Easy To Maintain Houseplants And Their Benefits

Picture this - you’ve recently moved into a new pad. Furniture’s in place. Lightings done. The decor looks inviting. What do you do next? Incorporate some green elements into your home.?

Not only do they elevate indoor spaces aesthetically, but houseplants also bring about that much-needed positivity and calmness to our homes and in turn, our lives. Besides, its popularity has sky-rocketed in recent times because more people are moving into rented apartments that don’t allow for any decoration and plants sure make up for it.??

Keeping indoor plants may be intimidating for a few. But it doesn’t have to be, not everyone is born with a green thumb. Whether you’re already a crazy plant parent or an aspiring one, here are some indoor plants for your house and the gazillion benefits that come with them.?

Types Of Houseplants

1. Succulent Plants?

Succulents are low-maintenance plants with thick tissues that don’t demand regular watering and flourish in intense sunlight. So, if your house has ample natural light coming in, you may want to invest in these.

Aloe Vera?

An easy-to-care-for plant, Aloes are prominent for their medicinal and cosmetic properties. They’re pretty great if your space doesn’t allow for much sunlight. Shelves, windowsills and other sunlight-free zones are where they thrive.

• Benefits - Aloe veras have excellent healing properties against any sort of skin inflammation or burn. Its flesh is loaded with antibacterial and antioxidant agents and is often used for making gels and juices,

Snake Plants

Snake Plants require minimum upkeep and have distinct sword-like, striped leaves. While their upright leaves look visually appealing, they’re filled with poison so you may have to be mindful of that.?

• Benefits - Infamously known as mother-in-law’s tongue, Snake Plants are ideal for bedrooms since they are known to absorb pollutants and toxins like carbon dioxide, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air. In addition to this, Snake Plants are also an important element in Feng Shui as they’re believed to bring protective and purifying energy into your spaces.??

2. Flowering Houseplants

Colours bring joy and what better than having bright-coloured flowers to add to the cheer? Some flowering plants may need intense light and a proper day-night temperature difference. Therefore, negligence may not be a favourable option here. However, there are a few like the African Violet that have graduated into becoming successful houseplants.

Peace Lily

Featured in NASA’s Clean Air Study, Peace Lilies have satiny foliage with wonderful white flowers. These tropical flowering plants require indirect sunlight and watering once a week, which further gets reduced during winters.??

• Benefits - As suggested by its name, Peace Lily brings with it truckloads of calmness and helps people prosper mentally, physically and spiritually. They also play an instrumental role in increasing the oxygen levels in the rooms they are housed in.?

Lavender?

While this may not be your regular houseplant, you’d want to keep this in your home its enchanting colour, of course, and the many benefits associated with it. A little pro-tip: keeping the dried petals after a regular trimming sesh is advised since it acts as an excellent moth repellant.?

• Benefits - Lavender is an active flavouring agent used in food and beverages. Plus its fragrance eases anxiety and instils a sense of calmness during aromatherapy. You can even take your self-care routine up a notch and apply it to your skin since it’s got antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties which help prevent breakouts.?

3. Trailers & Climbers

These types of houseplants come with stems so tender and weak that they can’t grow without support. If you’re looking to beautify your bathroom windows or accentuate tall bookshelves, trailing and climbing plants are the right way to go.?

Swiss Cheese Plants

Monstera Deliciosa probably has the most distinct, sieve-like leaves and has massive popularity on Instagram. Out in the wild, they tend to attach themselves to trees which can easily be replaced by a moss stick in your city homes.?

• Benefits?- The plant’s usage is versatile in different parts of the globe. For instance, in Mexico, a special kind of infused beverage is made with the Swiss Cheese Plant’s roots as its primary ingredient. Whereas in Brazil, its leaves are mashed into a paste which is supposed to be effective in treating wounds.?

Golden Pothos

Another easy-to-maintain and sophisticated-looking plant, the Golden Pothos a.k.a., the Money Plant easily survives in a low-light environment. Their beautiful heart-shaped leaves with variegated, coloured striations are bound to elevate your plant shelves.??

• Benefits?- Regrettably so, this one doesn’t get you the money per se, however, according to Vastu Shastra, it’s believed to attract wealth in some form. Pothos is also said to increase the humidity level in the area it’s kept in. And because pathogens and viruses can’t easily spread in moist air, these are God-sent for people susceptible to dust allergies and frequent colds.?

4. Ferns

Available in a variety of different kinds, Ferns have been around for a while. are one of the oldest living plants which only adds to their uniqueness.?

Boston Fern

Boston Ferns are a wildly popular variety in city homes. They demand habitual but light watering and grow massively.?

• Benefits?- They enrich indoor air quality by eliminating common air pollutants like xylene and naturally restore moisture around them. Studies suggest that they also absorb high levels of formaldehyde and make the air breathable.?

5. Large Plants?

There’s nothing like filling your corners and entrances with strikingly large plants that are not only low maintenance but also improve your home’s air quality.?

Dumb Cane

Green thumb or not, Dumb Cane will encourage any newbie to amp up their spaces with it since they truly don’t require much-taking care of. And their variegated leaves with vivid shades will look gorgeous against the broad leaves.?

• Benefits - Dumb Cane is often touted for its ability to absorb carbon dioxide and other impurities from the air.?

Cast-Iron

As is suggestive from its name, Cast-Iron are indestructible plants that are easily accommodated indoors. Their leaves are broad and narrow down towards the tip. They require minimum light, moisture and are ideal for places with high temperatures.?

• Benefits - They can withstand extreme climatic conditions along with neglect and are also major contributors to improving air quality.

Do Houseplants Really Improve The Air Quality?

Contrary to the popular belief that suggests houseplants improve air quality by absorbing harmful gases and producing more oxygen, multiple studies in recent years claim otherwise. They infer that plants only have limited potential to relieve the air of nasty chemicals. According to a study published by The Journal Of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, an open window is far more effective in cleaning out the air inside a room as compared to keeping plants in it.

Yet, there is also a great amount of research that says keeping plants in your homes promotes well-being and has a feel-good effect associated with them. So, while they may not be the air purifiers we thought them to be, they are most certainly a delight to have around.?

Written by Devyani Singh

References:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/houseplants-dont-purify-indoor-air?loggedin=true

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/12/health/plants-do-not-clean-indoor-air-trnd-wellness/index.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/12/health/plants-do-not-clean-indoor-air-trnd-wellness/index.html

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19930073077

https://www.britannica.com/science/houseplant/Ferns