Do Ferns Really Clean the Air?
Many plants can help contribute to cleaner air quality, helping to filter out harmful chemicals and increase oxygen levels. Ferns are particularly well adapted to use in apartments and small houses, because they require minimal upkeep, grow in a wide range of climates, and are very beneficial to air quality. NASA was the first organization to do substantial research into the role plants could play in cleaning and maintaining air quality. During the SkyLab project, NASA began looking at plants such as ferns as cost-effective, low-upkeep solutions to keeping future space stations fit for human habitation. Various houseplants are able to draw in harmful chemicals from the air and fix them in their soil, where they become relatively harmless.