Houseplants for Health: How to Choose

Our health and general condition are influenced by many different factors. A healthy lifestyle can include not only proper nutrition and exercise, but also creating an atmosphere around you, literally and figuratively. Today we will talk about how house plants can help you on the path to health and good mood.

a smiling woman looking at houseplants. She is standing in a bright and airy living room filled with various green plants in stylish pots.


Tips for Choosing

When you choose houseplants for a healthy lifestyle, you should consider various factors, e.g., the benefits they offer, the care they require and how they fit into your living space. In general, you may find this information in different apps for house plant identification. But anyway, here are some guidelines to help you select the best ones:

1. Health Benefits

  • Air Purification: Some plants are known for their air-purifying properties. They remove toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air. Examples: Spider Plant, Snake Plant, Peace Lily, Aloe Vera, English Ivy

  • Humidification: Plants release moisture into the air through a process called transpiration, which can help maintain indoor humidity levels. Examples: Areca Palm, Boston Fern, Rubber Plant

  • Aromatherapy: Some plants have fragrances that can improve mood and reduce stress. Examples: Lavender, Jasmine, Rosemary

2. Light Requirements

  • Low Light: Ideal for rooms with little natural light. Examples: ZZ Plant, Snake Plant, Pothos

  • Moderate Light: Suitable for rooms with indirect sunlight. Examples: Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Rubber Plant

  • Bright Light: Best for rooms with plenty of direct sunlight. Examples: Aloe Vera, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Cactus

3. Ease of Care

If you are new to houseplants or have a busy lifestyle, choose plants that are easy to care for and resilient.

Examples: Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Pothos, Succulents

4. Space Considerations

  • Small Spaces: Opt for compact plants that don’t require much room. Examples: Succulents, Air Plants, Small Pothos

  • Large Spaces: You can consider larger plants or trees for more impact. Examples: Monstera, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Rubber Plant

5. Allergies and Pets

Consider if anyone in the household has allergies to specific plants. Also, ensure the plants you choose are non-toxic to pets.

  • Pet-Friendly Examples: Spider Plant, Areca Palm, Boston Fern

  • Allergy-Friendly Examples: Avoid plants with strong fragrances or those that produce a lot of pollen.

6. Aesthetic and Lifestyle Fit

Choose plants that match your interior design style and personal preferences. Consider the pots and planters to enhance your home decor.

7. Maintenance Needs

  • Watering: Some plants require frequent watering, while others thrive on neglect.

  • Low Watering: Snake Plant, ZZ Plant, Succulents

  • High Watering: Ferns, Peace Lily, Calathea

  • Feeding: Check if the plants need regular fertilizing.

  • Pruning: Some plants need regular trimming to maintain their shape and health.

8. Environmental Impact

Consider choosing plants that are sustainably grown and sourced.

Recommended Houseplants for a Healthy Lifestyle:

Here are some recommended houseplants for a healthy lifestyle, along with the reasons why they are beneficial:

1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

  • Benefits: Excellent air purifier, removing toxins like formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene. It also converts CO2 to oxygen at night, making it a great plant for the bedroom.

  • Care: Very low maintenance, thrives in low light, and requires infrequent watering.

2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

  • Benefits: Effective at removing carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and xylene from the air. It's also pet-friendly.

  • Care: Easy to care for, tolerates a range of conditions, and reproduces quickly through offshoots.

3. Aloe Vera

  • Benefits: Known for its medicinal properties, including soothing burns and skin conditions. It also improves air quality by removing formaldehyde and benzene.

  • Care: Requires minimal watering and thrives in bright, indirect light.

4. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

  • Benefits: Excellent at filtering indoor air pollutants such as ammonia, benzene, and formaldehyde. Also helps increase indoor humidity.

  • Care: Prefers low to moderate light and needs regular watering.

5. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

  • Benefits: Known for its air-purifying qualities, it removes toxins like formaldehyde, xylene, and benzene. It's also very resilient and can thrive in a variety of conditions.

  • Care: Very easy to care for, grows well in low to bright indirect light, and requires moderate watering.

6. Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)

  • Benefits: Great for removing toxins such as formaldehyde from the air. It also has large leaves that can help humidify the air.

  • Care: Prefers bright, indirect light, and needs regular watering and misting.

7. Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)

  • Benefits: Excellent at humidifying indoor air and removing toxins like formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

  • Care: Requires bright, indirect light and regular watering.

8. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

  • Benefits: Known for its ability to increase indoor humidity and filter out pollutants like formaldehyde and xylene.

  • Care: Prefers high humidity and indirect light, needs regular watering and misting.

9. Lavender (Lavandula)

  • Benefits: Aromatic plants that can reduce stress and promote relaxation and better sleep. Also has antibacterial properties.

  • Care: Needs bright light and well-drained soil, requires moderate watering.

10. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

  • Benefits: Effective at removing mold spores and improving air quality. It can also help reduce airborne fecal particles.

  • Care: Thrives in indirect light and requires moderate watering.

11. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

  • Benefits: Excellent air purifier, known for removing toxins like xylene, toluene, and benzene. It's also very hardy and can survive in low light and drought conditions.

  • Care: Extremely low maintenance, tolerates low light and infrequent watering.

12. Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)

  • Benefits: Large leaves help filter indoor air and can add a touch of greenery to your space.

  • Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and needs regular watering and misting.

Summary of Benefits:

  1. Air Purification: Many of these plants are known for their ability to remove harmful toxins from the air.

  2. Increased Humidity: Some plants release moisture into the air, which can help maintain indoor humidity levels.

  3. Aromatherapy: Certain plants like lavender provide pleasant scents that can reduce stress and improve mood.

  4. Aesthetic Appeal: Adding greenery to your space can enhance the overall look and feel of your home.

  5. Low Maintenance: Many of these plants are easy to care for, making them suitable for busy lifestyles.

a smiling blonde woman watering houseplants. She is casually dressed and holding a green watering can.


Using Technology to Aid Plant Care

The integration of technology into plant care can change how we maintain and enjoy our houseplants. Here are some innovative tools and methods that can help you keep your plants healthy and thriving:

1. Smart Pots and Planters

  • Self-Watering Planters: These containers come with built-in reservoirs that automatically provide water to the plants as needed, reducing the risk of over or under-watering.

  • Sensors in Pots: Some pots come with integrated sensors that monitor soil moisture, temperature, and light levels, sending data to your smartphone.

2. Plant Care Apps

  • Plant Identification Apps: Apps like Ai Plant Finder and PictureThis can help you identify plants by simply taking a photo. They provide detailed care instructions tailored to each plant.

  • Care Reminder Apps: Apps such as Planta, Gardenia, and Vera can remind you when to water, fertilize, mist, and repot your plants based on their specific needs.

3. Smart Sensors and Devices

  • Soil Moisture Sensors: Devices like the Xiaomi Mi Flora monitor soil moisture, temperature, and light intensity. They connect to your smartphone, alerting you when your plant needs attention.

  • Smart Watering Systems: Systems like Parrot Pot and GroWater Smart provide automated watering based on the real-time needs of the plant.

4. Automated Grow Lights

  • Smart Grow Lights: These lights can be programmed to simulate natural sunlight, adjusting the intensity and duration according to the plant's needs. Some advanced models can be controlled via apps, allowing you to create custom light schedules.

  • Full-Spectrum LED Grow Lights: Ideal for rooms with low natural light, these lights provide the full spectrum of light that plants need for photosynthesis.

5. Climate Control Devices

  • Smart Humidifiers: Maintaining the right humidity level is crucial for many houseplants. Smart humidifiers can be controlled via apps and set to maintain specific humidity levels, ensuring optimal conditions for your plants.

  • Air Quality Monitors: Devices like Awair and Foobot monitor indoor air quality, providing data on pollutants that could affect plant health and suggesting actions to improve the environment.

6. Automated Fertilizing Systems

  • Smart Fertilizer Dispensers: These systems can be programmed to release the right amount of fertilizer at the right time, ensuring that your plants receive the nutrients they need without the risk of over-fertilizing.

7. Interactive Plant Monitoring Systems

  • Hydroponic Systems: Modern hydroponic systems like AeroGarden use technology to grow plants in water, with automated lighting, watering, and nutrient delivery.

  • Aquaponics Kits: These combine fish farming and plant growing, creating a symbiotic environment. The fish provide nutrients for the plants, and the plants help filter the water for the fish. Smart kits monitor water quality and nutrient levels.

8. Virtual Gardening Assistants

  • AI-Based Assistants: Some apps and devices now incorporate AI to analyze plant data and provide personalized care advice. These assistants can learn from the data over time to offer increasingly accurate recommendations.

9. Online Plant Forums

  • Forums and Social Media Groups: Platforms like Reddit, Facebook, and specialized forums offer communities where you can share experiences, ask for advice, and learn from other plant enthusiasts.

  • Virtual Plant Swaps: Technology facilitates plant swaps and sales, allowing you to expand your collection by trading with others.

10. Data Logging and Analysis

  • Plant Journals: Apps allow you to keep a digital journal of your plant care activities, including watering schedules, growth progress and any issues encountered. This data can help you track patterns and improve your plant care routines.

  • Cloud-Based Services: Some advanced systems upload data to the cloud. So you can access your plant's history and care information from anywhere.

Stay Healthy

Now you know that the environment that you can create with your own hands right at home is also important for your health. Plants are irreplaceable sources of fresh air that fill our lungs with oxygen. Help yourself breathe deeply - place plants in your home and feel the difference.