The top NASA air purifying plants from the 1989 study are peace lilies, snake plants, and golden pothos. These three tested best at removing toxins from sealed test chambers. You can find them at most garden centers for a fair price.
The NASA Clean Air Study plants list also has spider plants, bamboo palms, and English ivy among its top picks. Each plant showed strong results for at least one type of indoor toxin. You have plenty of choices when you shop for plants from this famous list.
I have grown peace lilies, spider plants, and golden pothos in my home for over five years now. The peace lily needs more care than the others but gives you pretty white flowers each spring. My spider plant sits in a corner and pumps out baby plants all year with almost no help from me at all.
When I first got my golden pothos, I was shocked at how little work it needed to thrive. I water it maybe twice a month and it keeps growing long vines down the wall in my bathroom. It handles low light and dry spells better than any other plant I own at home.
NASA plant research showed us how plants clean air through roots and leaves at the same time. The leaf surface pulls gases in through tiny pores. The soil breaks down toxins below the surface. Tiny organisms near the roots break down viruses, bacteria, and chemicals in the dirt.
Scientists put plants in sealed chambers with known amounts of benzene and formaldehyde for testing. They tracked how much of each toxin went away over 24 hours of contact time. The best plants removed large amounts of these poisons when the air stayed still around them.
Your home is not a sealed chamber though, so keep your hopes in check for what plants will do. The air in your house moves around too fast for plants to filter much of it. The NASA findings still work in a lab, but your results at home will be much smaller in scale.
You should still pick NASA recommended houseplants for your home because they give you real perks. Peace lilies thrive in low light corners where other plants would die off. Snake plants go weeks without water and keep working when you forget about them. Bamboo palms add moisture to dry rooms and look great in your space.
Start with a golden pothos if you have never kept plants before and want something easy to handle. Add a snake plant to your bedroom for a hardy friend that cleans air day and night. Pick up a peace lily when you feel ready for more care and want those lovely flowers to brighten your spring.
Read the full article: 15 Top Air Purification Plants for Cleaner Indoor Air
