Home & Garden
The best plants to keep at home according to NASA
In the 1980s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America studied houseplants to see if they would be a viable option to purify the air in space facilities. They found several plants that best filter out common volatile organic compounds. These plants can also help us filter our indoor air down on Earth. If these houseplants are good enough to filter NASA’s space stations, then they’re surely good enough for our houses.
- English ivy (Hedera helix)
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Golden pothos or Devil's ivy (Scindapsus aures or Epipremnum aureum)
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')
- Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
- Bamboo palm or reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)
- Snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata'Laurentii')
- Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium, syn.Philodendron cordatum)
- Selloum philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum, syn.Philodendron selloum)
- Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)
- Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
- Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragans 'Massangeana')
- Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')
- Warneck dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii')
- Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)
- Gerbera daisy or Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
- Pot mum or florist's chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium)
- Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
Related links:
5 amazing benefits of indoor plants
10 famous gardening quotes we love
Picture gallery: Over60 community garden inspiration