10 Plants That Can Naturally Improve the Air Inside Your Home

Search for the best plants for indoor air quality and you will probably encounter the same promise again and again:

Put a peace lily in the living room.

Add a snake plant to the bedroom.

Place pothos around the house.

Soon your plants will supposedly remove toxins, produce huge quantities of oxygen and turn polluted indoor air into something resembling a forest.

The real science is more interesting—and considerably less dramatic.

Houseplants genuinely interact with the air around them. Their leaves absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Plants release water vapor through transpiration. Leaves, roots, potting media and associated microorganisms can interact with certain airborne chemicals. Controlled experiments have also shown that some houseplant systems can remove compounds such as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and nitrogen dioxide.

But that does not mean a few pots on a windowsill can replace ventilation, source control or a proper air cleaner.

A major scientific review analyzed 12 studies containing 196 experimental results and found that individual potted plants removed VOCs far too slowly to compete with ordinary air exchange in a typical building. Researchers calculated that roughly 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter of floor area could be needed to equal the VOC removal already provided by normal indoor-outdoor air exchange. PubMed

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reaches essentially the same practical conclusion: there is currently no evidence that a reasonable number of ordinary houseplants removes significant quantities of pollutants from homes or offices. EPA recommends source control, appropriate ventilation and filtration as the principal ways to improve indoor air. US EPA

So should you forget about plants for indoor air quality?

Not at all.

Plants can still contribute modestly to the indoor environment, particularly through local humidity, limited gas uptake under favorable conditions, visual comfort and psychological wellbeing. The important thing is understanding what they can realistically do.

Plants for Indoor Air Quality at a Glance

The key phrase in this table is contribute.

The best plants for indoor air quality are additions to a healthy indoor environment, not substitutes for controlling the pollution itself.

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The Famous NASA Study: Where the Air-Purifying Plant Story Began

Much of the modern belief in “air-purifying plants” can be traced to NASA research from the late 1980s.

NASA scientists were interested in biological systems that might help control pollution in sealed environments.

In a 1989 study, researchers tested interior plants against chemicals including:

• benzene;
• formaldehyde;
• trichloroethylene.

The experiments demonstrated that plant systems could remove some organic chemicals from enclosed test environments. NASA Technical Reports Server

That work was real.

The mistake came later when its findings were simplified into:

“NASA proved one houseplant can clean your bedroom.”

That is not what the experiments established.

The research involved relatively controlled and enclosed conditions, which are very different from a real home where air continuously enters and leaves, doors open, cooking creates pollution, cleaning products release chemicals and rooms may be hundreds of times larger than laboratory chambers.

The later Cummings and Waring review showed why this distinction matters. Plants clearly removed VOCs inside chambers, but their clean-air delivery rate was extremely small compared with ordinary ventilation in buildings. PubMed

The NASA study therefore was not necessarily “wrong.”

It was overgeneralized.

That distinction should guide any serious article about plants for indoor air quality.

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1. Peace Lily

The peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is probably one of the most recognizable plants associated with cleaner indoor air.

It has large, glossy leaves and distinctive white flower-like spathes.

Research by the Royal Horticultural Society and University of Birmingham included peace lilies in experiments examining indoor carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

At ordinary low indoor light levels, two Spathiphyllum wallisii cultivars were among the species that performed relatively well for carbon-dioxide assimilation compared with several other tested houseplants, although overall room-scale effects remained small. RHS

Another experiment found that potted peace lilies could remove measurable nitrogen dioxide from a controlled chamber. Springer

That makes peace lilies one of the better-researched plants for indoor air quality.

But “measurable” does not mean “powerful enough to clean an entire house.”

The plant’s strongest advantages for most owners are more practical:

• dense green foliage;
• tolerance of indirect light;
• transpiration;
• visual appeal;
• potential modest pollutant uptake.

The RHS also recommends peace lilies as popular indoor plants and notes that they prefer warm conditions, moderate humidity and indirect light. RHS

Pet Warning

Peace lilies contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. The ASPCA says chewing the plant can cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing in cats and dogs. ASPCA

So a peace lily may be a reasonable choice among plants for indoor air quality, but it needs careful placement in homes with pets.

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2. Dracaena

Dracaena includes several familiar houseplants, including corn plant and dragon tree varieties.

One study examined Dracaena fragrans alongside peace lily and ZZ plant and found that all three plant-and-growing-medium systems removed nitrogen dioxide under controlled conditions.

When results were modeled for a small 15-cubic-meter office containing elevated NO₂, the best-performing whole potted plant in one test condition was projected to reduce the concentration by about 0.62 parts per billion over one hour. Springer

That number is useful precisely because it shows both sides of the story.

The plant is doing something.

But it is not functioning like a high-capacity mechanical air purifier.

Dracaena remains one of the most practical plants for indoor air quality because it can tolerate indoor environments and provides substantial foliage without requiring the room to become a greenhouse.

The U.S. Botanic Garden lists several Dracaena types among practical houseplants, with corn plant and dragon tree generally suited to medium indoor light. United States Botanic Garden

Pet Warning

The ASPCA classifies Dracaena species as toxic to cats and dogs because of saponins. Ingestion can cause vomiting, appetite loss, drooling and other symptoms. ASPCA

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3. ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) has become popular because it survives conditions that kill many fussier houseplants.

It tolerates:

• low light;
• irregular watering;
• relatively dry indoor conditions;
• neglect.

That makes it particularly useful for offices and apartments.

The same nitrogen-dioxide research involving Dracaena and peace lily also tested ZZ plants.

All three plants removed NO₂ in the experimental chambers. Under one typical-light treatment, ZZ plants achieved particularly strong removal when results were normalized to leaf area. Springer

Again, this should not be translated into “one ZZ plant purifies a room.”

The modeled whole-room effect remained modest.

What the research does establish is that plants for indoor air quality can interact with pollutants even at ordinary indoor light levels, and both the plant and its potting system may be involved.

That last point is important.

Researchers found that the growing medium itself also contributed to nitrogen-dioxide removal.

The “air-purifying plant” is therefore not always just the leaves.

The roots, substrate and microorganisms living around them may form part of a small biological filtration system.

Safety

ZZ plants are among the calcium-oxalate-containing plants that can irritate the mouths and digestive systems of pets if chewed. ASPCA

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4. English Ivy

English ivy (Hedera helix) provides dense foliage and large amounts of leaf area relative to the space it occupies.

That makes it an interesting candidate among plants for indoor air quality.

RHS research examining carbon-dioxide uptake found that English ivy was one of the relatively better performers under lower indoor light levels, together with selected peace lilies. RHS

But light matters enormously.

Plants need sufficient light for photosynthesis.

Place a supposedly “air-purifying” plant in a dark hallway where it barely survives and its ability to absorb carbon dioxide will be limited.

The RHS project found that increasing light levels could substantially increase carbon-dioxide assimilation among several tested plants. RHS

This tells us something important about choosing plants for indoor air quality:

A healthy plant in the right conditions is more useful than a theoretically superior species slowly dying in the wrong room.

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5. Snake Plant

The snake plant, now generally classified as Dracaena trifasciata, is one of the easiest indoor plants to keep alive.

It is popular in bedrooms because it tolerates:

• low light;
• infrequent watering;
• relatively dry conditions.

Snake plants also use a photosynthetic strategy known as CAM metabolism.

Unlike most houseplants, CAM plants can open their stomata at night to take in carbon dioxide, reducing water loss during hot daytime conditions.

This has created another internet myth:

“Put a snake plant in your bedroom because it produces enough oxygen overnight to improve your sleep.”

The plant’s physiology is real.

The implied room-scale oxygen benefit is exaggerated.

The RHS notes that the amounts of oxygen consumed or carbon dioxide released by houseplants overnight are too small to make a meaningful difference to people in a room. RHS

So snake plants remain good plants for indoor air quality mainly because they are hardy, long-lived greenery—not because one pot transforms bedroom oxygen concentrations.

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6. Pothos

Golden pothos, also known as devil’s ivy or money plant, is one of the easiest ways to add a large amount of living foliage indoors.

Its vines grow quickly under reasonable conditions, producing numerous broad leaves.

That large canopy is one reason pothos often appears on lists of plants for indoor air quality.

It was also one of the most positively perceived plants in RHS wellbeing research involving 520 participants.

Pothos was the favorite plant for 22% of participants and ranked highly for being uplifting, attractive and beneficial to perceived wellbeing. RHS

That result matters because the most reliable benefits of houseplants may not be pollution removal at all.

Indoor greenery can influence:

• how pleasant a room feels;
• perceived connection with nature;
• mood;
• relaxation;
• satisfaction with indoor spaces.

RHS guidance says the strongest evidence for houseplant benefits currently relates to wellbeing and productivity rather than dramatic air purification. RHS

That makes pothos a useful reminder that plants for indoor air quality can make the indoor environment better even when their pollutant-removal effect is small.

Pet Warning

Pothos contains insoluble calcium oxalates and can irritate cats and dogs if chewed. ASPCA

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7. Rubber Plant

Rubber plants (Ficus elastica) have large, broad leaves and can develop substantial indoor canopies.

They are attractive because leaf area matters to several plant-air interactions.

More leaf surface can mean more opportunity for:

• gas exchange;
• transpiration;
• deposition of airborne material onto surfaces.

But those mechanisms still should not be confused with high-capacity air filtration.

The practical reason to consider rubber plants among plants for indoor air quality is that a healthy specimen provides a large amount of foliage while also working as an architectural indoor plant.

Large leaves are easy to wipe clean, which also helps the plant continue photosynthesizing effectively.

A dusty leaf is less useful to the plant than a clean one.

The broader lesson is straightforward:

Do not choose a plant solely because an internet list claims it removes “87% of toxins.”

Choose a species that will actually thrive in your home’s:

• light;
• temperature;
• humidity;
• available space.

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8. Boston Fern

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) provides a dense canopy of fine leaves.

Its main contribution to the indoor environment is likely to be through transpiration and humidity, rather than functioning as a substitute for an air-cleaning machine.

Plants absorb water through their roots and release some of it into the air through tiny pores in their leaves.

RHS research confirms that houseplants can increase relative humidity, with species that assimilate more carbon dioxide often also contributing more moisture. RHS

That can be useful in extremely dry heated or air-conditioned rooms.

But there is an important limit.

More humidity is not always better.

EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60%, ideally around 30% to 50%, because excess moisture can promote mold and other biological contaminants. US EPA

So when using moisture-loving plants for indoor air quality, monitor the room rather than assuming maximum humidity is healthy.

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9. Areca or Bamboo-Type Palms

Indoor palms provide substantial amounts of foliage and can transpire meaningful quantities of water when actively growing.

They can therefore contribute to the feel of a dry indoor environment while also offering strong visual contact with greenery.

RHS wellbeing research found that palms were among the plants participants considered particularly attractive, relaxing and uplifting. RHS

That may sound less impressive than “removes formaldehyde,” but it may actually be more relevant to how people experience a normal room.

The psychological effects of healthy greenery can occur with a realistic number of plants.

The pollutant-removal effects demonstrated in sealed chambers generally require far more vegetation to become important at building scale.

This is why a balanced guide to plants for indoor air quality should include mental and environmental comfort rather than focusing entirely on VOC removal.

For a broader look at the value of daily health-supporting environments and habits, The News Ink’s Healthy Lifestyle guide covers sleep, movement, food and overall wellbeing.

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10. Spider Plant

Spider plants are popular because they grow quickly, tolerate many indoor environments and regularly produce small plantlets that can be propagated.

They have also appeared for decades on lists of “air-purifying plants.”

The scientifically careful reason to include spider plants among plants for indoor air quality is not that they can independently detoxify your home.

It is that they are:

• easy to maintain;
• fast growing;
• leafy;
• suitable for hanging displays;
• capable of normal plant gas exchange and transpiration.

A thriving spider plant is more useful than an expensive “purifying” species kept under conditions where it loses leaves and stops growing.

That principle applies to nearly every plant on this list.

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Can Houseplants Actually Remove VOCs?

Yes—in controlled experiments.

No—not very effectively in an ordinary home at realistic plant densities.

Both statements can be true.

Volatile organic compounds include chemicals released from sources such as:

• paints;
• solvents;
• furniture;
• building materials;
• cleaning products;
• fragrances.

The original NASA work demonstrated chemical removal in controlled environments. NASA Technical Reports Server

Later studies repeatedly demonstrated VOC uptake as well.

But when researchers converted those chamber measurements into a standard clean-air delivery rate, the results looked much less impressive.

The median plant clean-air delivery rate in the major review was only about 0.023 cubic meters per hour.

Researchers calculated that extremely high plant densities—roughly 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter—would be necessary to compete with the pollutant removal already created by normal building air exchange. PubMed

That is why describing ordinary plants for indoor air quality as replacement air purifiers is misleading.

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What About Nitrogen Dioxide?

This area is more interesting.

A 2022 study tested peace lily, Dracaena and ZZ plants against approximately 100 parts per billion of nitrogen dioxide.

All of the tested plant systems removed NO₂ in the chamber.

When researchers modeled the findings for a small office, however, the projected reduction from a single plant was modest—generally fractions of a part per billion per hour. Springer

Researchers concluded that the plants might offer useful potential in particular confined or poorly ventilated spaces, especially where pollution concentrations are high.

But ventilation rate, pollution sources and building conditions dramatically affect the real-world outcome.

So this newer research strengthens the case that plants for indoor air quality genuinely interact with pollutants, while still not supporting the idea that three pots can replace proper pollution control.

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Can Houseplants Lower Indoor Carbon Dioxide?

Plants consume carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.

So technically, yes.

But again the scale matters.

RHS experiments found CO₂ uptake generally remained low under typical indoor light levels.

Several species performed better when given much brighter light, demonstrating that plant activity depends strongly on growing conditions. RHS

Human breathing in an occupied room can produce carbon dioxide much faster than a few typical plants can remove it.

Opening a window, using suitable mechanical ventilation or improving building ventilation will usually change indoor CO₂ levels far more quickly than adding another peace lily.

That is why the best plants for indoor air quality should complement ventilation—not compete with it.

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Do Plants Increase Oxygen Indoors?

Yes, during photosynthesis plants release oxygen.

But a small group of plants changes the oxygen level of a normal room by an extremely small amount.

The idea that putting several plants beside your bed will significantly oxygenate the bedroom is therefore misleading.

The room already contains an enormous volume of oxygen compared with what a small potted plant produces.

RHS guidance also rejects the opposite myth—that houseplants consume enough oxygen at night to be dangerous. The amounts involved are too small to matter at room scale. RHS

So you do not need to remove plants for indoor air quality from your bedroom at night.

Just do not expect them to function like miniature oxygen cylinders.

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Plants May Improve Humidity More Realistically Than They Remove Pollutants

Transpiration may be one of the more noticeable physical effects of houseplants.

Water absorbed by roots eventually escapes through leaf stomata as water vapor.

Grouping multiple leafy plants can increase humidity in their immediate surroundings.

This may feel pleasant in very dry rooms.

But balance matters.

EPA recommends an indoor relative humidity of about 30% to 50% where possible and advises keeping it below 60% to reduce mold risk. US EPA

Too little humidity can feel uncomfortable.

Too much can encourage:

• mold;
• dust mites;
• condensation;
• microbial growth.

Therefore plants for indoor air quality should never be watered so heavily that soil remains continuously saturated or indoor surfaces become damp.

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Can Houseplants Actually Make Indoor Air Worse?

Under some circumstances, yes.

The plants themselves are not usually the problem.

Poor plant care can be.

EPA specifically warns that overwatered houseplants can support microorganisms in persistently damp soil, potentially affecting sensitive individuals. US EPA

Possible problems include:

• mold in potting mix;
• fungus gnats;
• standing water;
• excess humidity;
• pollen from flowering plants;
• plant allergies.

This is an important correction to the assumption that more plants for indoor air quality must always equal healthier air.

Healthy plants in well-drained containers are preferable to a room filled with permanently wet pots.

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What Actually Improves Indoor Air the Most?

If the goal is genuinely cleaner air rather than simply adding greenery, EPA recommends three major strategies.

1. Control the Source

Remove or reduce the pollution itself.

Examples include:

• avoiding indoor smoking;
• fixing combustion appliances;
• limiting unnecessary fragranced products;
• storing solvents properly;
• controlling mold and moisture.

EPA describes source control as usually the most effective approach. US EPA

2. Improve Ventilation

Where outdoor conditions permit, outdoor air can dilute indoor pollutants.

That may involve:

• opening windows;
• using kitchen exhaust;
• operating bathroom fans;
• using mechanical ventilation.

However, opening windows is not automatically beneficial when outdoor air contains heavy smoke, dust or severe urban pollution.

3. Use Appropriate Filtration

Mechanical air cleaners can remove particles much more rapidly than passive houseplants.

Their effectiveness depends on:

• filter efficiency;
• airflow;
• room size;
• maintenance.

A healthy home therefore uses plants for indoor air quality as one small layer, not as the entire strategy.

Air pollution also connects with larger environmental issues. The News Ink’s Climate Change Explained guide examines how pollution, energy use and public health overlap.

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How Many Plants Would You Need to Actually Clean a Room?

This is where the numbers become revealing.

Based on the review of chamber studies, matching ordinary ventilation for VOC removal could require somewhere between approximately 10 and 1,000 plants for every square meter of floor space, depending on the experiment and plant performance. PubMed

Take a modest 20-square-meter living room.

At the lowest end:

20 × 10 = 200 plants

At the extreme end:

20 × 1,000 = 20,000 plants

Clearly, nobody is going to create a normal living room that way.

And once hundreds of plants are present, the room’s humidity, maintenance needs, soil volume and pest management become entirely different problems.

This is why advertising plants for indoor air quality as natural replacements for air purifiers misunderstands the research.

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So Which Plant Should You Actually Choose?

Choose the plant most likely to remain healthy in the room where you want it.

For Low Light

Consider:

• ZZ plant;
• snake plant;
• pothos.

For Moderate Indirect Light

Consider:

• peace lily;
• Dracaena;
• rubber plant.

For a Humid Bathroom

Consider:

• peace lily;
• Boston fern.

For a Large Living Room

Consider:

• rubber plant;
• an indoor palm;
• larger Dracaena.

For Beginners

Consider:

• pothos;
• snake plant;
• ZZ plant.

The U.S. Botanic Garden similarly lists snake plants, ZZ plants, Dracaena, pothos, rubber trees and peace lilies among practical common houseplants. United States Botanic Garden

If you simply want another attractive indoor plant rather than an “air purifier,” The News Ink also has a guide to the amaryllis as an indoor decorative plant.

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Plants for Indoor Air Quality and Pets

Pet safety deserves its own section because several of the most frequently recommended “air-purifying plants” are irritating or toxic when eaten.

The ASPCA identifies the following as problematic for cats or dogs:

• peace lily;
• pothos;
• ZZ plant;
• several Dracaena species.

Peace lilies, pothos and ZZ plants contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that can cause oral pain, drooling and digestive symptoms. Dracaena contains saponins that can also cause illness. ASPCA

So before buying plants for indoor air quality, consider who else lives in the home.

A plant that spends years within reach of a curious cat is not a good choice simply because it appeared on a NASA-inspired list.

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The Biggest Myths About Air-Purifying Plants

Myth 1: One plant can clean an entire bedroom

No.

A normal potted plant has a very low passive clean-air delivery rate compared with ventilation. PubMed

Myth 2: NASA proved houseplants purify homes

NASA demonstrated pollutant removal under controlled experimental conditions. Translating those chamber findings directly to normal houses is the misleading part. NASA Technical Reports Server

Myth 3: Snake plants provide enough nighttime oxygen to improve sleep

Snake plants do have unusual nighttime carbon-dioxide uptake because of CAM metabolism, but the gas exchange from one plant is far too small to meaningfully oxygenate a room.

Myth 4: More plants always mean healthier air

Overwatered soil and excessive indoor moisture can promote microorganisms and mold. US EPA

Myth 5: Houseplants have no real benefits because their air-cleaning power is small

Also false.

Their strongest benefits may involve greenery, humidity, aesthetics and psychological wellbeing rather than high-speed pollution removal. RHS research found healthy, lush plants were widely perceived as uplifting and beneficial to indoor environments. RHS

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best plants for indoor air quality?

Useful plants for indoor air quality include peace lilies, Dracaena, ZZ plants, English ivy, snake plants, pothos, rubber plants, Boston ferns and palms. However, no ordinary houseplant should be treated as a substitute for ventilation or mechanical filtration.

Do plants really clean indoor air?

Plants can remove certain pollutants in controlled experiments, but real-world removal rates from a practical number of houseplants are generally too low to compete with normal air exchange. PubMed

Which indoor plants were tested for nitrogen dioxide?

A 2022 study tested peace lily, Dracaena fragrans and ZZ plant. All three plant systems removed measurable NO₂ under experimental conditions. Springer

Is the NASA Clean Air Study real?

Yes. NASA conducted indoor plant experiments in 1989 and found that plant systems could remove chemicals including benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde from controlled test air. The misleading part is assuming those results translate directly to a normal ventilated home. NASA Technical Reports Server

How many plants do I need to purify a room?

There is no practical evidence-based number such as “one plant per 100 square feet.” One review estimated that matching normal ventilation for VOC removal could require roughly 10–1,000 plants per square meter of floor space. PubMed

Do plants improve humidity?

Yes. Plants release water vapor through transpiration, and several plants can contribute to local humidity. However, indoor humidity should generally remain below 60%, ideally around 30%–50%, to reduce mold risk. RHS

Can I sleep with plants in my bedroom?

Yes. The amount of nighttime oxygen they consume or carbon dioxide they release is too small to be a realistic danger in a normal bedroom. RHS

Are peace lilies safe for pets?

No. The ASPCA lists peace lilies as toxic to cats and dogs because their calcium oxalate crystals can cause significant mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. ASPCA

Are plants better than an air purifier?

Not for rapid particle or pollutant removal. An appropriately sized and maintained air cleaner can move and filter large quantities of air, while passive potted plants work far more slowly.

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The Truth About Plants for Indoor Air Quality

Houseplants deserve a place in our homes.

Just not for the reason many advertisements suggest.

The science shows that plants for indoor air quality really can interact with their surroundings.

Leaves absorb gases.

Roots and microorganisms participate in chemical processes.

Plants transpire water.

Some species can remove measurable nitrogen dioxide under controlled indoor conditions.

Historical NASA experiments clearly showed removal of several volatile chemicals.

But scale changes everything.

A sealed chamber is not a house.

One peace lily is not a ventilation system.

Three snake plants are not a HEPA filter.

And a shelf of pothos cannot compensate for cigarette smoke, mold, combustion pollution or a poorly ventilated kitchen.

A major review found that realistically matching ordinary building air exchange for VOC removal could require hundreds or even thousands of plants in a single room. PubMed

That does not make plants useless.

It simply means we should appreciate their real benefits.

Healthy plants for indoor air quality can modestly interact with pollutants, add moisture in dry conditions, create visual connection with nature and make indoor environments feel more pleasant.

For genuine air-quality improvement, the priorities remain clear:

remove pollution sources, ventilate appropriately, control moisture and use filtration where needed. EPA identifies those strategies as the foundation of good indoor air quality. US EPA

Then add houseplants because you enjoy them.

Choose a peace lily because its foliage looks beautiful.

Grow pothos because it turns an empty shelf into a wall of green.

Keep a ZZ plant because it survives when you forget to water it.

Use a fern where the air is dry.

Let plants make your home feel alive.

If they also remove a small quantity of nitrogen dioxide or add a little useful humidity, consider that a bonus.

That is the scientifically accurate way to think about plants for indoor air quality: valuable partners in a healthier indoor environment, but never a replacement for clean-air fundamentals.

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