Houseplants can bring in a number of benefits to one's home such as purifying the home's air quality by removing harmful toxins. Many homeowners have a number of different house plants for reasons that include improving mental health and well-being. Some plants boost brain power while others purify the air.
Here are 5 houseplants every homeowner needs:
Snake Plant
Sansevieria Trifasciata also known as the snake plant is a hardy tropical plant native to Tropical West Africa. This is a popular plant to be kept indoors due to the lack of care it needs to survive. It features stiff leaves that are green and will often be found with a yellow border. A slow growing snake plant is great for any homeowner just beginning their indoor plant journey. They are nearly indestructible and thrive in dry soil, so if they miss a watering or two, no damage will be done. They can also live in a bright environment or survive in the darkest room of the house; they are adaptable to almost any environment they live in.
In China, it was believed that the eight-gods bestowed their virtues onto the person who was growing the snake plant, making it a staple in most households in China. Having a couple snake plants in any home can purify the air. Studies show they are capable of removing formaldehyde and benzene from the air.
There a number of varieties of the snake plant:
- Sansevieria trifasciata Hahnii'
- Sansevieria cylindrica
- Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii'
- Sansevieria trifasciata 'Twist'
- Sansevieria trifasciata 'Bantel’s Sensation'
- Sansevieria desertii
These perfect house plants also make babies or pups that can be divided and made into more snake plants!
Rubber Plant
Part of the Ficus species is the Rubber Plant. This plant produces gorgeous deep green leaves with a touch of red on the border if you look closely. These grow a lot faster than the snake plants previously mentioned, you can find a new leaf sprouting every week it seems!
Every homeowner should own a rubber plant as they produce more oxygen than any other plant. Not only do these unique plants produce more oxygen, they also remove mold spores and bacteria from the air.
A rubber plant likes medium to bright indirect sunlight and to dry out between waterings. It is good to water them every week to every other week. Check to make sure the soil is completely dry before their next water. Over the years this baby has the ability to grow to 30 metres tall and spread about 3.2 meters.
This gorgeous evergreen tropical tree is native to Southern China, Southeast Asia, and Indonesia and was once used to make rubber.
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ZZ Plant
Oh the ZZ Plant- slow growing, beautiful, and low maintenance- the perfect plant for any homeowner, whether they are experienced plant owners or just hopped on the plant train. This luscious plant removes toxins from the air that include benzene, xylene and toluene.
Talk about low maintenance, this plant needs minimal light and minimal water. Homeowners can place their new plant in a low lit area of the home and allow the ZZ to dry out completely before watering. If a watering is forgotten, there is no need to stress, the ZZ will most likely not die, ever!
So where did this stunning plant come from? It is native to the grassy areas of East Africa to South Africa. It can grow up to 3 feet tall and spread 2-3 feet.
Golden Potho
A favorite to many plant lovers is the Potho, which comes in a number of varieties. The golden not only removes benzene and formaldehyde from the air, it also removes carbon monoxide and helps eliminate odors. There are some plants that produce oxygen at night, and the golden potho is one of them, making it a great plant to place in the bedroom. Picture a long vine of golden leaves boarding a window or mirror, that is how a mature potho will look. Homeowners who bring a potho to assist in home decor can choose to keep their vines shorter which is still attractive. The vine length is all about preference. The vines can be cut to propagate new plants too!
Caring for this beauty consists of placing it in a bright location that is free from direct sunlight and likes to be dry in between waterings; always check the soil before watering a golden potho. Another good indication of when this plant needs water is when the plant is starting to droop. Once you see it drooping, water.
Dragon Tree
Dracaena marginata is the botanical name for the dragon tree and is a slow growing plant with attractive green sword-like leaves with a red edge. Native to Madagascar, it is drought tolerant making it a great addition to any home.
Place your dragon tree in an area of the home where it can be provided with bright and indirect light. However, these plants are adaptable to low light conditions and love to be dry so be sure not to over water this attractive houseplant. If the leaves are yellowing it could be a sign of over water, if this happens, remove the yellow leaves and dry out completely before giving it any amount of water.
There are a few varieties of the dracena marginata such as the almost completely pink variety that also has white and green stripes known as the D. marginata Colorama. More varieties include dracena tricolor and the dracena bicolor. The tricolor has gorgeous dark red margins, green leaves and an ivy stripe that is found along the middle of the leaf. The bicolor has green and red stripes.
This attractive houseplant can benefit all homeowners as they remove harmful toxins from the air that include trichloroethylene, xylene, and formaldehyde.
Watching these beautiful plants grow from the nurture homeowners give can be therapeutic. Having a home full of attractive and tropical plants can bring nature to you for those long days at the office, which does not always leave much room to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. Once you buy one houseplant, the love for them will begin and before you know it, your home will be full of the 5 houseplants mentioned above!