Want to de-stress, improve your indoor air quality, and bring important health benefits to your garden? The right mix of plants can do all three, and you don't even need a green thumb for many of them. Incorporate these indoor and outdoor plants into your home.
"Some well-placed greenery can not only brighten a space but also purify the air - and they're also helpful in creating a more relaxing, restful ambiance in any room," said Huffington Post. "We know that spending time in nature is linked to reduced stress levels and tension relief. What's more, in a 2008 study, Dutch researchers found that hospital patients with indoor plants in their rooms reported lower stress levels than patients without them."
Their No. 1 choice:
English Ivy, which NASA scientists listed as "the number one best air-filtering houseplant, as it is the most effective plant when it comes to absorbing formaldehyde. It's also incredibly easy to grow and adaptable."
Here are a bunch of other healthy options for inside and out.
Golden Pothos
"Although this plant isn't great at removing formaldehyde, it does remove other chemicals like benzene and trichloromethyl from the air, according to the NASA clean air report," said This is Insider. "Benzene is in glue, paint, and detergent. Golden pothos are also especially hard to kill, according to Rodale's Organic Life, making it a great starter plant for horticulture newbies."
Basil
"Thanks to the compound linalool, basil smells delicious and can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety," said MyDomaine. "It also emits oxygen for 20 hours a day."
Boston Fern
Add this leafy plant to your home to purify the air. It can remove up to 1863 toxins per hour.
Spider Plant
Spider plants are one of the easiest houseplants to grow, and they remove pollutants including formaldehyde and xylene.
Bamboo Palm
Bamboo is a superstar when it comes to filtering formaldehyde (plus benzene and trichloroethylene). Plus, "A Bamboo plant is considered auspicious and lucky. The lucky bamboo plant is one of the favorite choices for Feng Shui cures," said Astrospeak. "Often sold in decorative containers; these plants are bound to bring positivity and prosperity to your life."
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera can grow inside, where it will filter formaldehyde, if it has enough indirect sunlight. But, it also makes a pretty addition to your garden. No matter where you grow it, aloe vera has healing properties. The gel inside the leaves contains most of the bioactive compounds in the plant, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants," said Medical News Today. The antioxidants in aloe vera "can help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, accelerate the healing of burns, reduce dental plaque, help treat canker sores, reduce constipation" and may even lower blood sugar levels.
Garlic
The idea of being able to grow and use your own garlic is attractive in and of itself. They also look attractive, with pretty flowers bursting from the top. But perhaps the greatest benefit to growing garlic in your yard is what it does for other plants. "The most popular allium for keeping aphids off roses, garlic repels Japanese beetles and spider mites, too," said This Old House.
Mint
Mint spreads quickly and has multiple uses in your kitchen. Plus, it "deters ants, fleas, aphids, cabbage moths, even rodents - plus it attracts earthworms, which help condition soil," said This Old House.
Marigold
Marigolds are just one of a number of outdoor plants that can help keep mosquitoes away. "Marigolds, an easy-to-grow annual flower, emit a smell that deters mosquitoes. Grow them in pots and place them near your patio or entrance to your home to keep bugs out," said Garden Design. "Not only can they keep away mosquitoes, but they also dissuade aphids, thrips, whiteflies, Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, and tomato hornworms." Other mosquito-deterring plants include lavender, citronella grass, catnip, and rosemary; rosemary can also "encourage inner peace, promote positivity, and ease depression and anxiety," said MyDomaine.