Green is
the color of Nature; it gives an aesthetic look and feel to the otherwise drab
surrounding of today’s world. Add to that the fact how demanding our jobs get,
having an eco-friendly atmosphere to work in and also when you come home at the
end of the day, is an essential requirement for the soul. Plants are a great
way to liven up your home and office space; they don’t take up much space, yet
give an artistic and serene look to your environment. We bring to you a list of
11 plants that will add some nature to your home decor, and the coffee table is
perhaps one of the best places for sporting them!
#11 Chinese Evergreen
The Chinese
Evergreen plant belongs to the Aglaonema
family, and requires very little to almost no maintenance. You can grow it up
to a compact height, and you need not worry about the plant getting enough
sunlight as well; it thrives in low light conditions too! Another added bonus
is that it purifies the surrounding air of its toxins, so you’ve got that going
on for you.
#10 Philodendron
Listed by
the Centre For Environmental Sustainability, University of Technology, Sydney,
as one of the top varieties of indoor plants for freeing the air of VOCs and
excessive CO₂ levels, the leafy philodendron has been touted as a “nearly
impossible to kill” plant by experts. The philodendron requires minimal
maintenance, and is a perfect companion for your coffee table; just put it in a
pot with some moist potting soil and water it two to three times a week, and
you are all set.
#9 Baby Rubber Plant
The baby
rubber plant, or Peperomia obtusifolia, is
a great plant to showcase on your coffee table. It has high levels of oxygen
content emissions, and also annihilates any bacterial or mould spores which
might end up landing on the leaves, thus making the environment safe for
patients with asthma. Give it a little filtered lighting and some irregular
watering; the rubber plant does not ask for much!
#8 Spider Plant
One of the
most popular office plants in the vicinity, the spider plant is ideal for
interior decor as well. It requires very low maintenance and thrives in partial
sunlight or shade, thus making it ideal for your coffee table in the middle of
your living room, where light conditions are always on the low. The spider
plant also has many proven health benefits, according to researchers at the
University of Hawaii at Manoa; it reduces VOCs and other pollutants from the
indoor air on a large scale. The plant also boosts relative humidity and
reduces the amount of particulate matter (dust) in the air, thus reducing
common allergic symptoms and giving a fresh feel to the surrounding as
well.
#7 Jade Plant
The jade
plant, or Crassula ovuta, commonly known
as the “money plant”, is an ideal choice for your coffee table decor. It’s
small, succulent and requires very less watering; it also sprouts small
flowers! The “money plant” tag comes from Japanese folklore, where it’s
believed that the presence of this plant brings financial success for the household. The jade is native to the arid regions of Africa; however, it is
also a common houseplant across the globe. The plant needs little care for the
flowers to bloom; other than that, it does not like to be over-watered; so keep
an eye out for that.
#6 English Ivy
The English
Ivy, also known as Hedera helix, is
another great choice for giving your coffee table a subtle touch of Nature. It
is an undoubtedly beautiful accent plant with its lobed leaves and the lush,
trailing vines, and makes for a great indoor addition. The plant gets rid of
airborne fecal matter particles (wait, what?!) and formaldehyde as well, making
it an essential tool for freshening up the surrounding air alongside adding an
aesthetic look to your interior. The Ivy grows best under four or more hours of sunlight a day on moist soil; so don’t forget to keep the plant watered at all
times.
#5 Azalea
The azalea,
or rhododendron simsii, is a
beautiful flowering shrub for your home decor which doubles up as a combatant
against the formaldehyde presence in your abode, much like the English Ivy.
Azaleas thrive best in cool areas (i.e. around 60 to 65 degrees) and need some
sunlight presence, and they are considered as a great option to clean out the
indoor air. Just spray the plant every few days if your house is situated in a
dry location, and the Azalea won’t ever complain. Another plus side of the
Azalea is that it looks splendid, and will give a serious accent to your
indoors, sitting on the coffee table.
#4 Gerber Daisy
The Gerber
Daisy or Gerbera L. is a flowering
plant, and it makes for a brilliant addition on the coffee table at your home.
The plant is known to filter out toxins like benzene, and is commonly grown for
the lustrous and upbeat flowers which are more daisy-like in nature. Named in
honor of a German botanist and medical doctor who went by Traugott Gerber, the
gerber daisy likes soil which is well-drained, so remember to make sure that
the pot has several drainage holes. Other than that, the plant needs minimal
maintenance, except for a couple of sprays every week to stay in top form.
#3 Moss
An unusual
choice for coffee table decor, but the moss comes with loads of health benefits
and virtually non-existent maintenance headaches, since it is classified as one
of the most drought resistant plants in existence. Moss is well-known to purify
the air surrounding it by taking in pollutants and converting them to oxygen,
the stuff of life. There has been an increase in the trend towards moss in the
past few years; these bryophytes can also be used in a decorative way by
creating miniature forest landscapes to give your home an edgy look.
#2 Aloe
The Aloe or
Aloe vera is a common household
plant, and it’s been used for more than 6000 years, courtesy of the Egyptians
who regarded it as “the plant of immortality”. Even though the aloe is normally
grown in tropical climates, it can be grown inside any home in a perfectly fine
manner. The plant is easy-to-grow and helps in purifying the air of
formaldehyde and benzene. Besides these air-clearing abilities, the gel of this
sun-loving succulent also helps in treating cuts and burns.
#1 Peace Lily
The peace
lily or Spathiphyllum is one of those
plants that just love the shade; you can put them far away from any light
source and they’ll do just fine. This eye-catching variety is regarded as one
of the best plants for purifying indoor air according to major studies by
environmentalists and scientists alike. The beautiful white flowers give an
aesthetic touch to your home as well. The peace lily thrives on potting soil
with proper drainage; water it as necessary to ensure the leaves remain healthy
and flowering occurs on a frequent basis.
