Are Succulents Good for the Air: Breathe Better Now
Succulents are incredibly easy to grow, but are they good for the air? They do not require a whole lot of effort or thought, and they are harder to kill than many infamously delicate plants like orchids. That means they are definitely suitable for those who are not super plant-savvy. All green vegetation produces oxygen, so in that way, it is great for the air. However, you must exercise caution in choosing your plants. Regrettably, there are plenty of types that are toxic to pets. Before you bring anything into your home or yard, you always need to know what it is capable of for safety reasons. Beyond that, succulents are a great way to add green to your home and help keep your air clean. I will walk you through how to pick the right plants and make sure you know some of the pet safe varieties.
Are succulents good for the air? Succulents are good for the air. Like all plants, your household succulents photosynthesize to feed themselves. They also ‘breathe’ by exhaling oxygen. Hence, succulents are great for the air. If you have a less-than-green thumb, then choosing an easy to care for succulent, or several will help keep your air pure and clean indoors or outside.
What Makes Succulents Good for Air Quality?
Sure, succulents are good for the air, but why? As plants go, they are not hugely demanding. Some varieties are medicinal, and others are uniquely beautiful. Meanwhile, the rest is relatively unassuming. Regardless of their looks or other uses, all succulents are excellent indoor air scrubbers. Plants quite literally absorb toxins from the air, such as volatile organic compounds according to NASA.
The top two air scrubbing performers are Jade and Aloe Vera. The Jade plant is known for its plump, rounded leaves. However, it is the humble aloe vera most people know best. Since aloe ‘slime’ has a medicinal cooling effect on burns, most anyone who has ever spent too much time in the sun has had aloe gel on them at some point.
Aloe
I recommend getting pre-sprouted Shop Succulents Alluring Live Aloe for your home or office. With just a little cactus fertilizer in the summer and wintertime watering often less than monthly, you will love how easy it is to keep Aloe around. Shop Succulents strives to send you beautiful, healthy plants, and they offer a thirty-day refund or replacement guarantee. Check the Amazon ratings right here.
Pet lovers should know that Aloe is mild to moderately toxic for dogs and cats. You will want to keep it out of their reach. However, for humans, Aloe is not only an excellent sunburn balm, but some people drink aloe juice as well.
Jade
Adding a lovely jade plant to your home is simple with a JMBamboo Jade Plant from Amazon. Not only are they ten to twelve inches tall on arrival, but the Jade plant, also known as the Money Plant or Friendship Plant, is considered lucky. Having better indoor air is certainly or type of good fortune. Find out more by clicking here.
Like Aloe, the Jade plant is toxic to dogs and cats. I recommend using a hanging plant holder to keep them near the tops of tall windows if you are worried about your furry friends. Unlike Aloe, you should not eat or rub Jade on your skin.
Succulents Are They Safe for Pets?
Succulents may be great for your lungs, but they are not always so good for your furry friends. Many members of the succulent family are toxic to cats and dogs. Since roughly sixty-five percent of American households have pets, it is vital to know what not to leave laying around for them.
If you are among the more-than-half of the country with a companion animal, then hopefully, you already know that lots of flora are bad for them. Although plenty of succulents make that list, here are twelve excellent options that should not cause your furry family any issues.
- Blue Echeveria
- Burro’s Tail
- Dragon Fruit
- Echeveria Setosa var. Deminuta (Firecracker Plant)
- Echeveria Elegans (Mexican Snowballs)
- Haworthia Retusa
- Holiday Cacti
- Opuntia Species
- Ponytail Palm
- Sempervivum (Ruby Heart)
- Sempervivum (Pacific Blue Ice)
- Zebra Haworthia
Make sure you always double-check with your vet or a plant specialist before you bring any new greenery into your home. While it might seem nice to clean up the air, you will not enjoy vet bills. If you thoughtlessly start dropping pots of whatever looked pretty in every possible sunny spot, you could end up with a very sick pet.
Secret Succulent Powers, Beyond Clean Air
While succulents are unquestionably good for the air, they have secret powers as well. Most people are aware that plants make oxygen. However, I have included a list of five, far lesser known succulent superpowers below.
Radiation Absorption
As shocking as it sounds, succulents can absorb EMF radiation. According to EMF-Risks, the radiation from nearby cell towers, which is often present in people’s homes, is absorbable by both succulents and cacti. If that is not enough reason to put them around the house, then I am not sure what is.
Health Benefits
In a public health study, the presence of plants was shown to help with physical recovery. You do not need to do anything special to them. According to the study. merely having plants around helps to increase natural healing in small amounts.
Mood Elevation
It might seem like a strange side effect, but having plants in the house makes you happier. While flowers are among the best, any plants will help lighten your mood. Doubtless, this is partially to do with the extra O2 you are getting. Regardless, having plants within sight makes people feel better.
Humidity Increasing
Keeping succulents (and other plants) around the house is especially beneficial in dry climates, and wintertime. When the air gets dry, it can cause a scratchy throat, trouble sleeping, and plenty of itchy skin. Skip the humidifiers and fill your home with plants instead.
Better Focus & Memory
When you are having a tough time keeping your thoughts together, grab a succulent for your desk. In addition to the benefits, plants bestow on human focus, a study from the University of Michigan showed that being around plants, like succulents, improves memory. Stranger still, just looking at pictures of nature improves your memory.
Not sure where to start? Grab a gorgeous Costa Farms Small Cacti and Succulent Dish Garden from Amazon. This beautiful, simple ceramic bowl comes ready-made with several plants and slow-release fertilizer inside. Moreover, Costa Farms always works hard to ensure that the plants do not get damaged during shipping. Order yours for delivery by clicking here.
Choosing Your Succulents
Since both Aloe and Jade make superb scrubbers, you may want to start there for the best indoor air quality. Particularly if you are prone to sunburn, aloe vera should be on your list of plants to grow anyhow. However, the succulent family has many options.
In addition to choosing from virtually any color you could imagine, the shape of your succulents is essential. Those who love rosettes or symmetrical shapes will find plenty of opportunities in the succulent family. Likewise, if you prefer a more erratic look, there are members of this group that are ‘messy,’ but all have the same talent for making and cleaning the air.
Make sure you look at the space you have available before you pick your plants. You need to have enough bright and sunny spots to place your succulent pots in an area where they get the light they require. Fill a window ledge, or hang one below a skylight. As long as they get indirect sunshine, your succulents will be happy.
What Succulents Need to Thrive
Part of the appeal in planting succulents is that they are very low maintenance. While some plants are extraordinarily picky and need all manner of special treatment, this group only asks for a couple of things. First, they like lots of (indirect) sunshine—secondly, succulents like relatively dry soil.
To keep your succulents alive, you need to find a place that gets at least a half to a full day of sunshine. Unfortunately, if you live somewhere like Seattle, where there is a lot of cloud cover for much of the year, you may need a UV lightbulb. Other than that, do not overwater your succulents.
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot wholly ignore succulents. They do need a little water, but not as much as most other species. A once a week watering is perfect for this plant family. Make sure they have well-draining soil, and the container they live inside has drainage holes.
Final Thoughts
If you want to breathe, then you need plants, and succulents are great for the air. Not only do they produce oxygen, but they can help purify it as well. A healthy home with clean air is a place full of green life.
Whether you live in the largest metropolitan city, a suburb, small town, or rural middle-of-nowhere, a plant is a welcome sight. Not only is this family of plants easy to care for, but it is also simple to propagate so you can ‘make’ more plants. You can fill a home or yard with succulents quickly.
With so many styles and shapes to choose from, it is not challenging to find succulents that suit your style. Add some in every window of your house, and you will not soon regret it.