Houseplants are not only a beautiful addition to your home; they also clean the air you breathe. In addition to absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the air, houseplants remove indoor pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. These pollutants are commonly found in detergents, carpeting, furniture and paints.
Tip: Include at least one 10-12″ houseplant per 100 square feet of space.
Here are four of our favorite easy-care houseplants.
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) is a great houseplant for low light areas. It is available in many different varieties and is easy to maintain. Just be careful to keep it out of cold temperatures and it will thrive.
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea) comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be used as a tabletop plant or a specimen floor plant. They love bright light and require little water.
Succulents are becoming a very popular houseplant. They love a sunny spot or bright indirect light and are quite easy to maintain. They come in interesting shapes and colors and will do nicely on a sunny window sill. Succulent store water in their leaves so be careful not to overwater.
Bromeliads are epiphytes, which means they get moisture from the air, so they require little water. All I do is water them about every two weeks. I fill the center cup of the plant with water and let it drain down into the soil. They prefer filtered or diffused light. The beautiful exotic flowers last for six months.
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