Home decorations are very important because it is something that makes the place more relaxing and pleasant to live in. There are many different decorations out there to choose from, such as paintings, figurines, lights, and more. But among those, one of the best are houseplants. Most of the time, houseplants are placed in the living room or on the patio of the house. But in addition to those areas, the kitchen is also a good choice.
The kitchen may not be the first area in the house that may come into your mind when you think about bringing a little greenery into your home. But decorating your kitchen with the right kinds of plants will not only make it look good, but it can also help purify your air, increase productivity, or even help in cooking and preparing foods.
If you are thinking of adding some plants to your kitchen, it is also best if you choose the right ones. If you have no idea about what plants you should pick, we’re here to help you. Read on as we’re giving you a list of the top ten plants for your home kitchen.
Things to Consider When Buying Kitchen Plants
If you’ve collected indoor plants before, then you probably know that plant parenting has an element of trial and error. It takes testing to learn which plants work in particular areas in the house, depending on the airflow, sunlight, and humidity of the space, and as well as the frequency of watering that they need.
Also, if you have pets at home, having an indoor herb garden in your kitchen may not be a good idea, as certain types of plants can be harmful to animals if ingested. Therefore, before you choose the plants, you need to make sure that they are non-toxic to your furry friends first.
Before buying plants for your kitchen, you also need to take a look at your space first and plan where you wish to add them. For example, you can add a few succulents on the window sill, a palm plant on a well-lit corner, or small plants on your kitchen counter that can resist humidity and heat from cooking.
Keep in mind that some plants are lenient about watering, while some can be fastidious and need regular checking. Also, different plants have different needs when it comes to sunlight. Some might require low light, while other plants need full sunshine to thrive. Of course, you need to choose plants in small pots only. It is also a bonus if you can find plants that have air-filtering qualities, as these can help clear the air in high-traffic spaces in your kitchen.
The Benefits of Having Plants in the Kitchen
Some of you might wonder why you should put some plants in the kitchen. To answer that, here are some of the benefits that you can get from having plants in the kitchen:
Plants can increase oxygen levels to help you breathe.
When you add plants to your kitchen, they can help increase the oxygen levels drastically. Some of the best examples of this are orchids and succulents, as they convert, absorb carbon dioxide, and release oxygen.
Plants are great humidifiers.
Did you know that plants release around 97% of the water that they are given? Therefore, when you group many plants together in your kitchen, you can increase the humidity of the space and keep respiratory issues on lockdown.
Plants can help purify the air.
Plants have the ability to remove toxins from the air. This means that they can remove the smell from food, garbage bags, and harmful kitchen chemicals. They purify the air by pulling toxins into the soil and turning them into nutrition.
Plants can sharpen your focus.
Plants have been known to help people become more attentive. Therefore, adding a few extra plants in your kitchen might help improve your cooking and food preparation skills.
The Best Plants for Your Kitchen
If you are excited to pick out indoor plants for your kitchen, here’s the list of the best plants that you can choose from.
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is one of the best kitchen plants out there. It is a strong succulent that does not need direct sunlight. It also only needs a good watering about every three weeks. It can also help in some cooking mishaps. For example, if you accidentally cut your finger while chopping the ingredients or touched a hot pot, all you have to do is cut a leaf to extract some aloe gel. This is best in soothing cuts and burns.
2. Snake Plant
Snake plant is one of those good-looking houseplants that require minimal work. This makes it a great kitchen plant too. It features long, broad, strong leaves that give visual interest. You can place it in the corner of the kitchen where it can receive some sunshine but won’t be saturated in sunlight. In terms of watering, you need to wait until the soil of this plant is dry before you can water it. This is because it does not like to be overwatered. However, note that this plant is toxic to cats and dogs.
3. Herbs
On the windowsill of your kitchen, it is perfect for growing some herbs that you can use for cooking. These can include mint, rosemary, basil, thyme, and more. These plants will be able to get the sunshine that they need by the window, and they will provide you with fresh ingredients that you can use when cooking. You can also check out our post about how to grow herbs indoors for more ideas.
4. Venus Flytrap
The kitchen is prone to bugs as it is filled with enticing aromas and crumbs. If you want to combat them, then keeping a Venus flytrap plant on the counter is a good idea. It is a carnivorous plant that is very easy to take care of. You just need to keep it away from direct sunlight. It should be potted with poor, acidic soil and watered with rain or distilled water. This will keep your kitchen area bug-free.
5. Air Plant
When you look at the air plant, you might think that it is challenging to take care of. But once you’ve set it up, it actually does not need much attention. Air plants can grow even without soil. When they are in the wild, they can grow on trees, rocks, and on the ground. If you wish to have them in your kitchen, then you can place them attractively in seashells and terrariums. They are perfect in the kitchen as they prefer warmer environments. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that they need frequent watering. You can mist the leaves around three to seven times a week or soak the plant in the sink once a week.
6. English Ivy
The English Ivy is a fairly strong houseplant that is also easy to take care of. It is perfect to be placed in part-sun part-shade locations. It is a great option if your kitchen does not get lots of natural light. It has long, twisting vines that is ideal for high shelf or hanging basket. One of the best things about this plant is that its leaves can absorb formaldehyde, which is a common indoor pollutant.
7. Pothos
Pothos is a great beginner plant. It is also low-maintenance that accepts low to bright indirect light. It is watered only every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on sunlight and dryness. It can also filter common air pollutants, such as formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. It is a perfect choice if you want a virtually unkillable trailing plant to add some drama to your kitchen.
8. Cast Iron Plant
Not only the name of this plant makes it perfect to be placed in the kitchen but as well as its characteristics. It is a low-maintenance houseplant that can tolerate different conditions. However, the leaves of this plant can be scorched by sunlight. Therefore, it is a good choice if your kitchen is low on light. These plants need water, but they can tolerate being dry for a bit.
9. Calamondin Orange
If you want to add some color and fragrance to your kitchen, the calamondin orange plant is perfect for you. It is best in sunlight, but it can also do well in shadier sports. Another great thing about it is that it’s a fruit-bearing plant. The tree can reach 10 to 20 feet, but the plant is short and bush-like, which you can definitely keep in the kitchen. However, if you wish to eat its fruit, you need to be patient as it takes about a year for an orange to ripen.
10. Spider Plant
This is a common houseplant that is very easy to take care of. It has long leaves that are not particular about its growing conditions. This plant prefers bright and indirect sunlight, but it can survive in shady and sunny spots. It is also watered only once a week. Similar to the English Ivy plant, it is also a good plant to put on the kitchen shelf or in a hanging basket.
Keeping plants in the kitchen is indeed a great idea. In addition to being decorative pieces that give life to your kitchen, they also come with many benefits. You just need to pick the best plants that will thrive in your kitchen. We hope this article helped you learn more about the best plants for the kitchen.