{"id":14765,"date":"2019-05-16T11:27:02","date_gmt":"2019-05-16T17:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virtuance.com\/?p=14765"},"modified":"2019-05-16T11:27:44","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T17:27:44","slug":"8-houseplants-for-clean-air-happiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/blog\/8-houseplants-for-clean-air-happiness\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Houseplants that clean the air, make you happy, and have other magical powers"},"content":{"rendered":"
Originally posted on Realtor.com<\/a><\/h5>\n

\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Houseplants, lovely as they are, can be the bane of a homeowner’s existence. They collect dust, outgrow their containers\u2014and then they die. But if you cultivate the right kinds of greenery, you might just garner more happiness, cleaner air to breathe, and other cool benefits.<\/p>\n

“Plants have powerful effects on us, and even\u00a0views<\/em>\u00a0of them can improve mood and speed physical healing,” says\u00a0Cassy Aoyagi<\/strong>, president of\u00a0FormLA Landscaping<\/a>. “They can also help increase mental clarity and focus and give us feelings of safety.”<\/p>\n

All of that from a regular ol’ ficus, you ask? Yup\u2014and don’t forget that choosing the right houseplants can enhance your decor in an otherwise plain space.<\/p>\n

Ready to dig into it? Here are eight houseplants that’ll improve your life, as well as spruce up your home.<\/p>\n

1. Lavender<\/h2>\n

\"realtor_houseplants_that_clean_virtuance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There’s real\u00a0science<\/a>\u00a0behind keeping this pretty potted green around: Lavender’s fragrance has been shown to ease anxiety and stress.<\/p>\n

Chris Lambton<\/strong>, landscaping expert and host of DIY Network’s “Lawn and Order” and “Yard Crashers,” says lavender essential oil is a tried and true method for boosting health and well-being.<\/p>\n

“But the oil is expensive\u2014and the plant isn’t, plus lavender survives on very little water,” he says.<\/p>\n

2. Dracaena palm<\/h2>\n
\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a>
Photo AGorohov\/iStock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We have\u00a0NASA<\/a>\u00a0to thank for the popularity of this air-scrubbing plant. The space agency’s seminal study of 50 plants that remove pollutants from household air placed dracaena on its top 10 list. Keeping this greenery around can help remove such noxious compounds as formaldehyde, benzene, and CO2 from the air your family breathes.<\/p>\n

3. Prayer plant<\/h2>\n
\"bloomscape_peopleplants_red-prayer-plant\"<\/a>
Photo Bloomscape<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Want a plant that’s worry-free and can ease your parental mind? The nontoxic prayer plant is ideal if you have kids or pets, as you won’t be on edge every time your toddler snaps off a leaf or your kitten decides to take a nibble.<\/p>\n

4. Geranium<\/h2>\n

\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Geranium oil has long been prized for its ability to treat skin woes such as inflammation and acne. But the scent of the potted version can lend a few health benefits, too. A\u00a0whiff of geranium<\/a>\u00a0can help alleviate insomnia, improve mood, and reduce pain.<\/p>\n

And now’s the perfect time to load up on this popular posey\u2014geraniums are widely available for outdoor annual gardens as well as your indoor pots.<\/p>\n

5. Meyer lemon<\/h2>\n

\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Not only is a burst of this sunny color a refreshing sight in the morning, but growing a Meyer lemon tree inside may also help\u00a0boost the immune system<\/a>\u00a0and detoxify the body by stimulating the liver.<\/p>\n

“A lemon tree also energizes and awakens with its fragrant, scented flowers,” Lambton adds.<\/p>\n

6. Peace lily<\/h2>\n

\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Savvy homeowners know that moisture can breed mold\u2014and the air in bathrooms and the kitchen is particularly susceptible. But a potted peace lily can work to reduce indoor mold and mildew by absorbing airborne spores with its leaves. Peace lilies also filter air by removing trichloroethylene, xylene, and ammonia, according to NASA.<\/p>\n

7. Exotic angel plant<\/h2>\n
\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a>
Photo Costa Farms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wish you had a plant that accommodated\u00a0you<\/em>, rather than the other way around? The exotic angel plant is magical this way.<\/p>\n

“For instance, if you’re not home during the day to shift your plant out of direct sunlight, opt for a low-light plant like this one\u2014it needs just an hour or two of indirect light a day,” says\u00a0Lester Poole<\/strong>, a nursery specialist at Lowe’s.<\/p>\n

8. English ivy<\/h2>\n

\"realtor_houseplants_clean_virtuance\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Repairing cracked plaster or torn wallpaper is a weekend project you might come to dread. You could try and hide these eyesores with a piece of art or a folding screen, but a creeper plant can do the same thing for a lot less money.<\/p>\n

“English ivy is a versatile plant that can be showcased indoors and out, and comes in many patterns and leaf shapes,” Poole says.<\/p>\n

But the best part is its clinging charm: It can hook onto almost any surface, hiding that wall flaw while also brightening your decor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Originally posted on Realtor.com Houseplants, lovely as they are, can be the bane of a homeowner’s existence. They collect dust, outgrow their containers\u2014and then they die. But if you cultivate the right kinds of greenery, you might just garner more happiness, cleaner air to breathe, and other cool benefits. “Plants have powerful effects on us, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14503,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14765"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14503"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14765"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14775,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14765\/revisions\/14775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.virtuance.com\/member\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}