10 Air-purifying houseplants
The idea of air-purifying houseplants goes back to NASA's Clean Air Study and the research that followed it. These are the plants whose own care notes place them in that work. What it means in a real home is another matter: the US Environmental Protection Agency says there is currently no evidence that a reasonable number of houseplants remove significant quantities of pollutants in homes and offices.
Be realistic: the famous studies used sealed lab chambers, so a plant or two won't change a room's air. Choose these because you'd want the plant anyway, not as an air filter.
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
The Areca Palm (also called the Butterfly Palm or Golden Cane Palm) is the soft, feathery…
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The Boston Fern is the lush, cascading classic of the fern world - a soft fountain of arching…
Dracaena (Dracaena marginata, fragrans & more)
"Dracaena" is not one plant but a whole family of easy, sculptural indoor trees and shrubs…
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English Ivy is the classic trailing, climbing vine - elegant, lush, and full of old-world…
Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)
The Kentia Palm is the elegant, upright indoor palm of grand hotels, conservatories, and…
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
The Parlor Palm is the easy, elegant, pet-safe palm that has been gracing indoor rooms since…
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
The Peace Lily is one of the few easy houseplants that flowers reliably indoors.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum / Devil's Ivy)
Pothos is the friendliest trailing vine in the houseplant world - fast, forgiving, beautiful…
Snake Plant (Sansevieria / Dracaena trifasciata)
Tall, sculptural, and almost indestructible, the Snake Plant thrives on neglect, survives in…
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The Spider Plant is the cheerful, generous, almost foolproof classic of the houseplant world.
Prefer to filter yourself? Try the Plant Finder to narrow all houseplants by light and watering.
Choosing a plant for a home with pets? Our table of plants toxic to cats and dogs shows what every profile says - and the reference behind it is the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.