has golden-green leaves that are dense and the foliage is always happy.
The beautiful leaves and delicate fronds grow directly in the soil.
- Sunlight Requirement
Keep the fern plant in bright indirect sunlight as direct sunlight might burn it.
- Low Maintenance
Golden Fern plant is also a low maintenance plant that helps in air purification.
- Watering schedule
Requires watering every alternate day.
- Fertilizer requirements
You should feed Fern with 19-19-19 NPK fertilizer every month (4 weeks). But do not overfeed them or you will find them burnt.
- Air Purification
Some variants of Fern plants are said to remove formaldehyde xylene from indoor air. Xylene is generally used as a solvent in the printing and rubber industries.
Peace Lily Plant (Spathiphyllum)
Spathiphyllum Sensation is a bigger and better version of the basic peace lily plant.
It’s one of the most admired peace lilies in the world. Additionally, it is an excellent air purifier plant that is easy to grow & low maintenance.
If you are a first-time gardener, this plant will be perfect for you.
Here are the specifications of Peace Lily:
- Leaves and Flowers
With the white majestic flowers, it has large, oblong, glossy leaves.
- Not Safe for pets
The flowers are poisonous and can harm your pets. So, keep it away from your pets.
- Easy to maintain
You can water this plant twice a week. Or if you feel that two times watering is over-watering, water when the top layer of soil dry out.
- Light Requirement
It grows well in low-light and can be kept in the living room, bedroom, and balcony.
- Pot included
Pot stores excess water below and roots absorb water through capillary action. It can also be placed on the office table.
- Dimensions
Height without pot 6-11 inches and plant spread: 7-11 inches. Pot height: 4 inches.
Dracaena Reflexa plant
Dracaena Reflexa is also known as the Song of India plant.
The Dracaena word originated from the Greek word drakaina. It means a female dragon.
It’s an easy to care plant that withstands certain mishandling from you. But not like other strains of Dracaena.
Here are the specifications of Dracaena Reflexa
- Sunlight Requirements
It’s a plant that needs bright and direct light along with high humid environments.
Easy growing plant with quick thrive and green leaves with yellow borderline.
- Water requirements
Do not overwater the plant or else it might die due to congestion. Water when the top layer of the soil appears dry.
- Air Purification
Some variants of Dracaena plants are said to remove formaldehyde xylene from indoor air.
Tulsi Plant (Indian Basil)
Tulsi (Hindu Basil) Plant- air purifiers are the most worshipped plant in our Indian culture.
It has a unique connection with mythology and is considered to be a goddess.
It can grow from 05 ft to 1.5 ft in height. Let’s look at the reasons why you should have a Tulsi plant at your home.
Here are the specifications of Tulsi Plant:
- Importance
The scientific name of this plant is Ocimum tenuiflorum / holy basil / tulsi. It’s an aromatic plant that spreads its minty aroma after growing well. Indian Culture Importance
Tulsi is worshipped as a goddess in Indian culture.
- Ayurvedic Importance
Tulsi leaves are widely used in Ayurvedic medicines. It cures coughs and other diseases. They are said to be natural air purifiers.
- Requirements
Tulsi being such an important plant in our culture, still does not require much maintenance.
You can water it once every day, or else water it when the top layer of the soil dries.
- It grows well if timely fertilizers are added. However, it becomes a slow-growing plant without fertilizers.
- Air Purification
Like all other plants, Tulsi also consumes carbon dioxide and produces oxygen, and throws fresh air.
Lucky Bamboo Plants
As per Feng Shui, the bamboo plant is one of the luckiest plants. Easy to grow and also inexpensive that can be placed at offices or homes.
The two-layered luck bamboo brings wealth, positivity, good health, and vibes.
Here are the specifications of the Bamboo plant
- Best for Home Decor
Lucky bamboo is a completely exclusive indoor plant that cannot stay outdoors like other indoor plants.
It’s completely repellent to direct light, unlike plants that love sunlight.
- Where to place the Lucky bamboo plant
It can be placed in homes or offices but here are some factors that are compulsory to grow bamboo:
The room temperature of the room where this plant is placed should be between 18-28 degrees Celsius.
3-4 hours of filtered light or indirect sunlight.
Avoid moist rooms, placed in a dry atmosphere.
- Watering Requirements
It drinks only RO water, like us.
The bamboo plant is placed in a transparent pot with jelly balls around it. The roots are submerged in water.
Add water when you find that the roots are lacking water, or add a small amount of water every day.
- Cleaning the Roots
The roots of Bamboo should be cleaned every 15 days, and also the water should be changed.
- Gift for different occasions
Green Gifts for Birthdays, Good luck occasions, Housewarming, etc.
Can be gifted in professional situations as well.
- Other Details
Plant height: 8 inch
2 layers with 17-19 bamboo stalks
3.4-inch width.
Snake Plant / Mother-In-Law Tongue plant
Snake plant, aka, the Mother in law’s tongue is one of the best air-purifying plants in India. It’s a most famous succulent plant.
It’s the hardest plant that purifies indoor air and keeps the air fresh. It’s almost impossible killing a snake plant as it’s stiff.
Here are the specifications of the Snake Plant:
- Leaves & Structure
Being one of the best air purifying plants, snake plant leaves are greener, sword-like and upright.
- Where to place it?
Snake plants can be placed in the workspace, bedroom, for air purification.
- Type
It’s an ornamental houseplant with a refreshing look.
- Low Maintenance
Despite being a low-maintenance plant, it requires high resilience. It densifies in a certain period and the pot might require a replacement soon.
- Dimensions
Height: 25-40 cm while being shipped.
The rooted plant is placed in a grow bag that has coco peat soil mixed with micronutrients.
Rubber Plants
A rubber plant is a great choice if you are looking the decorating empty corners of your house with indoor plants.
Due to their variety of leaf structures, these plants are ornamental and help refresh your mood by providing pure air.
Here are the specifications of Rubber Plants:
- Leave structure
Leaves have stunning variegation shades like cream, green, and pink.
It’s a natural air purifier that gets better as it thrives. They are evergreen trees in India.
- Care & Requirements
It requires maintenance and care from your side. Though being a low maintenance plant, your little care in the right direction helps the plant to grow.
- Fertilizer Requirements
It requires balanced fertilizer 3-4 times a year.
- Light Requirements
This plant grows in low – bright light. But the condition is, it requires indirect light. Keep it away from direct light.
- Water Requirements
Rubber plants require water once a week.
Devil’s Ivy / Marble Queen Plant
The Marble Queen aka Epipremnum Aureum is one of the plants on the list of popular houseplants.
You can also gift Devil’s Ivy as a symbol of luck and prosperity during a house-warming ceremony or a small business start-up.
Here are the specifications of Devil’s Ivy:
- Leaves & Structure
Leaves of the Marble Queen plant are bright jade green colored with cream-colored texture.
Due to this texture, the leaves have a unique marble-like design them. Hence, this design makes it a perfect plant for decorative indoors.
- Air Purification
As per some studies, Devil’s Ivy easily removes toluene, formaldehyde xylene, and purifies indoor air. Also, Golden Pothos helps in removing formaldehyde xylene.
Hence, they are effective indoor air purifiers.
- Marble Queen is not Philodendron
Both plants have heart-shaped leaves but both are different species.
- Sunlight Requirements
Marble Queen requires a lot of indirect light for keeping their foliage vibrant.
No Direct Sunlight!
- Water requirement
Normally Marble Queen plants can grow only in water, however, if you are growing it in soil, make sure to water once a week.
Or you can water it when the top layer of soil appears dry.
- With healthy and beautiful roots and leaves, you can give this plant a symbol of luck.
People who love natural plant gifts might love this plant!
- Due to all these specs, it’s a perfect indoor small plant for decor.
Areca Palm Air Purifier Natural Live Plant
Areca Palm being a staple plant in India was once an endangered plant. Being an undervalued plant, it still remains an excellent air purifier indoor plant.
Unlike other indoor plants, Areca Palm is a pet-friendly and easy-growing plant that grows in moist soil.
Here are the specs of the Areca Palm plant:
- Delicate Leaves Structure
It’s a plant with delicate leaves and fronds that grows outwards and adds tropical feelings to the room.
- Low Maintenance plant
Like palm trees, this plant too is durable, tolerant and low maintenance.
Due to the tropical leaves structure, the Areca Plant is also most attractive.
- Care & Requirements
Schedule for watering: Water the plant twice a week.
- Light Requirements
Make sure that you place the plant in a spot where it receives an abundance of sunlight for great growth.
- Dimensions
Dimensions of the pot are 4-5 inches in diameter and white in color.
It gives a refreshing feeling when placed inside your house.
- Plant Height
It can grow from 10-15 inches in the prior period.
It might happen that Areca Palm may require to be transferred to a new pot after 1-2 years.
Aloe Vera Plant
The Aloe Vera plant is also known as the healing aloe plant. This plant can be placed indoors or outdoors, wherever you like.
It’s known as healing aloe because of its medicinal properties. Let’s see what more an aloe plant has for us.
Here are the specifications of the Aloe Vera plant:
- Where to place it?
Aloe grows well with minimum maintenance, but it requires a little sunlight every day.
So, you can place it anywhere where it receives little sunlight every day.
You can also place it in your office space as it spreads elegance and charm.
- Water Requirements
It requires watering on alternate days. However, if you see the top layer’s soil is drying quite early, water the plant soon.
- After Receiving care
Add more soil/ coco peat in the pot if required.
English Ivy
Studies show that English Ivy is capable of removing formaldehyde xylene.
Not only that, the English Ivy plant loves sunlight at a moderate level. Let’s see more features of this plant.
Here are the specifications of the English Ivy plant:
- Sunlight Lover
The plant loves moderate light and thrives well in indoor areas.
But remember to keep it out from the reach of harsh direct sunlight.
- Watering Schedule
By avoiding overwatering, your plant can grow easily. Water when the soil loses moisture and gets dry.
- Dimension
Plant spread: 3-5 inches
Plant height: 9-11 inches
Pot height: 4 inches
- Avoid the following things:
Avoid placing this plant in dark and humid places. Repotting is required when the outgrowth of the plant is noticed.
Weeping Fig plant
Weeping Fig, also known as Ficus Prestige is a common plant for both office and house.
It’s a unique variegated easy growing plant that landscape professionals prefer.
If you don’t have spare time for your plants, you can get this one. Just place it in a well-lit place and water as per the requirement. Voila! It grows.
Here are the specifications of Weeping Fig:
- Type
Ornamental Plant that suits when grown outdoors or indoors.
- Requirements
It needs bright indirect light. And do not forget to keep it away from sunlight.
- Watering requirements
It requires watering once every week. Make sure to avoid overwatering.
- Light Requirements
This plant thrives on bright & indirect sunlight. They grow better when you place them in a perfect spot that has situations where they can grow.
Pineapple Plant
97% of the population likes pineapple. If you belong to that 97%, you might be the most interested person to grow a pineapple plant in your house.
Here are the specifications of the Pineapple plant:
- Not pet friendly
This plant can prove to be toxic for pets if ingested. The fruit that is not fully grown is poisonous and causes gastrointestinal upset & throat irritation.
- Bloom
The inflorescence of this plant rises from the termination of the stem and remains for two weeks.
It stunningly looks like spiked red and brown fruit but is still immature.
After two weeks, the fruit is ready to eat.
- Air Purifying plants
NASA has approved this plant to provide oxygen and soaks away impurities from the air.
- Where to place it?
It can be placed in a bright light room (southern exposure).
Places with a high humid environment.
Place where temperature status between 68-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Water Requirement
Water the soil directly and keep it moist, but not overwatering.
The watering schedule is once a week when the soil turns dry.
- Fertilizer Requirement
This plant requires Fertilizing once every two months. Fertilizers should have 10-10-10 NPK and 4-6% magnesium.
Add these contents until flower formation.
Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palm has some lush green foliage that reminds you of a tropical region.
As the plant increases, the spread of the plant increases. Being an excellent air purifier, it soaks pollutants from the air.
Using a fertilizer rich in nitrogen helps in the better growth of this plant.
Here are the specifications of the Bamboo Palm Plant:
- Easy to grow
This plant is easy to grow and maintain. Hence, it can fit easily anywhere.
- Fertilizer Requirements
You need to feed this plant with balanced nitrogen-containing fertilizers in summer.
- Repotting
Re-pot the plant when you find roots are full, and there’s no space for the plant to grow.
- Light Requirements
The bamboo palm grows faster when it receives bright, indirect light. Moreover, it can tolerate fluorescent light also.
- Where to place it?
You can place bamboo palm as an indoor plant or outdoor plant.
Lady Palm
Like other houseplants, lady palms can fit easily in any corner of the room.
But the requirement is: the plant should be placed near a bright window. Being an easy to care plant, it just requires you to form a regular watering and fertilizing schedule.
Avoid following tight watering and fertilizing in cooler seasons.
Here are the specifications of the Lady Palm plant:
- Light Requirement
Place the plant on a spot that has indirect sunlight, as direct sunlight might burn the leaves.
Getting filtered or indirect sunlight is what a lady palm requires.
- Soil Requirement
A soil with excellent drainage and loamy texture is perfect for lady palm.
- Water Requirements
This plant is somewhat tolerant to drought once they are mature enough.
During summer and spring, when the plant is in its best growth period, water whenever the top layer of soil is dry.
During Winter, have compact watering, ie., decrease watering up to a certain extent.
- Temperature
Lady Palm tolerates 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
About your guide
Shreyal Shingala is a Content Writer and also a Product tester at BestCheck. Overseeing the content and products, she edits our preceding articles too. Along with that, she loves to spend time with her family when she got her leisure time.
Previously, she worked as a content writer and researcher for a digital marketing agency and has written in different niches like blogs, comparison guides, entertainment, and many more.