7 Indoor Plants That Absorb Humidity: Houseplants That Work As Dehumidifiers
Excess moisture can cause problems in your home, and plants that absorb humidity can help reduce that moisture.
Plants add a wholesome look and feel to your home. There are many varieties of houseplants that are easy to care for and grow well in a home environment.
Some of the ways to introduce plants that absorb humidity in your home is to create a “living wall” using wall hanging planting bags.
A company in Sydney, Australia, partnered with the University of Technology to study the benefits of using plants indoors in the living wall form. They have found that besides controlling humidity, the plants remove carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds from interior air.
Easy To Care For Plants That Absorb Humidity In Your Home
We have put together a list of 7 indoor plants that will work for you at home to absorb humidity.
#1 Palm Plants
Photo by Skyler Smith on Unsplash
Palm plants tend to be robust and low maintenance and are plants that absorb humidity. Unmistakably tropical, their fronds complement any type of decor.
There is an abundance of palm plants to choose from. Some of the more popular palms are the areca, bamboo, Chinese, parlor, and money tree palms.
Each of these types of palms helps to absorb and reduce humidity in your home. Although various kinds of palms can get quite big, they grow slowly, so it might take ten years for a palm to outgrow its corner of the room.
All the while that they are growing, they are also absorbing the humidity that they love, but that might be damaging for your home.
Palm plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs.
# 2 Boston Fern
Boston ferns love cool temperatures, indirect light, and places of high humidity. If you have humidity in your home, they will be more than happy to absorb as much as they can for you.
Boston ferns are lush plants with lacy, bright green foliage. They add an air of elegance and style to any area of your home.
If you have a bathroom or kitchen where there is a lot of humidity, they will thrive in those places. Boston ferns don't have a high need for sunlight. A slow grower, they will reach about two to three feet tall and about that same size in width when fully grown.
Boston Ferns are non-toxic to cats and dogs.
#3 Orchids
Photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
Orchids are both beautiful and hard-working when it comes to reducing and absorbing humidity. Orchids depend on the moisture in the air to obtain some of the nutrients that it needs.
These lovely plants come in a variety of colors and are incredibly adaptable. While there are some species that tend to be fussy, there are many that are hardy and easy to grow, and they are definitely plants that absorb humidity.
These beauties hoard water in their thick, dark green leaves, stems, and roots. Orchids like pots filled with chips of bark, stones, tree fern, or other loosely-packed materials.
Orchids are non-toxic to cats and dogs.
# 4 Spider Plant
Spider plants, thank goodness, have nothing to do with spiders except in appearance. The spider plant is so named because of the spider-like "babies" which dangle down from the mother plant like spiders on a web.
These plants come in either green or variegated varieties and are among the easiest houseplants to care for.
Preferring well-drained soil, spider plants like cooler temperatures. Not only are they plants that absorb humidity from the air, but they also absorb carbon monoxide and formaldehyde from the air, reducing the toxicity of the air around them.
Spider plants are non-toxic to cats and dogs.
# 5 Cactus
Photo by Stephanie Harvey on Unsplash
Cactus plants can flourish in harsh environments and need less water. This is because they absorb moisture from the air around them, making the areas less humid.
Cactus is a form of succulent and comes in many different and colorful species. They are low-maintenance houseplants and are almost indestructible.
They are great for placing on your home office desk or window sill, where they will absorb excess moisture.
They are naturally equipped to absorb moisture from the surrounding air and therefore need watering only when their soil is completely dried off.
Although Cactus are non-toxic to cats and dogs, the spiky leaves make them hazardous to eat.
# 6 Ivy Plants
Photo by Kaylin Pacheco on Unsplash
The most common ivy houseplant is English ivy. Growing ivy as a houseplant is not difficult as long as you know what they need.
All varieties of ivies need bright light. When watering an ivy, check the soil first. Ivies are plants that will absorb humidity from their surrounding air and so will need less water than other plants.
Let the soil dry to the touch before you water your ivy plant. Make sure, too, that the ivy plant has lots of good drainage as they don't like to be in overly wet soil.
If your ivy leaves get dusty, simply place them in the shower and gently let the water spray over them.
The vines of an ivy plant tend to hang down, so either snip long vines off, or train them to climb up a trellis as ivy is toxic to cats and dogs.
# 7 Peace Lily
Photo by Max Williams on Unsplash
Having a peace lily is one attractive way to absorb humidity in your home. A peace lily has lovely green leaves and white "flowers."
What looks like flowers on the plant are actually leaf bract that grows hooded over the flowers.
Preferring medium to low light, the peace lily will absorb moisture and clean the air around it.
Because this plant is so good at absorbing humidity from the air, be careful about over-watering.
Check the soil before watering. If the soil is damp, wait until the soil is dry. Some people will even wait until they see their plant droop slightly before watering.
As with ivy, keep a peace lily where a pet cannot reach it as it is toxic to cats and dogs.
In Conclusion
House plants make a home more inviting and beautiful. The fact that your house plants work hard for you on top of it is definitely a bonus!
The plants that we have listed will help absorb humidity in your home, making the space you live in both more comfortable and cozy!