Plants have been a go-to decor accessory to enhance a home’s style for thousands of years.
But, did you know …
Besides improving the look of your apartment, the right plant can also boost your health.
We already know to avoid some plants at all costs (looking at you, poison ivy). Others are relatively neutral — they don’t do much but produce oxygen.
In some cases, a plant with health benefits can be harmful to your pets or kids, as is the case with eucalyptus. This pretty piece of greenery, if ingested, is toxic to cats.
Want to know which plants are safe enough to live in your apartment?
All seven on this list have amazing health benefits on top of their attractive appearance.
1. Spider Plants
When you go into a professional office and see bright green plants that almost look like giant blades of grass, you’ve seen a spider plant. These greens are popular because they’re easy to take care of, look nice, and remove toxins from the air.
Specifically, spider plants get rid of formaldehyde. You might not realize you’re breathing it in, but it’s in paper bags, paper towels, tissues, and much more.
This type of plant is perfect if you need something that doesn’t take much upkeep. You can store it in areas without direct sunlight and it grows in any soil. If you water it once a week or so, it can thrive.
2. English Ivy
Ivy is often seen as a creeping vine spreading across old homes. The white patterns across each leaf complement its vivid green color.
If left to its own devices, ivy will spread and take over an area. But in an apartment, you can control its size and benefit from the many health properties.
English ivy is the plant of choice for damp, dark rooms. It is one of the best greenery types when it comes to mold absorption. You might not have mold now, but get some ivy to prevent it if your home is in a damp or dark area.
All you need to care for ivy is some moist soil and a sunny area. They don’t require much work, but you’ll have to trim them, so they don’t take over.
3. Golden Pothos
Golden pothos look similar to ivy, but they don’t take over the space around them quite as much. Pothos is one of the easiest plants to take care of. They’re resilient and hard to kill.
The health benefits of golden pothos were first recognized when the plant appeared on NASA’s air pollution study. In a sealed environment, golden pothos and a few other plants were able to remove chemicals from the air around them. It was a groundbreaking study that skyrocketed plants as indoor decor.
Golden pothos are also popular because they can adapt to different light intensity. They prefer indirect light, as long as it’s bright. They can grow in medium and low light but not direct sunlight. Too much sun burns the leaves.
Keep the top half of the soil dry and the bottom half at the root, moist, and your pothos will grow healthfully.
4. Snake Plant
Don’t let the name fool you!
Sansevieria plants are harmless, and they’re one of the best plants to keep in your bedroom.
The leaves of the plant resemble a snake standing up. They can grow to be about two feet high and are stiff and wide. The dark green color is offset with yellow and white stripes.
Snake plants can thrive in almost any environment. They’re recommended for bedrooms because they turn carbon monoxide into oxygen as you sleep. Most plants do the opposite, taking oxygen away at night.
To care for a snake plant, keep it in bright, indirect light. It grows in the spring and summer, so it may need water about once a week or every ten days. In the winter or low light, you only have to add water monthly.
5. Gerbera Daisy
Gerbera daisies are another plant from NASA’s clean air study. Unlike the other plants on this list, daisies will flower in multiple hues, making them colorful decor.
The flowers are about three to four inches long and can last for months. You’ll find them most often in red, pink, orange, yellow, and white.
In NASA’s study, gerbera daisies could also pull toxins out of the air around them. Like snake plants, these flowers will absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night. They’ll purify your bedroom while you sleep!
However, daisies need more upkeep. You’ll need to water them thoroughly at least once a week, taking care to do this in the morning. Daisies grow best in full direct sunlight, with a fertilizer rich in micronutrients.
When you trim the plant as it blooms, this will encourage new blooms to grow.
6. Azaleas
When azaleas bloom, the flowers are beautiful and fragrant. They come in multiple shapes and colors, so you’re sure to find at least one that looks amazing in your apartment.
Smaller azaleas have narrow, pointy leaves. The blooms are shaped like bells, tubes, or funnels. You can find them in varying shades of pink, purple, red, white, and yellow.
Letting azaleas grow in your home improves the air quality. But these plants are also medicinal. You can use the flowers externally to treat itches, bites, and burns. You can also find products for the treatment of arthritis and injuries with azalea root in them.
However, avoid azaleas if you have little ones or pets. Ingesting any part of the plant can be toxic.
Once it roots and blooms, azaleas can take care of themselves with a bit of help from you. They don’t need direct sunlight and you only need to water them every ten days or so.
7. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is one of the most versatile plants in the world. It can grow in almost any climate, and you can eat, drink, or use it topically.
The green, pointy leaves are thick and broad, but they will eventually flower if they’re healthy. They reseed themselves, so you may start out with one plant and end up with a dozen.
Aloe’s plant compounds are so beneficial, they’re used everywhere, from pharmaceuticals to the beauty industry. It’s great to have aloe on hand as an indoor plant in case you get cut or burnt.
And when you have a nasty sunburn, nothing helps more than straight-from-the-plant aloe gel.
You don’t have to water these plants often, but make sure to fill the plant’s pot deeply when you do. Let the top of the soil dry out before you water it again. Avoid direct sunlight, keeping your plant near a window but not in the sun’s harsh rays.
Conclusion
Decorating your apartment can be therapeutic and improve your health if you use the right plants. Choose one or all seven of these beautiful and beneficial greenery options to enhance your home’s atmosphere and add style easily.
Author Bio
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with Grove at Ft. Collins to help them with their online marketing.
