Home interior decor tips: Types of indoor plants to detox air around
There are numerous reasons to turn your home into a beautiful retreat and indoor plants have health benefits in addition to their aesthetic value. Wondering how to pick a houseplant from your local florist or a nursery? Check out these tips by home interior decor experts
A lovely plant arrangement can serve as a substitute for artwork and a wonderful vertical garden with stunning succulents and planters attractively placed in horizontal rows might be placed in the lobby but while being surrounded by plants, grass and freshness can be quite magical and rejuvenating, indoor plants or houseplants too create fresh and colourful interiors. They instantaneously transform the ambience making your décor stand out and to make it complete as they make the room feel cosier and fresher, by not only adding beauty to a room but also making it a friendly, inviting place to live or work.
People feel relaxed when they are near or tending to living plants as they get in harmony with nature. There are numerous reasons to turn your home into a beautiful retreat as houseplants have health benefits in addition to their aesthetic value and air purification, better sleep, a happier, more relaxed and productive mentality are just a few of the advantages.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Hetal Jujare, Interior designer and Founder of Aarcs – Interior Design Studio, suggested to keep the following aspects in mind when choosing plants for your home:
1. Climate - Due to air conditioning, this isn't as crucial in an interior area. If you don't have that option or prefer not to use it, the temperature of your home may impact which plants flourish in your environment.
2. Pets and children - It's critical to choose non-toxic plants or keep them out of reach if you have pets or small children in your home. Examine this list of dangerous plants carefully to ensure that the plants you choose are safe for all of the people who live in your house.
3. Space - It is really important to consider how much space you have while choosing plants. Accordingly, you can decide whether to have hanging plants, floor plants, tabletop or shelf plants in your space.
4. Light source - The amount of light that your room receives has a big impact on the plants you should use. If your area isn't compatible to the plant you desire, you can make changes with things like blinds, curtains, shades or artificial lighting.
5. Take into account your schedule - Look for plants that are appropriate for your level of maintenance. Remember, plants also need care and love. If you're going to be out of the house a lot, don't choose a high-maintenance plant.
Types of indoor plants to detox air around
According to Charu Gupta, Director of L’ Institute De Dessins (LIDD), these are a few plants that you can bring home and most of these plants are commonly found at your local florist or a nursery:
1. African Violets - Purple in colour a wellbeing benefit in itself. Staring at the plant can help you relax by stimulating adrenaline release and increasing the flow of oxygen to the brain. The plants are small and easy to care for; they prefer indirect sunlight.
2. Aloe Vera - Useful plant that clears formaldehyde and benzene. The best spot to keep this plant is in a bright window. Aloe won't grow well in the shade. Because of its therapeutic properties, many people keep Aloe Vera in their homes. The gel inside the leaves is amazing for healing burns and cuts, and it's also good for your skin. It's also an excellent plant for improving the quality of your indoor air.
3. Areca Palm - This leafy plant can be grown anywhere in the house in indirect sunlight. The plant helps in the removal of xylene & toluene from the air. It also functions well as a humidifier. When watering in the winter, water just enough to keep the soil moist but allow it to dry out a little.
4. Azalea - Grows in bright spots. It can help reduce formaldehyde levels from plywood and foam insulation. This plant produces lovely flowers in the spring that persist for several weeks. They are shade tolerant, making them ideal for areas that do not receive direct sunshine. This attractive plant has a shrub-like appearance and comes in a variety of colours.
5. Boston Fern - It is one that offers beauty and healthy benefits. They function as humidifiers and can aid in the restoration of moisture in the air, making them ideal for those who suffer from dry skin and other cold-weather issues. Besides this they can also assist to remove formaldehyde remnants. Place them in direct sunshine and spritz them with water on a regular basis.
6. Chinese Evergreen - It is very easy to care for and can help to rid your home of a number of air pollutants. The tiny red berries are lovely to look at and can remove toxins from the air that are commonly found in household cleaners.
7. Dracaena - This plant does not require direct sunlight and can grow up to 12 feet in height, so make sure it is planted at a spot that allows enough space to grow. One can control its height by pruning. And maintain a wet but not soggy soil for this plant.
8. English Ivy - This green plant helps in reducing airborne fecal-matter particles. It removes formaldehyde, which can be found in some household cleaning items. To remain healthy, the plant need bright light, and if it does not receive sufficient light, it may attract bugs.
9. Heart Leaf Philodendron - It is a climbing vine that is often best for homes without small pets or children. If eaten, the plant is toxic. However, it's a great way to get rid of formaldehyde, which is typically found in particle board.
10. Peace Lily - It is a beautiful plant and one that can improve your indoor air quality. It absorbs mould spores through its leaves and then circulates them to the plant's roots, where they are used as food, helping to limit the amount of mould spores that proliferate in the residence. The Peace Lily can help keep shower tiles and drapes free of mildew in bathrooms, and it can absorb hazardous alcohol and acetone vapours.
11. Weeping Fig - This leafy plant helps against emissions from curtains, carpets and furniture. Allow it to sit in a bright, indirect light for a while. Also, keep it away from cold or hot air coming in from doorways, as this will cause leaves to fall. It's a long-lasting plant, so you'll be able to appreciate its beauty for a long time.
Adding to the list of types of indoor plants to detox air around, Hetal Jujare shared:
1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) - This plant produces evening oxygen, making it a perfect choice for the bedroom. To absorb airborne pollutants and act as a natural humidifier, grow mother-in-law's tongue commonly known as a snake plant. This plant will filter out Benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene.
2. Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) - Also called the “Butterfly Palm”, The Areca palm, in addition to eliminating pollutants from interior air, emits a huge amount of water vapour, which is beneficial in dry climates. It can survive in a variety of indoor conditions, but it likes a humid atmosphere to avoid tip damage.
3. Rubber Plant (Ficus robusta) - Rubber plants are particularly good at eliminating formaldehyde from indoor air. Use diluted liquid fertiliser on a regular basis during the warm months. From mid-summer until late-fall, water generously and then let the soil dry up before watering again. Overwatering is a no-no for this plant.
4. Golden Pothos, Devil’s Ivy, Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum) - Golden Pothos is a beautiful, low-maintenance houseplant. It is considered bringing good luck, money, and health to its owner in Chinese culture, where Money plants are frequently presented as gifts during the Chinese New Year. This variety of bonsai tree, however, is harmful to cats and dogs if eaten, and should be kept out of reach of youngsters.
5. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) - The spider plant is one of the easiest plants to grow for air purification. With its long wispy leaves and delicate white blooms, the spider plant degrades benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and xylene. It spreads swiftly, producing little flowers and attractive dangling plantlets on long stalks.
6. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) - A powerful air cleaner, particularly for formaldehyde. When the soil is kept continually damp and the fern is placed in indirect light, it flourishes in humid surroundings. It prefers a wet soil environment.
7. Dendrobium Orchid (Dendrobium spp.) - It's a lovely floral plant. It cleans indoor air of formaldehyde, acetone, and chloroform. Toluene and xylene are also reported to be aggressively removed from the air by many Dendrobium species. During the summer, these orchids grow swiftly, but during the winter, they rest.
Charu Gupta advised, “Fertilizers are usually not a big deal for indoor plants. Before using any fertiliser, make sure to fully water your plants. Your potting soil should be light enough to allow for sufficient pore space for air, water and root growth.”