Shop Houseplants That Cool Your Home
These 8 Plants Are Not Only Pretty, but They'll Also Help Keep Your House Cool
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Want a simple trick for beating the heat at home this summer? Introduce a few special indoor plants. Consider this: certain houseplants are natural coolants, absorbing heat and emitting oxygen to lower the ambient air temperature. Snake plants are popular choices in that category because they are easy to take care of, grow quickly, and look visually striking. But we also have plenty of other great recs if you'd like to cultivate a variety of leafy babies.
These greens not only enliven your home decor, but they're also useful! Keep reading to discover eight houseplants that are also stellar natural coolants.
— Additional reporting by Haley Lyndes and Maggie Winterfeldt
1 Aloe Vera
Start cooling down your room by adding this powerful plant. Aloe vera not only helps soothe your skin when you have a burn, but it will also purify the air and emit oxygen, helping to cool the indoor air temperature.
Costa Farms Aloe Vera Plant
This Costa Farms Aloe Vera Plant ($14) requires very little maintenance.
2 Snake Plant
Pure Beauty Farms Sansevieria Laurentii Snake Plant
This visually striking Pure Beauty Farms Sansevieria Laurentii Snake Plant ($35) will elevate any surface you place it on, with its long textured leaves and air-purifying qualities. It's a popular choice that works in any space, partly because it requires little light and little water to thrive.
3 Ficus
More than a focal point in your living room, ficus' are also great at increasing oxygen levels in the air.
The Sill Audrey Ficus
The Audrey Ficus ($40) by The Sill enjoys filtered bright light and watering every one to two weeks. Ficus are easy-going and don't require a whole lot of care, plus, they're good-looking plants to have in a home — a win-win!
4 Spider Plant
Great at purifying the air and easy to grow, it's hard to go wrong with a spider plant.
Plants.com Spider Plant
This Plants.com Spider Plant ($45-$65) will make a noteworthy addition to any room. Place it right by a window for optimal light.
5 Rubber Plant
A rubber plant makes a big difference in air quality — even if you only have room in your home for the smaller baby rubber plant. It releases high levels of oxygen, helping to cool the ambient air temperature, and excels at purifying toxins such as formaldehyde from the air.
Bloomscape Burgundy Rubber Tree
This air-purifying Bloomscape Burgundy Rubber Tree ($169) is one of the easiest plants to take care of.
6 Areca Palm
This tree is serious business — it's one of the best air-purifying plants! You can expect it to keep your home's air cool, clean, and pleasantly humid.
Bloomscape Areca Palm
Create your perfect indoor oasis this summer with this Bloomscape Areca Palm ($199), which will add a tropical vibe with its wispy green leaves. It is non-toxic and pet-friendly and enjoys bright indirect light.
7 Boston Fern
Sure, it looks great, but it's also great for air quality. Boston ferns are natural air humidifiers and purifiers.
United Nursery Boston Fern Plant
Pot this United Nursery Boston Fern Plant ($22) on your porch or anywhere indoors. It requires indirect sunlight and will make a classic addition to your home.
8 Pothos (aka Devil's Ivy or Money Plant)
In addition to excelling at removing formaldehyde from the air, this low-maintenance plant is hard to kill and great for novice gardeners.
National Plant Network Devil's Ivy Silver Satin Pothos Plant
This National Plant Network Devil's Ivy Silver Satin Pothos Plant ($28) thrives in partial to full light. It's super-efficient in cleaning indoor air, and it does so by producing oxygen, improving air humidity, and neutralizing harmful gasses that are common in cleaning products, tissues, and personal care products.
