The growing popularity of indoor houseplants often leads with their aesthetic benefits; they soften indoor workspaces with a naturalistic touch, thus appealing to our innate biophilic tendencies as humans. However, the benefits of live indoor plants go far beyond their visual appeal; dozens of studies have shown that these plants actively contribute to healthier indoor environments by improving air quality.

Through processes like photosynthesis, the absorption of harmful toxins, and the release of water vapor through transpiration, plants act as natural air purifiers, reducing pollutants and creating fresher air. This dual role of enhancing beauty and promoting wellness makes live indoor plants a perfect addition to any indoor space, whether it be residential, commercial, or office.
We checked out several studies that examined various indoor plants’ abilities to clean the air, especially the species that are most popular in interiorscaping. Let’s examine the findings of these studies showing how exactly our indoor planty companions improve the air we breathe!
Air Quality Challenges in the Workplace
Modern workplaces are often designed with efficiency and aesthetics in mind, but air quality can sometimes be overlooked, leading to serious health and productivity concerns.
Many offices suffer from issues like poor ventilation, the buildup of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from office furniture and cleaning products, and an overreliance on artificial climate control.
These factors can contribute to a condition known as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), where employees experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, eye irritation, and difficulty concentrating due to prolonged exposure to indoor air pollutants, often without a clear cause as to why.

With people spending a significant portion of their day indoors, addressing these air quality challenges is critical for creating healthier, more comfortable workplaces. Luckily, there’s a natural solution found in indoor plants.
The Science of Air Purification
The first thing many people think of in regards to plants and air quality is their ability to convert the carbon dioxide that we breathe out into fresh oxygen. Plants are nature’s original air purifiers, and it all starts with photosynthesis.Â
During this process, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and, with the help of sunlight and water, convert it into glucose they use to feed themselves and oxygen. This oxygen is then released back into the space around them, creating a continuous cycle of refreshing the air we breathe.
This natural mechanism not only sustains all life on Earth on a global scale in the wild, but also makes plants an invaluable addition to indoor spaces, where ventilation is commonly limited. By having plants indoors, you introduce a consistent source of fresh oxygen, helping to create a healthier environment all around them.

VOC and Toxin Reduction in Air By Plants
Plants also excel at removing harmful toxins from the air, particularly those nasty volatile organic compounds common in Sick Building Syndrome situations. VOCs are gases that come from products and processes and can be found in the air, and are emitted by common household items like cleaning products, paints, furniture, and even electronics.
Chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene can accumulate indoors, potentially causing health issues ranging from mild headaches to respiratory irritation.
Luckily, those chemicals have all been shown to be absorbed by many species of popular indoor plants, breaking them down into less harmful compounds and reducing indoor air pollution.

The Role of Soil and Microbes
A surprising unsung hero of the air purification process? The soil the plants are growing in, specifically the beneficial soil microbes living throughout it! This is true in nature in the rich living soils of forests and other biomes, and incredibly, also on a much smaller scale right inside the pots that indoor plants are grown in.
Microbes in the soil work in tandem with plants to trap and neutralize airborne pollutants. These beneficial microorganisms metabolize even more harmful chemicals beyond the ones that the plants already work on absorbing, ensuring that the air we breathe indoors is cleaner, safer, and healthier.

The combination of a plant’s foliage and its associated soil creates a natural filtration system that works around the clock, requiring no electricity or maintenance beyond regular watering and care; and it’s easy to harness this force of nature simply by hosting these biological powerhouses in your indoor space!
The Health Benefits of Cleaner Air
Enhanced Respiratory Health:Â Fewer pollutants mean easier breathing and reduced risk of respiratory illnesses.
Cleaner air in a space leads directly to healthier lungs. Fewer pollutants mean easier breathing and reduced risk of respiratory illnesses. Indoor air often contains pollutants like dust, allergens, and VOCs, which can irritate the respiratory system and exacerbate conditions such as asthma and allergies (see Sick Building Syndrome).
By introducing live indoor plants, you can create a cleaner, healthier breathing environment. Plants work to filter out harmful toxins and release fresh oxygen, making the air easier to breathe and reducing the strain on your respiratory system. For individuals with pre-existing conditions, the presence of plants can help mitigate the effects of poor air quality, leading to improved overall well-being.
Boosting Mental Well-Being:Â Cleaner air can lead to better cognitive function, mood, and overall mental clarity.
Cleaner air doesn’t just benefit your body—it also significantly impacts your mind. Research shows that indoor plants can improve cognitive function, elevate mood, and reduce stress levels. Cleaner air enriched with oxygen can enhance mental clarity and focus, making it easier to stay productive in work or study environments.
Additionally, the calming presence of plants has been linked to reduced anxiety and an overall sense of peace, contributing to better mental health (see our article here about all the mental benefits of indoor plantscaping). By adding a few potted plants to your workspace, even aside from the physical health benefits, you’re investing in a happier state of mind for an all-encompassing approach to health.
Alleviating Allergies:Â More relative humidity = less dust, mold, and other allergens floating through the air.
Another way that plants improve general air quality is their ability to increase humidity in the space around them. Indoor plants act as natural humidifiers, releasing moisture into the air through a process called transpiration.
This added humidity can reduce dryness in the air, which often contributes to irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Added humidity from larger interiorscape installations can even help buffer temperatures in buildings!
An increase in humidity also helps settle dust particles, keeping them from circulating in the air. For those prone to allergies, this means fewer airborne irritants and a more comfortable living environment. Consider plants with a higher water need like palms and ferns to help lessen allergy symptoms naturally.

Selecting The Best Indoor Plants for Air Quality
While all indoor plants contribute to creating a healthier, fresher indoor environment, certain species are stand-outs for their ability to improve the air in the space around them. Here are our top five interiorscape plants clinically proven to boost oxygen levels, and even enhance humidity.
Among the top performers are the Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum), Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.), Snake Plant (Sansevieria spp.), Bamboo Palm (Chamaedora seifrizii), and Pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Each of these plants has unique strengths, from the Peace Lily's efficient pollutant absorption even in darker areas to the Snake Plant’s nighttime oxygen production.
Whether you’re looking for a compact desktop plant or a lush statement piece, these five options offer a powerful combination of aesthetics and air quality benefits, making them top choices for any the home, office, or commercial space.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)Â - A great desktop plant when small and hanging basket plant when larger, the Spider Plant is a classic, easy-care plant with notable air quality improvement skills when kept in bright light. Also known as the Airplane Plant, they efficiently absorb air pollutants, put out a high amount of oxygen for their size, and add some humidity too.Â

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) - For low-light areas, consider the lovely Peace Lily. Not a true lily but instead a closer relative of philodendrons and pothos, peace lilies have been shown to have the highest output of oxygen in dim conditions. They’re also highly effective at removing toxic VOCs from the air, and release a good amount of water vapor to increase humidity in a space.Â

Snake Plant (Sansevieria spp.) - Another low-light classic, Snake Plants (also known as Mother In Law’s Tongue), are pros at air quality control. In fact, they literally work the night shift when most other plants pause on their sunlight-driven oxygen production; snake plants produce most of their oxygen at night due to their unique photosynthesis method (CAM vs C4). This makes them a great addition to your interiorscape to cover all your air-purifying bases!

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedora seifrizii) - With their lush, contemporary look, bamboo palms are not only a popular design choice but a very practical one as well. They are highly effective at removing airborne toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. As a thirstier plant, their broad leaves and high transpiration rate make them excellent for improving humidity in indoor spaces. As a larger plant, the bamboo palm contributes significantly to oxygen output, making it an ideal choice for spaces where fresh air is a priority.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)Â - No indoor plant collection is complete without a pothos vine! Perfect for small spaces like desktops or hanging planters, pothos contribute steadily to oxygen production. This plant is a champion at removing VOCs, particularly formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. Their waxy, vibrant leaves effectively absorb these harmful compounds, making it a valuable addition to spaces with VOC-emitting products like carpets, furniture, or cleaning supplies.

Ready to get started?
Plants are more than just decorative accents—they’re natural air purifiers, health enhancers, and mood boosters. From improving air quality by filtering out harmful toxins to increasing oxygen and humidity levels, the benefits of indoor plants go far beyond their beauty. Adding greenery to your space not only creates a visually appealing environment but also supports your physical and mental well-being.
Now is the perfect time to explore the health benefits of incorporating plants into your home or workplace. Whether it’s a pothos brightening your desk, a bamboo palm adding freshness to your living room, or a peace lily enhancing a cozy corner of your office, the right plants can make a world of difference.

Ready to transform your space and breathe cleaner air? Contact us today to learn more about how Calvert's Plant Interiors can help you create a healthier, greener environment!
If you're in the OKC Metro area and not sure where to start, our design team at Calvert's Plant Interiors will work with you to choose the best plants for your office’s unique needs through a free consultation. We also offer plant maintenance services through our highly knowledgeable tech department, so you can leave the watering and care to us!
Ready to transform your space and breathe cleaner air? Contact us today to learn more about how Calvert's Plant Interiors can help you create a healthier, greener environment! Click the button below to visit our website, or drop us a line at create@calverts.com.
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