Here's a quick 'cheat sheet' showing some of the best air-purifying plants, along with tips on how to use them to boost your home's interior appeal:

Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

Chemicals removed:  Formaldehyde, benzene, and TCE.

The Gerbera daisy was one of the most consistent performers of the twelve plants used in the NASA study.  It was effective in removing all three of the chemicals tested, including nearly 68% of the benzene.

Use in the home:

The daisy's bright appearance and wide range of colors make it a popular choice for bouquets and table centerpieces.  Its air-purifying properties also make it useful in the office, where stale air is more likely to be encountered.

Chemicals removed: Formaldehyde, benzene, and TCE.

Like the daisy, the pot mum is another flower that is especially effective in removing benzene from the air.

Use in the home:

Since mums come in many colors and are relatively easy to care for, use them to brighten up rooms or to place in hanging baskets.  However, note that people who are allergic to ragweed and goldenrod are often allergic to chrysanthemums as well.

Variegated Snake Plant (Sansevieria 'Laurentii')

Chemicals removed: Formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

While the snake plant (also known as 'mother-in-law's tongue') removes all three chemicals used in the NASA study, it is especially good at removing formaldehyde.  Subsequent research by one of the NASA authors found that it also removes xylene and toluene.

Use in the home:

This is a narrow plant with upright leaves, so use it to fill spaces that might be overwhelmed by a larger plant.  Taller snake plants can be useful in directing peoples' gazes upward, especially when placed upon a stand.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')

Chemicals removed: Formaldehyde, benzene, TCE, xylene, toluene, and ammonia. 

The peace lily is an excellent purifier, especially when it comes to benzene and TCE.  It requires a little extra care in the form of regular watering, but it also has the ability to come back from near death if you neglect it.

Use in the home:

This is a gorgeous plant that creates an elegant visual focal point, making it an excellent choice for home staging.  Place it upon a plant stand to make it 'pop' as the centerpiece of the room.

Tip: The peace lily is also a good plant for the office, where photocopiers and printers tend to release TCE.

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

Chemicals removed: Formaldehyde, benzene, TCE, and toluene.

The bamboo palm was the top remover of formaldehyde out of all twelve plants in the NASA study.

Use in the home:

This palm can become quite tall and leafy, making it a good plant when you need to fill empty spaces in large rooms.  When placed upon a stand, it can direct attention upward towards vaulted ceilings or clerestory windows.

Janet Craig (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')

Chemicals removed: Formaldehyde, TCE, benzene, xylene, and toluene.

The Janet Craig dracaena was second only to the bamboo palm in the amount of formaldehyde removed in the NASA study, and was also very effective at removing TCE. 

Use in the home:

This plant is often a good space-filler and visual focal point, but make sure that the dark leaves do not create too severe an effect.

Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina variegata)

Chemicals removed:  Formaldehyde, xylene, and ammonia.

The weeping fig removes benzene and TCE a well, but is best known for removing formaldehyde.

Use in the home:

The weeping fig has a tree-like shape with a rounded leaf pattern that works well in home staging.  Because it can grow taller than some other plants, it makes an elegant accent piece in corners, and softens hard edges when placed next to larger pieces of furniture.

Note:  This fig tends to drop its leaves easily, but is otherwise easy to care for.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Chemicals removed:  Formaldehyde, benzene, TCE, xylene, and toluene.

The Boston fern's ability to humidify the air as it removes chemicals makes it one of the most highly recommended air-purifying plants.  It is relatively easy to care for, although the leaves should be misted with warm water occasionally.

Use in the home:

Place on top of shelves, as an accent piece on counters, or in a hanging basket, especially in rooms where you recently installed new carpeting.

Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana')

Chemicals removed:  Formaldehyde, benzene, TCE, xylene, and toluene.

Sometimes called the mass cane, the corn plant is like many dracaenas in that it is easy to care for and a very good all-around air purifier.  It is especially effective in removing formaldehyde.

Use in the home:

The corn plant's small footprint and friendly, soft-edged leaf profile makes it very suitable for home staging and decorating.  Use it as a focal point to lead people from one room to the other, or to visually soften the edges of furniture and room corners.

Tip:  While the recommended care calls for indirect bright sunlight, corn plants are reasonably shade-tolerant and do not require frequent watering.  (In other words, if you have the dreaded 'brown thumb,' this might be a good houseplant for you. :)

Air-Purifying Plant FAQs:

Q. How many plants does it take to purify indoor air?

A. Try to keep at least one air-purifying plant for every 100 square feet of living space.

Q. How do these air pollutants get into homes to begin with?

A. They come from many common household sources.  For example, formaldehyde can come from new carpeting or plywood, benzene from paints or plastic, and trichloroethylene from printer ink or adhesives.  There's a longer list at this Colorado State University web page.

Q. What other plants are good air purifiers?

A. Other highly rated air-purifying plants include the Areca Palm, the Rubber Plant, English Ivy, Golden Pothos, and the Spider Plant.

Recommended Link:  Plantcare.com's Plant Encyclopedia, which lets you look up any plant's care guidelines by its Latin name, common name, or characteristics.

Do you have great plans for 2011?  If so, see if you find inspiration in this amusing but thoughtful lesson about leadership that Derek Sivers narrates as we watch what happens when a lone man starts dancing at a concert.

You can click the image above to go to the post on Derek's blog and watch the video, or simply click here.