In October and November, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches an all-time high with farm fires, vehicular pollution and pollution from firecrackers being trapped in the city. But you can use these air-purifying plants to ensure that the air in your home is clean and healthy. By Anushka Goel
Every year, as soon as October arrives, newspapers and web articles start filling up with stories of Delhi’s rising Air Quality Index (AQI) and pollution in the city. While October and November are undoubtedly the best months to roam about in the city, with a slight nip in the air, explorations become tough due to the worsening AQI of the city. At a time when even the air inside homes and offices is in the poor category, air purifiers and air purifying plants are a necessity that Delhi cannot do without.
Air-purifying plants to clean up the air inside your homes
Areca Palm
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Another common houseplant in Indian homes, the areca palm is a beautiful air purifying plant that thrives in filtered light. The plant helps remove chemicals such as formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the air, and it thrives in lit spaces such as the living rooms of homes.
Peace Lily
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The peace lily thrives in all kinds of sunlight except harsh direct sun and produces flowers that last for up to two months. What’s more, the air-purifying plant, which doesn’t need much water (but loves humidity), can help remove toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, ammonia, xylene, toluene. The low-maintenance plant is a beautiful addition to homes and it reproduces itself by producing pups, which can create multiple saplings from the mother plant.
Snake Plant
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Sansevieria, or the snake plant, is a hardy indoor plant that grows thick, long, green leaves. It purifies the air, removing benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene, which are common air pollutants. The plant thrives in light that comes through windows and needs to be watered weekly. What’s more, one individual leaf can be propagated into multiple saplings to keep around the house or gift to friends and family.
Money Plant
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A popular plant in Indian households, money plants need little to no care, take up less space, and are great as air-purifying plants. These varieties of the pothos plants can grow in water as well as soil, and these climbers have a variety of shades of foliage – from lush green to variegated leaves to tender, lime green leaves. These plants are said to reduce the quantity of the most common indoor air pollutants such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene. What’s more, propagating this plant is super easy, and a single cutting can over time be propagated into multiple plants.
Spider Plant
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The beginner-friendly plant is also a NASA-approved air purifying plant, reports Healthline. The non-toxic plant helps clear the air of toxins such as formaldehyde and xylene and can bounce back from a little bit of neglect.
Aloe Vera
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The succulent is another common plant found in homes and is known for its various health and skincare benefits – from lush, shiny hair to supple skin and to soothe burns. And this hardy plant, which thrives in good sunlight, doesn’t need to be watered often, making it apt for plant parents who tend to travel a lot, as the plant will be able to survive even while you’re away. What’s more, aloe vera can help clean the air of pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene, which are commonly found in varnishes, floor finishes, and detergents.
Rubber Plant
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The plant, with its waxy, dark leaves, is a beautiful indoor air purifying plant that helps remove formaldehyde from the air. The evergreen tree from India needs a little care, such as frequent wiping of its leaves to remove dust and keep its pores open. They thrive in bright, filtered light.
Related: Green Diwali: Go The Sustainable Way With Your Diwali Celebrations This Year
Main and Feature Image Credit: vadim kaipov/Unsplash
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