Air-Purifying Plants That Improve Indoor Air Quality
Air-purifying plants remove volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, benzene, and other indoor pollutants through leaf absorption and microbial root activity. NASA's Clean Air Study popularised these species as a natural indoor-air improvement.
Research on phytoremediation shows that many common houseplants extract measurable amounts of airborne toxins when grown in sufficient density. The species below are flagged air-purifying in PlantoScan's data, aligning with the species on NASA's Clean Air Study and its later research follow-ups.
Every species below links to its full plant care guide on PlantoScan, covering watering, light, soil, propagation, and toxicity.
- Silver Queen AglaonemaAglaonema modestumPlantoScan
Silver Queen Aglaonema
Aglaonema modestum
Bright indirect to low lightEvery 7–14 days 
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera
Bright indirectEvery 14–21 days
Flamingo Lily
Anthurium andraeanum
Bright indirectEvery 7–10 days
Parlor Palm
Chamaedorea elegans
Low lightEvery 7–14 daysPet-safe- Bamboo PalmChamaedorea seifriziiPlantoScan
Bamboo Palm
Chamaedorea seifrizii
Bright indirect to low lightEvery 7–14 daysPet-safe 
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Bright indirectEvery 7–21 daysPet-safe
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium
Full sun to partial shadeEvery 4–7 daysPet-safe
Dendrobium Orchid
Dendrobium nobile
Bright indirect lightEvery 7–10 daysPet-safe
Dumb Cane
Dieffenbachia seguine
Bright indirectEvery 7–10 days- Janet Craig DracaenaDracaena deremensisPlantoScan
Janet Craig Dracaena
Dracaena deremensis
Bright indirect to low lightEvery 7–14 days 
Corn Plant
Dracaena fragrans
Bright indirectEvery 7–14 days
Dragon Tree
Dracaena marginata
Bright indirectEvery 7–14 days
Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata
Bright indirectEvery 10–14 days
Areca Palm
Dypsis lutescens
Bright indirectEvery 7–14 daysPet-safe
Pothos
Epipremnum aureum
Bright indirectEvery 7–14 days
Weeping Fig
Ficus benjamina
Bright indirectEvery 7–14 days
Rubber Plant
Ficus elastica
Bright indirectEvery 7 days- Gerbera DaisyGerbera jamesoniiPlantoScan
Gerbera Daisy
Gerbera jamesonii
Full sun to partial shadeEvery 5–7 daysPet-safe 
English Ivy
Hedera helix
Bright indirect light.Every 5–10 days- Camouflage PlantHomalomena wallisiiPlantoScan
Camouflage Plant
Homalomena wallisii
Bright indirect lightEvery 7–10 days 
Boston Fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Bright indirectEvery 7–10 daysPet-safe- Phalaenopsis OrchidPhalaenopsis amabilisPlantoScan
Phalaenopsis Orchid
Phalaenopsis amabilis
Bright indirect light, avoid direct sunlightEvery 7–10 daysPet-safe 
Split Leaf Philodendron
Philodendron bipinnatifidum
Bright indirect to low lightEvery 7–14 days
Heartleaf Philodendron
Philodendron hederaceum
Bright IndirectEvery 7–14 days- Pygmy Date PalmPhoenix roebeleniiPlantoScan
Pygmy Date Palm
Phoenix roebelenii
Full sun to partial shadeEvery 7–14 daysPet-safe - Lady PalmRhapis excelsaPlantoScan
Lady Palm
Rhapis excelsa
Bright indirect to low lightEvery 7–14 daysPet-safe 
Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum wallisii
Bright indirectEvery 7–14 days
Keep exploring plants
Narrow your search further — low-light plants if that matches the room or lifestyle you're planning for.
Narrow your search further — bright-light plants if that matches the room or lifestyle you're planning for.