If you’re confused about what plants should you grow indoors, then you’ll find this list of 11 low-maintenance Houseplants with Health Benefits helpful!
If you’re a brand new houseplant parent, you might be in need of some inspiration when it comes to choosing which ones are right for you. Whilst aesthetically pleasing and low maintenance, there is way more to houseplants than you might think.
Many all have an array of beneficial traits; some can be used to treat burns while others can even help you stop snoring… And they don’t have to be high maintenance either.
With accompanying visuals, this list from Climadoor goes through 11 houseplants with ‘superpowers’ that are easy to keep, unique and look fantastic, too. Perfect for anyone that wants to add some greenery to their home without the commitment.
So let’s take a look at these houseplants with health benefits chosen and explain a bit more about their associated health benefits:
1. Snake Plant
Originating from West Africa, the Snake Plant makes a fantastic addition to any room, but it’s an excellent option for your living room, bedroom, or kitchen. It looks excellent and also processes carbon dioxide with a niche method. Known as the crassulacean acid metabolism process, this allows it to go without water for long periods of time, so you only need to water it every month or so.
The Snake Plant is also one of only six plants in the world that is able to remove four out of five toxins in the air that are related to ‘sick building syndrome,’ according to the NASA Clean Air Study. This is where a certain building or place gives you symptoms like headaches, itchy skin, sore eyes, rashes, and fatigue through poor air quality and other factors. Don’t miss to read more Snake Plant Benefits here.
2. Swiss Cheese Plant
A visually striking plant that won Office Plant of the Year in 2018 from Plants At Work, the Swiss Cheese Plant looks like it comes straight out of Jurassic Park. It can manage in low light conditions but is happiest in bright, indirect sunlight.
Also Read: Best Office Desk Plants
Despite it being a large plant, there’s no need to keep watering it. Every two weeks or so is enough to keep it going. It’s great for creating shade and reducing heat in your home or office and look fantastic in a conservatory.
3. Aloe Vera
This plant is known the world over for its amazing health and well-being benefits.Aloe Vera can be found in toilet paper, healthy drinks, moisturizers, and more. Its moisturizing qualities are perhaps its most effective, and it is exceptional in treating burns. Learn more about aloe vera benefits here.
Aloe Vera also decreases blood sugar levels and can even reduce your dental plaque due to its antibacterial and antioxidant qualities. It looks pretty unique and interesting and very easy to tend to. Water every three to six weeks and keep it in bright light conditions. They even have little babies so you can grow more and more of them, the more about growing aloe vera is here.
4. ZZ Plant
A tough plant that’s super easy to look after is the ZZ Plant. This slow-growing houseplant and only needs watering every couple of weeks. It also thrives in almost any light conditions so you can put it anywhere even in your bathroom or bedroom.
They are exceptional at purifying the air and remove toxins like Toluene and Xylene from the atmosphere. They are also known as the Fortune Tree in Feng Shui and is said to bring good luck and wealth to those that own one.
5. Peruvian Apple Cactus
This striking plant only needs watering every four to six weeks and enjoys bright, indirect sunlight. It does have one unique ability–The Peruvian Apple Cactus can absorb electromagnetic radiation from the machines and gadgets around you.
This makes it a perfect addition to an office or living room where technology is most prevalent. It may even produce some fruit for you as well.
6. Bromeliad Pineapple
A gorgeous plant with a unique ‘superpower’ indeed. Its fruit is entirely ornamental so don’t eat it, but this plant has some tricks up its sleeve. It releases oxygen at night, which is quite unusual for plants, so it makes a fantastic addition to a bedroom.
There’s another reason for that too. It also releases an enzyme called Bromelain which can help reduce snoring. So, if your significant other is a snorer, then you can get them Bromeliad Pineapple plant as a ‘gift’ when really it’s for your benefit.
7. Alocasia Amazonica
If you want some extraterrestrial style in your home or workplace, the Alocasia Amazonica will do just that. This hybrid plant looks so striking, with two-tone leaves and piercing silver veins, it seems like from another planet.
The plant can live in low and medium light, a spot with partial sunlight is ideal though, where it will grow very quickly. It can grow to be quite large too, making it a dramatic addition to your plant family.
8. Mimosa Plant
Mimosa Plant is known as an ‘interactive’ plant as it ‘moves’ when touched! This is known as seismonastic movement and makes it seem as though the plant doesn’t like being touched at all.
It also goes to “sleep” as it gets dark, closing its leaves at night and opening them again in the morning. It needs watering every one to two weeks and enjoys humidity, so it makes a good option for your bathroom or kitchen window and can become a real talking point!
9. Venus Flytrap
Venus Flytrap’s superpower is known to most. This plant has tiny hairs on its leaves. When triggered by a hungry insect, the hairs cause the leaves to shut immediately, and the Venus Flytrap will ‘eat’ the insect it has captured. That’s right, a carnivorous houseplant, what could go wrong?
Also Read: 17 Carnivorous Plants Growing Tips
Aside from keeping the insect population of your home down, Venus Flytrap extract is also used as a herbal remedy, particularly in African medicine, and can be used to benefit your health if you have Crohn’s Disease and even HIV–Although this is yet to be scientifically proven.
10. Lavender
Lavender is unequivocally proven to aid with relaxation, and having one in your bedroom is a smart decision indeed. They can also be used as a culinary herb, you can use them to make tea, or you can use lavender to make your own oils, soaps, and lotions.
It’s a favorite amongst the burgeoning zero-waste movement and is low-maintenance too. Put it in a sunny spot and water it every week to keep the soil moist for it to live a long and happy life in your care.
11. Semaphore Plant
Another interactive plant, the Semaphore plant isn’t just known to move, but to ‘dance.’ It is responsive to light, heat, and sound. The leaves are ‘hinged,’ which allows the leaf to have a relatively broad range of movement.
What is quite unusual about the Semaphore (Telegraph or Dancing Plant as it’s often known) is its ability to respond to sound, this is a totally unique trait and is one that still baffles scientists. They’ll need watering once a week and thrive in a warm, sunny spot.