My wife has never been a fan of house plants. She is afraid that the plants will attract bugs into the house. I saw a post on Instagram of a graphic with common house plants and their benefits. I took interest and did some more research and narrowed it down to 2 plants that I wanted. With that, I went on a quest to find them. These are what I ended up getting.
Sansevieria
The Sansevieria, also known as a Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, is a popular house plant. While the leaves are stiff and do not flower like other soft plants, they have a modern look to them and are very easy to maintain. They require little water and do not require full sunlight like other plants.
The benefit of having this plant in the house is that it absorbs toxins out of the air such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene and xylene. While most other plants release carbon dioxide at night, this plant absorbs carbon dioxide through it’s leaves and produces oxygen. It makes for an ideal plant in the bedroom.
While this plant may be great for humans, be careful if you have pets in the house. These plants may be toxic to them if they are consumed. So keep an eye on them!
Aloe Plant
We all know the benefits of aloe with regards to skincare and aiding in the relief of sunburn. However, it is another plant that helps purify the air. Benzene, which is found in chemical cleaners and paint, is one chemical it helps remove from the air. It makes for a great plant to leave on the kitchen window as it needs sunlight to grow.
The aloe plant is another that does not require much maintenance. It is related to the cactus plant so it does not require much water. Allowing the soil to dry completely before watering is all that is required.
If you do happen to cut or burn yourself, you can cut off a piece of this plant and use to gel to help with treatment. Another added bonus of having this plant around.
As with other plants, please be careful if you have pets. Aloe can be poisonous to them if consumed.
I used to think that having plants in a house was more for visual appeal than anything else. After reading about the health benefits they provide for us, I finally convinced my wife to get some in the house. There are several other plants out there that make great house plants. I will look to add another 2 or 3 in the near future.