Indoor Plants to Purify the Air in Your Home or Office

In homes and offices, furniture and electronic equipment release minute amounts of chemicals into the air. This can cause headaches and a lethargic feeling. Having air purifying indoor plants combats this by absorbing toxins and carbon dioxide in addition to their role of releasing oxygen. For purifying your place, use household plants with large leaves, like the ones listed below.

Aluminum Plant (Pilea cadierei)

The aluminum plant has oval-shaped, green leaves with toothed edges. The leaves give off a metallic aura due to their silver markings, which are the result of trapped air emerging from pockets underneath the leaf's surface. The plant grows up to 18 inches tall in indirect sunlight or partial shade and slightly moist soil.

Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa)

Eighteen-inch, heart-shaped leaves contain holes along the central vein of the plant. While indoors, this plant grows up to 10 feet high with exposure to indirect sunlight. Keep the soil of the swiss cheese plant barely moist at all times.

Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)

This plant flourishes in a variety of conditions, can accept any type of light except deep shade, and grows up to eight feet high. The dark green foliage feels almost flat and it droops slightly on tall, straight stalks. Give the soil enough water to keep it moist from spring to fall, then only water the kentia palm enough in the winter to prevent it from drying out.

Never-Never Plant (Ctenanthe oppenheimiana)

The bushy never-never plant produces lance-shaped leaves with a leathery feel and dark green color. These 18-inch long leaves have silvermarkings on top, while red or purple markings cover the underside of the foliage. Growing up to 36 inches tall, the plant does well with indirect sun exposure and moist soil from spring to fall.

Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

Stretching as high as 36 inches, the parlor palm loves indirect sunlight, warm temperatures and thoroughly moist soil from spring to fall. Its arching leaves measure up to 24 inches long and are prized for their graceful look. The glossy foliage darkens from medium to dark green, and aged plants may produce sprays of small yellow flowers.