7 House Plants That Fight Allergies

Allergies can be pesky, leading many allergy sufferers to go to extreme measures to feel better. A natural, pretty, and easy way to help fight allergies is through house plants. Many different varieties make it easier to breathe without loading up on medicine.

1. Peace Lilies

Peace lilies are a pretty house plant that also works to purify the air, getting rid of benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. Besides helping your home to be allergen free, another benefit of the peace lily is that it doesn’t require much in the way of care. That’s because it doesn’t need much water or light to thrive.

Additionally, peace lilies are smart enough to give you an aesthetic cue when they’re thirsty. When their leaves begin to droop, you know to provide them with some H2O.

2. Dracaena

This plant is also known as the “Janet Craig”, named after a nurseryman’s daughter. This is a pretty plant that makes a great addition to any home with it’s shiny, dark green leaves. The leaves aren’t only for good looks, though! They’re known to trap allergens from the air, making your home air more pure.

Caring for the dracaena plant requires less water than many other indoor plants. Hydrate yours by simply misting leaves with water and keeping the soil lightly misted rather than soggy.

Overwatering the dracaena can lead to root rot. As for light exposure, filtered light that peeks through a sheer curtain is best for this plant, or a semi-shaded spot is also ideal. Dracaena plants should never be placed in direct sunlight.

3. Gerber Daisies

For a sunny addition to your home that also works against allergens, opt for the classic gerber daisies. These flowers control benzene, which is a harmful byproduct of plastics, pesticides, smoke, and synthetic fibers. In addition to being beautiful and allergy-fighting, daisies are easy to care for. They simply require an abundance of light and room as they don’t like to be crowded.

4. Marginata

The scientific term for this allergy fighting plant is dracaena marinata colorama. This tri-colored dragon tree houseplant boasts the perk of being quite low maintenance, thriving in low light areas. It also doesn’t need frequent watering, as soil should be pretty dried out before you hydrate it.

Look out for leaf discoloration as a sign that your plant needs more upkeep. They turn lighter if they need more exposure to sun and develop brown spots when they’re receiving too much light.

Keep in mind that this plant, with its narrow, cream and yellow striped leaves, can grow to be quite large, reaching up to 15 feet tall. The marginata helps to purify the air, ridding it of chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene. This plant also helps control humidity levels.

5. Swedish Ivy

This is a low-pollen houseplant that is easy to care for. Its low pollen content makes it a good plant for anyone who experiences allergies. Swedish ivy plants do well with bright, indirect sunlight and they don’t like temperatures that go below 60 degrees. These plants are also a great option to hang if you don’t have much space on countertops or tables to place plants.

6. Bamboo Palm

Although this plant is more high maintenance than other allergy fighting house plants, it’s still a good option to add to your house. Plus, it works as a great air purifier. Bamboo palm requires its soil to be moist, but not soaking wet. Only water this plant when the soil feels dry. This plant also needs direct sunlight to survive.

7. Mums

These colorful and festive plants are another that you may be surprised to learn fight indoor allergens. They remove PCE from the air. When grown indoors, mums like more mild temperatures as opposed to a very hot spot. They also like bright and filtered sunlight. Direct sunlight can be harmful, keeping your mums from thriving. Mums flourish when provided wet but not soaking soil.

As for houseplants that aren’t meant to fight allergies, make sure to wipe down their leaves frequently in order to prevent dust build up, which could irritate those with allergies.

These plants make fabulous additions to any home that work double duty between being a great added aesthetic and making it possible to breathe easy, naturally.