Living healthier is a common New Year’s resolution. Whether it’s eating better, exercising or resolving to reduce stress, a healthier lifestyle
is a great goal.

Since we typically spend a lot of time indoors during the winter months, it’s a great time to spruce up the home. Add a few green plants and you’ll enhance a room’s décor, as well as help clean the air.

Plants provide beauty, plus they keep us healthier by naturally reducing pollutants, which help us breathe easier, feel happier and reduce stress.

Plants give off oxygen, which make people more alert and more efficient, thus increasing productivity. They help absorb noise in rooms,
and generally make people feel more comfortable. Plants add value to life.

They’re living art – softening hard lines, creating focal points of interest, adding texture and balance to almost any setting. Different varieties of plants can coordinate with all styles of décor from contemporary to traditional.

One to two plants per 100 square feet will start improving the air quality around you. Here’s a list of the most effective plants at cleaning the air indoors.

Areca Palm
Also known as yellow palm or butterfly palm, the areca palm grows best in direct, bright sunlight.

Raphis Palm
This large palm has fans six to 12 inch wide with four and 10 thick, shiny leaves. It is highly resistant to attack by most plant insects,
grows slowly and is easy to maintain. It grows best in direct, bright sunlight.

Bamboo Palm
An easy-to-care-for popular variety, the bamboo palm pumps much needed moisture into the indoor atmosphere, especially during winter months when heating systems dry the air. Place in direct, bright sunlight.

Rubber Plant
Bred for toughness, it will tolerate dim light and cool temperatures, making it an excellent house plant. This plant is easy to grow and grows best in direct, bright sunlight to indirect, medium sunlight.

Dracaena “Janet Craig”
The dark-green leaves of dracaena “Janet Craig” make it an attractive plant. These plants can tolerate neglect, dimly lit environments,
and will growsbest in indirect, medium sunlight.

English Ivy
English Ivy is often used as ground cover in public atriums or lobbies. But to add interest, try growing it in topiary form or in hanging baskets. They are easy to grow and adapt to a variety of home environments. However, they do not generally grow well in high temperatures. English Ivy grows best in indirect, medium sunlight to low sunlight.

Pothos
A very popular plant because it tolerates lower light, lower humidity and cooler temperatures than many other plants. Pothos grows best in indirect, medium sunlight but it will also tolerate very low light.

Ficus Alii
This ficus variety has slender dark green leaves that make it an extremely attractive plant. It grows best in direct, bright sunlight to indirect, medium sunlight.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
An outstanding foliage plant that also produces beautiful white spathes, the peace lily’s low maintenance qualities make it a valuable houseplant. It grows best in indirect, medium sunlight to low sunlight.