Indoor plants have perhaps never played such an important role in the home as they have in 2020. What with the bushfire season and need to blast our homes with cleaning chemicals, the air-purifying qualities of indoor plants have done well to filter out airborne nasties and ensure the air we breathe inside is clean and fresh.
Combine this with the fact we’ve spent so much more time at home than ever before — essentially becoming roommates with our plants — and you can see why greenery indoors has had such a moment.
Curious about the most popular indoor plants since the beginning of the year, a mortgage group in the UK, Mojo Mortgages, looked into Google Search data around popular plants. Below, they’ve uncovered the top 10 most-Googled indoor greenery from the year so far.
Unsurprisingly, a number of plants with superior air-purifying abilities found their way to the top of the list, while the ever-popular fiddle leaf fig — which continues to be seen in the Instagram posts of your favourite influencers and homemakers — fell short of the top 10 and landed in 11th place. Of course, with three months left in 2020, there’s still time for the eye-catching plant to qualify.
Take a look below as we reveal the top 10 most popular plants in 2020 and their benefits to your home.
1. Spider Plant
Spider plants are easily found at your local nursery or hardware and homes stores. Characterised by their firework-like appearance and ribbon-like foliage, the plant’s arms branch off into smaller clusters, and so are ideal for hanging.
Spider plants are also air-purifying champions. While producing oxygen, they will remove carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Even better, they’re non-toxic and safe for kids and pets.
2. Peace Lily
With rich dark leaves and gorgeous white flowers, the peace lily is an easy addition to any home, no matter your style. Peace lilies also do wonders for air quality, filtering out pollutants like benzene, xylene, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde.
These green friends are super easy to care for and enjoy a humid environment like the bathroom, though they’re great for the bedroom too and in particular, for those prone to snoring in dry environments. In fact, these plants can boost the humidity in a room by 5%.
3. Snake Plant
Also known as the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, snake plants have a hardy look and feel and are near-impossible to kill (black thumbs, this one’s for you). Like the plants above, snake plants are also fantastic for purifying the air and will continue to release oxygen throughout the entire night, making them great for the bedroom. Unfortunately, snake plants are toxic to cats and dogs, so pet parents will either need to display them above ground level or opt for a non-toxic variety instead.
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4. Aloe Vera Plant
Unless popped outdoors and in full sun, aloe vera plants will grow slow and steady indoors. The succulents are also great at filtering out toxins commonly found in household cleaning products but have great benefits for the skin and body too. The same doesn’t apply to pets who may find themselves ill if ingested.
5. Bonsai
Growing and caring for bonsai trees is a hobby, which is perhaps why they’ve gained such popularity in 2020 when we’ve all had more time to nourish a new passion. Bonsai trees require frequent care of trimming, landscaping and watering, and thus help to create a more mindful and calming zone of your home.
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6. Money Tree
Money trees are popular for households that refer to Feng Shui principles for the positive energy they create. The plants are said to encourage good financial fortune, wealth and prosperity, though their glossy leaves and lush foliage make them a popular choice for sunny spots regardless of your faith in their abilities.
7. Jade Plant
Easily found at your local Bunnings, jade plants are thought of as good luck charms, and like the money tree, is said to bring good fortune. The succulent is characterised by its small, coin-shaped green leaves that are apparently symbolic of growth and renewal.
8. Anthurium
Anthuriums produce beautiful, bright coloured “flowers” that are not actually flowers at all, but rather are spathes. Available in many varieties and colours, the plants are an easy and no-fuss way to inject colour into your space. NASA says it’s one of the better plants for air-purification, as they can draw out ammonia, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene from the air.
9. Swiss Cheese Plant
Also known as the Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant is characterised by deep green heart-shaped leaves that become holey as they open — resembling, you guessed it, Swiss cheese. Another air-purifying gem, these guys are also toxic to pets and small children, so while the plant is named after a food, be aware it is not for consumption.
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10. Chinese Money Plant
Easily one of the most Instagram-worthy plants around, the Chinese money plant, or Pilea pepermioides, is said to bring good fortune and financial abundance — two things that would definitely elevate 2020. With round, coin-shaped leaves, these plants, though previously rather rare, are widely available now and are so easy to propagate.