The best indoor plants for a healthier home

We spend a large portion of our lives indoors, especially at home, so it’s no surprise that many of us are looking for simple ways to create healthier, more refreshing living spaces.

One of the easiest upgrades you can make? Adding indoor plants to your home.

Perfect for apartment living, the right plants can help freshen the air, add a pop of greenery, and bring a sense of calm to your everyday. Here are some of the best indoor plants that don’t just look good, they do good, too.

Devil’s Ivy - Epipremnum aureum

The Devil’s Ivy, also known as the Golden Pothos, is an easy-to-grow indoor plant that is effective at removing common household toxins. It is identifiable by its large heart-shaped leaves, coloured in marbled green and bright yellow.

This plant thrives in water, pots, and even hanging baskets. Its vibrant colouring can add a fresh pop of colour to any space, with its cascading vines making for a stunning look perfect for bookcases, shelves, and benches.

As beautiful as the Devil’s Ivy may be, be sure to keep it out of reach from your dog or cat as it is toxic to pets.

Areca Palm - Dypsis lutescens

Native to Madagascar, the elegant Areca Palm is a great plant for bigger spaces. Multiple cane-like stems stretch their narrow leaflets up and out, making a great focal point for living rooms, hallways, foyers, and more.

A non-toxic plant for both cats and dogs, this plant is a powerhouse when it comes to eradicating toxins in the air, including formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

Areca Palms are known to be undemanding and easy to grow. Look after them by watering often, allowing the soil to dry out in between watering, and placed under filtered light.

Spider Plant - Chlorophytum comosum

Known as one of the most adaptable and resilient indoor house plants, the Spider Plant is the perfect choice for first-time plant owners. These plants thrive in indirect sunlight and will grow under a wide variety of conditions, known to grow incredibly quickly and are easily propagated.

These graceful little plants make a statement anywhere they are placed, be it on your bedside table, bookshelf, or mantle. While it is sitting looking pretty, the Spider Plant will quietly battle toxins in the air, including carbon monoxide, xylene, and formaldehyde. Additionally, these are one of the few house plants that are non-toxic to animals! 

Rubber Plant - Ficus elastica

The Rubber Plant, though easy to maintain, can grow up to 15 metres tall. They can be enjoyed as medium-sized house plants when kept in smaller pots to restrict their growth. But, when they are left to grow, these plants make for a beautiful indoor tree - a focal point for any room. Be sure to place them where there is space to grow!

Characterised by their large rubbery-looking evergreen leaves, these plants are able to absorb airborne chemicals and break them down, rendering them harmless. They can absorb carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen as well, while also eliminating any bacteria and mould spores in the air.

With these species, it is advised that you start with a younger plant to allow it to adapt to your apartment’s indoor environment, instead of bringing in a more mature plant home.

Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthemum

Not just a beautiful flower species, Chrysanthemums are known to be one of the best air-purifying indoor plants! Known to eliminate toxins such as formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene, these plants can also absorb ammonia - a colourless gas present in many household cleaning products and floor sealers.

Though one of the more difficult air-purifying plants to grow, the outcome is certainly worth it as colourful blooms make for a stunning pop of colour in your spaces. Most often seen in whites and yellows, Chrysanthemums come in almost every colour you can think of! From soft pastels to bold reds and purples, you are sure to find the perfect Chrysanthemum plant to suit your interior design.

These plants enjoy bright indirect sunlight and good airflow, so make sure you place them by a sunbathed window.

Aloe Vera - Aloe barbadensis miller

Aloe Vera plants are widely known for their anti-inflammatory properties that heal wounds and help with sunburns. Turns out that these succulents are great air-purifying plants, too! Taking in carbon dioxide and producing oxygen at night makes these little plants ideal for bedrooms.

The plant’s identifiable fleshy leaves allow it to happily cope with less than regular watering. What the healing aloe plant does need, however, is sun. Allow your Aloe Vera plants to thrive in well-lit rooms and on sunny windowsills where they can soak in indirect sunlight.

Chinese Money Plant - Pilea peperomioides

Like the other plants on this list, Chinese Money Plants are renowned for their ability to purify the air of any harmful chemicals and other pollutants in the air, including benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

Because of their high purification rate, however, these plants are toxic to cats, dogs, and even small children when ingested. So keep in mind to keep these plants out of reach of any pets and children.

Provide your Chinese Money Plant with semi-regular watering, light feeding, and bright light, and it will thrive, purifying the air in your home.

Lavender - Lavandula

Lavender isn’t just for your garden, it can thrive indoors, too. Known for its soft purple tones and calming fragrance, this plant is perfect for creating both a more relaxing and healthier home environment.

Beyond its visual appeal, lavender is often associated with reducing stress and promoting better sleep, making it an ideal addition to bedrooms or quiet corners of your apartment. Place it in a sunny spot with good airflow, and be careful not to overwater as it prefers drier soil conditions.

English Ivy - Hedera helix

A classic trailing plant, English Ivy is a popular choice for apartment living thanks to its soft, cascading vines and timeless look. Whether styled on a high shelf or in a hanging planter, it adds an effortless touch of greenery to any room.

English Ivy is also associated with helping to reduce airborne pollutants and improving overall air quality. It is also particularly effective at reducing mold spores and airborne fecal matter, making it a great option for bathrooms, kitchens, or areas with limited ventilation.

English Ivy thrives in bright, indirect light and prefers slightly cooler environments. Keep the soil lightly moist, but avoid overwatering, and trim regularly to maintain its shape.

For more on lifestyle, news, and market insights, click here.

Header image source.