Studies have shown that varieties of indoor and outdoor plants have the ability to remove pollutants from the air (Nasa 1989, Yeang 2006). As a bunch of plant-lovers, we’d love to share with you our recommendations for toxin-removing indoor plants.
1 - RUBBER PLANT
Toxins removed - formaldehyde.
Rubber plants have got to be my all-time favourite indoor plant - not only do they come in all different colours and sizes, but they’re also super hardy. With beautiful waxy leaves, they really are a centre piece in your indoor forest!
2 - SNAKE PLANT
Toxins removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, toluene and xylene.
Snake plants otherwise known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue are super easy to grow and are low maintenance. While they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, they make very good plants for bright indoor environments and can thrive off neglect.
3 - PEACE LILY
Toxins removed: ammonia, benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene.
Low-light lovers, Peace Lilies are an easy and undemanding plant to look after. They’ll dramatically tell you when they need a drink and show you a beautiful flower when they’re happy.
4 - FIDDLE LEAF FIG
Toxins removed: formaldehyde and xylene.
Known as the problem child, my fiddle leaf fig is finally happy in its spot. These fussy plants often get a bad rap but reward you with beautiful luscious leaves when given enough light and not too much water.
5 - BEGONIA POLKA DOT
Toxins removed: formaldehyde.
Begonia’s are a beautiful show-stopping plant that are easy to care for. They like bright indirect light with well-aerated soil and a humid environment.
6 - SWISS CHEESE PLANT
Toxins removed: benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
The Swiss Cheese Plant loves to climb and grow quickly by attaching itself with aerial roots. If you’ve ever visited our Adelaide office, you will notice the massive outdoor monstera currently overtaking our carport. These beauties enjoy a humid climate and will thrive in most conditions.
7 - MARBLE QUEEN
Toxins removed: benzene, and formaldehyde.
Marble queens are super easy to take care of and love to climb or drape down a basket. They look great from a basket in your bathroom, but can pretty much cope anywhere!
8 - ZANZIBAR GEM
Toxins removed: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.
Are you known as a plant killer? If so - this one’s for you. The ZZ plant is full of thick dark green leaves, and will happily sit in the darkest places in your house. This indestructible beast is slow growing but with enough love and care, can be a hard-to-kill plant friend.
Plants make your heart happy, but they also remove those pesky pollutants found in most common household materials. At SUHO we believe it is essential to consider the long term health effects of an occupant and that’s why we have certifications that assess indoor air quality and pollutants.
We’d love to help you consider using WELL, BESS or GreenStar certifications to make sure you consider the effects of these chemicals on each dwelling.
References
NASA. (1989). Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement. Retrieved March 2022, from NASA: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19930073077/downloads/19930073077.pdf
Yeang, K. (2006). Ecodesign: A Manual for Ecological Design. London: Wiley-Academy.
