Are you looking for ways to create a healthy, calming and rejuvenating environment in your baby’s nursery? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you – plants! They not only purify the air, but also bring a touch of nature to the room. But with so many options to choose from, it can be tough to know which ones are safe for your little one and not-so-little ones.
That’s why I’ve rounded up the safe plants for your nursery. These plants will not only enhance the space, but also bring surprising benefits to your baby’s development and well-being. So, come on, let’s take a look at these lovely plants together, shall we?
Tip!
In addition to the charm and natural beauty, indoor plants bring into the home, there are also many health benefits gained from incorporating plants into your decor. Research findings have shown that many indoor best plants are not simply ornamental extras but contribute significantly to a person’s mental and physical well-being, both at home and in the workplace.
Plants Make People Happy
One of the benefits of having the perfect plant is the sense of purpose they provide, the feeling of happiness and satisfaction derived from nurturing a healthy and flourishing plant with your own hands. Many people talk to their plants, feeling a real connection to a living, breathing thing.
Low maintenance new plants used as ornamental decor also create a soothing, peaceful back-to-nature living environment. Happiness, connection, and peace all contribute significantly to a person’s overall health and quality of life.
Plants That Improve Air Quality Are A Great Choice
Indoor plants do much more than make people happy. They also help improve the quality of polluted indoor air. Many homes and buildings today are built with little provision for ventilation or adequate air circulation.
Windows and doors are often tightly sealed, allowing contaminants to stagnate and adversely affecting the health of the people living or working in those buildings. Consequently, indoor air pollution has been on the rise in recent years, leading to what has been dubbed “Sick Building Syndrome.”
Plants Help By “Breathing”
Indoor air can often be more polluted than outdoor air, coming from sources such as tobacco smoke, paints, varnishes, plastics, solvents, cleaning agents, and building materials. Indoor plants play an important role in their very existence. Live plants release oxygen into the air. They absorb carbon dioxide and they also help decrease the number of harmful gases, toxins, and other pollutants present in the air.
Plants Remove VOCs
Research has been conducted to determine the effects that common indoor plants have on air quality. Findings indicate that many indoor plants have the ability (phytoremediation) to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor pollutants.
VOCs have been linked to diseases such as asthma and cancer and also to reproductive, neurological, developmental, and respiratory disorders. Plants have also been shown to maintain healthy indoor humidity levels, warding off symptoms of the common cold, sore throats, headaches, fatigue, stress, and other ailments.
Indoor Plant Studies
ScienceDaily (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140816.htm) discussed the findings of a study conducted on a variety of common ornamental indoor favorite plants, assessing their ability to remove VOCs from the air.
Of the 28 species of beautiful plants tested, results determined that the English ivy, the purple waffle plant, the asparagus fern, the variegated wax plant, and the purple heart plant had the highest VOC removal rates.
An additional ScienceDaily release (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103634.htm), stated findings from a study demonstrating the ability of certain indoor plants to lower ozone levels in a test chamber. Ozone, typically associated with outdoor pollution, can also be present indoors, emitted by copy machines, laser printers, ultraviolet lights, and other sources.
Unhealthy levels of ozone can lead to a variety of health issues including reduced lung function, pulmonary edema, inflammation, hemorrhage, and more. The three plants tested (snake plant, spider plant, and golden pothos) all showed equally positive results for reducing the ozone levels in the test chamber.
Recommendations For Small Children Rooms
Below is a partial listing of additional indoor plants shown to reduce toxic air pollutants in your baby room:
- Areca palm
- Arrowhead vine
- Bamboo palm
- Dwarf date palm
- Ficus Alii
- Lady’s palm
- Peace lily
- Rubber plant
Indoor plants have long been appreciated for their decorative purposes, but not everyone is aware of their many health benefits. Hopefully, people who have been reluctant to include plants in their nursery decor will realize the psychological and physical benefits of plants and will include them in their homes and also in their workplaces.
More than 300 volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs, could be in your house at any given time, according to horticulturalists at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
VOCs can be emitted by a number of common household items, including carpets, books, paint, and some adhesives. Some baby nursery plants can absorb VOCs, purifying the air in your home and reducing the risk that you’ll get sick from air contaminants.
Purple Waffle Plant Is An Excellent Choice
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers found that the purple waffle plant (Hemigraphis alternate) was the most effective plant for absorbing VOCs from the air.
English Ivy For A Beautiful Nursery
English ivy (Hedera helix) demonstrated an ability to absorb VOCs in the University of Georgia study. It also absorbed benzene, a VOC produced by tobacco smoke, in a 1989 study conducted by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA).
Variegated Wax Plant Is A Good Option
The variegated wax plant (Hoya carnosa) also proved to be good at absorbing VOCs in the University of Georgia study.
Asparagus Fern Is The Best Choice For A Neutral Nursery
Asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus) was another of the most successful VOC-absorbing house plants in the University of Georgia study.
Spider Plant Is A Resilient Plant
Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) absorbed 96 percent of the carbon monoxide in a controlled environment within a 24-hour period in the NASA study, making them one of the most effective air purifiers in that research.
Golden Pothos Is A Gorgeous Plant
The NASA study also reported that golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) successfully absorbed 75 percent of carbon monoxide VOCs over 24 hours.
Philodendron Is One Of The Best Natural Air Purifiers
Heartleaf philodendron thrives in bright, indirect light. Plant heartleaf philodendron in a hanging wicker basket, out of reach of children and pets. It is one of the toxic plants if ingested. Heartleaf philodendron removes chemical vapors.
Sansevieria Is Great For Nursery Design
Sansevieria is also known as the snake plant. Its rigid, upright leaves are sculptural and dramatic. It grows well in low indirect sunlight and requires little care. Sansevieria removes formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.
Ficus Is A Great Plant To Have In A Nursery
Ficus or weeping fig is a small tree that can be grown indoors. Weeping fig removes ammonia from the environment.
Aglaonema Modestum Is A Great Option
Aglaonema modestum has variegated, ribbon-like leaves and thrives in low humidity. It removes toxins such as benzene from the air.
Dracaena Plant Is A Good Choice
Shiny green leaves and an upright habit make Dracaena popular houseplants. Dracaena Janet Craig and Dracaena Warneckii remove formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, and trichloroethylene from a small space.
Chlorophytum Comosum Is Great For A Large Space
Another well-known and easy-to-grow houseplant that requires not that much light and little water, Chlorophytum comosum is commonly known as the spider plant. Planted in a bright window, it appreciates bright light water misting occasionally. Spider plant is a non-toxic plant remove formaldehyde from the air.
Final Thoughts
Our homes are more energy efficient than ever, and with that increased efficiency comes an unexpected side effect: indoor air pollution. Household cleaning products, paints, and home furnishings contribute to poor indoor air quality (IAQ).
A NASA report suggests that a selection of air-filtering houseplants can help improve air quality. For a 2,000-square-foot home, at least 15 plants in a minimum 6-inch pot will be required.
Pick the plants that speak to you, get creative with how you incorporate them into the room. Just remember to give them plenty of light and keep them away from curious little hands. And most importantly, sit back and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve created a healthy and nurturing environment for your precious little one.
Happy planting!
