Mia
It is a well-known fact that plants help improve the quality of air in both open and closed environments. Even if you choose to keep indoor plants for decor, which are relatively small, the impact they can have on the air quality in a room can be significant. Even if you aren’t an avid gardener and don’t know too much about taking care of plants, keeping a few plants in your home is very easy. Many of the species that are kept indoors and even in the garden outdoors, require minimal attention and are very economical to maintain. While there are some species that are very sensitive to temperature, they need sufficient exposure to sunlight and they require certain nutrients, you can choose whichever you like depending on what suits your needs.
These are a few plants that you can grow which will have a positive impact on your environment and functional decorations.
1. Dracaena
There are a few different variants of this plant that you can get, out of which, the Dracaena Lisa is a very good choice. While being a beautiful little plant that looks like a miniature tree, it’s also extremely well suited to indoor environments. It actually suffers in bright daylight and can do just fine under artificial lighting. It also has no problems in dealing with indoor temperatures and humidity levels. The main benefits of this plant are its air-cleansing properties, it can easily filter a lot of chemicals that are found in everyday products like hairspray and deodorant.
2. Aloe Vera
While this plant may look like a cactus it actually belongs to the lily family. However, it has a lot of characteristics that are similar to that of a cactus. It does extremely well in hot, dry conditions, and it actually performs better when it is under-watered. It can sustain itself in very dry soil with minimal need for fertilizers and compost. More than just being a unique-looking plant it has a lot of medical value and aloe vera, the substance in its thick leaves, is used in medicines, ointments, and cosmetics. You can use aloe vera for everything from internal inflammation to external skin diseases.
3. Rubber Tree
As the name suggests, this is the plant from which rubber is extracted at commercial levels. Though things have changed in the past and now we use a lot of synthetic rubber, the rubber tree is still a beautiful plant to grow at home. Its unique color, its oval leaves, and the fact that you can grow this to be a full-sized tree, make it a great plant for both indoor and outdoor use. While the rubber tree does great under direct sunlight, the gardeners at Harper Nurseries give great advice on artificial indoor lighting that can replicate natural sunlight. With the rubber tree, you want to make sure you have it in a bright spot with plenty of light. It produces white milk which is turned into rubber and also clears the air of many harmful chemicals.
4. Spider Plant
This plant is named spider because of the many leaves that it grows and the low profile that it has. Even a matured spider plant is only a few inches off the ground and has no visible stem because of the dense layer of long, thin leaves. There are several benefits to this plant and due to the high-leaf count, it has a massive surface area which is incredible for filtering out the air around it. It also does well in artificial light and is perfect for the indoors. Moreover, it’s great for animals and doesn’t have any harmful toxins if your dog or cat decides to nibble on its leaves.
5. Birds Nest Firn
While most people think of getting a plant for their garden, or for their kitchen, vegetation in the bathroom is extremely beautiful and helps manage a smelly bathroom. This is a plant that thrives in humid conditions which means it works great for a bathroom plant. Rather than using potpourri or artificial plants in the bathroom get the Birds Nest Firn. You could hang it in your bathroom, near the window and the shower and it will do great with minimal attention. Even though it has many air filtering benefits, the looks alone for this plant are reason enough to have it.
While these plants are a beautiful and functional addition to your home, you could also consider getting a few pots in your kitchen to house everyday herbs. As the kitchen is used frequently, all you need to do is help these herbs out with a little bit of water every day, and the soil has enough nutrients to help them grow. Adding fresh herbs to your food completely changes the aroma and feel of the meal, a definite must-have that is super easy to do.
