Will Growing Herbs Indoors Help Indoor Air Pollution?

Significance

• NASA recommends 50 houseplants for their air pollution fighting properties, and herbs aren't on the list. Some of the plants included are Christmas cactus, peace lily, gerbera daisy, golden pothos, spider plant, poinsettia and dwarf azalea. Other plants -- including herbs -- will reduce pollution, but not by significant amounts.

Considerations

• Just because herb plants themselves won't really combat air pollution in your home doesn't mean you shouldn't grow them inside. The microorganisms living in your plant soil also fight pollution, which means that all plants growing in soil indoors have some air-cleansing properties. Thanks to these microorganisms, plants filter out mold spores and other contaminants.

Size

• While each plant -- including herbs -- helps reduce pollution somewhat, you need a lot of plants to cleanse your home. The University of Minnesota recommends 15 to 18 plants in 6- to 8-inch containers to purify an 1,800-square-foot house. If you've only got three to four herbs plants on your windowsill, they'll need a lot of help to really get the space purified.