Peat-Free House Plants

How to choose the best peat-free indoor plants

Peat-free house plants are sustainable, eco-friendly choices that brighten up your home. Choose a tillandsia (air plant) or a hydroponic plant and you won’t need any soil at all! Houseplants improve indoor air quality, reduce stress and create a green and tranquil atmosphere in which to live. Whether you want to display cacti in a warm conservatory, create lush bathroom rainforests or grow herb seeds on your kitchen windowsill, here are some tips to help you find the right houseplant for your indoor space.

Which houseplant is best for oxygen?

Some houseplants are better than others at improving air quality inside the home. Ficus lyrata not only adds oxygen to the air, but also filters out unwanted compounds. Its large, attractive leaves lend a tropical feel to any room. Other great air improvers are spider plants, philodendron 'Red Beauty' and the delightfully structural dypsis lutescens.

Which houseplants are best in direct sunlight?

Echeveria are great in direct sunlight. These fleshy-leaved succulents are well-accustomed to the full heat of the sun in their native habitats, and have adapted to store moisture in their leaves and photosynthesise at night. These houseplants are a great choice for a sunny south-facing window. Tillandsia is another great option for direct light.

Which houseplants are best for growing without soil?

Tillandsia are rainforest plants that gather the moisture and nutrients they need from the air around them. Requiring no soil to grow, these intriguing little plants can be suspended from string or displayed in unusual items like shells. Another great option is a Microsorum Plant (Lova plant) that can be grown on a piece of porous lava rock. The glossy fronds emerge from spreading, hairy rhizomes to make a fabulous talking point. Alternatively, hydroponic plants grow in water and make a great soil-free addition to your houseplant collection.