Succulents are the cutest houseplants to have for your indoor garden. Are you thinking if they can be beneficial too and do succulents produce oxygen? Well, yes succulents do produce oxygen adding to the health benefits along with their aesthetic value in the realm of home decoration.
There are a lot of questions you may have while being a novice gardener. But rest assured, succulents are a great pick to start your indoor gardening.
The benefits of succulents not only lie in the fact that the succulents produce oxygen but also in that these succulents produce oxygen even at night and have a very low maintenance cost.
Succulents are grown in an arid climate with low minerals & water content. To sustain their lives, succulents produce oxygen while using carbon dioxide to regulate their life processes.
So, if you are still thinking do succulents produce oxygen? You can be assured that they surely do.
Production of oxygen by succulents
Since you now know that succulents produce oxygen you may wonder how? Let’s start from the beginning by knowing how do plants produce oxygen? You have guessed it right; it is the natural phenomenon of photosynthesis.
Let’s drill down the facts further.
Photosynthesis – The procedure
Plants contain a green pigment which is basically chlorophyll. The water consumed by plants along with minerals from the soil is converted into food in presence of sunlight & carbon dioxide.
During this process, oxygen is released into the environment by plants like succulents. So, if you ever have a thought regarding the benefits of succulents in the home, you already have the answer now.
Oxygen by succulents- The quantity produced
Well, it is fair to say that among the plants that produce oxygen, these are the plants that give off the most oxygen. Like any other plant, succulents produce oxygen during the process of photosynthesis.
But how much oxygen do succulents produce? The perfect answer to this will be that with the growth of every 150 grams of plant tissue, approximately 32 grams of oxygen is produced would be.
At Night – Do succulents produce oxygen?
There are only a few species of plants that produce oxygen at night like orchids, succulents, and epiphytic bromeliads. During the nighttime, the level of carbon dioxide in the air is usually higher since most plants releases CO2.
Succulents are specially-abled plants that produce oxygen at night. These oxygen emitting plants serve as a great source of fresh air during the night.
So, your query about do succulents produce a lot of oxygen has a perfect answer now. Succulents are among those plants that give oxygen 24 hours.
Air purification by succulents
You may have a thought like do succulents clean the air or are succulents good for air? Yes, absolutely they are. Succulents cleanse the air and help to create a purer environment around them.
The likes of Aloe Vera, Boston fern, Spider plant, etc. are some succulents that are known to clean the air from its impurities and toxins.
Impurities in the air
Thinking about what can these impurities actually be? If you think that your indoors are safe from any pollutants, then you might be wrong. There are numerous pollutants and toxins in the air that may go unnoticed.
- Chemicals of cleaning supplies
- Air spray
- Mosquito and insect repellents
- The odor of paints and varnishes
- Smoke
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
VOCs – What are they?
Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs are highly eruptive and can be found in refrigerants, ACs, and pharmaceutical products. Indoor air can be polluted with VOCs emitted from some paints even.
These VOCs are solvents used in industries such as trichloroethylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, by-products of water treatment, and so on.
Health Hazards from Indoor Air Toxins
Needless to say, the air toxins present indoors can cause various health problems, from mild headaches to extreme illness.
Let us know some of the observable symptoms.
- Headaches
- Respiratory problems
- Dizziness & Nausea
- Skin allergies and irritations
- Visual problems
There may also be permanent damages to the kidney, lungs and sometimes even chronic illness may arise.
Health benefits of succulents
Undoubtedly, the health benefits of succulents are more than one would expect. It is not only limited to your physical health but also improves your mental health.
1. Peaceful sleep
The oxygen producing plant, succulent, can be also classified as plants that produce oxygen at night. Therefore, having them in your home would help you to get a peaceful, sound sleep.
2. Reduces anxiety
Reducing anxiety and stress by increasing the level of oxygen in the air in your house can also be included in the list of benefits of succulents.
3. Skin care
Aloe Vera is great for skin care and hair treatment. The gel produced by the plants is beneficial towards the treatment of dark spots, acne, inflammation, and also for reducing burns on the skin.
4. Psychological effects
Succulents, being cute and decorative, can very easily uplift a bad mood and reduce fatigue. It can bring positivity to the environment around your house.
Other Benefits of Succulents
Some other benefits of succulents at home include controlling the humidity level in the house. Remember, you wanted to know do succulents produce oxygen?
In addition to oxygen, they also help to maintain humidity level which has health benefits such as improving and easing your respiratory system, reduction of allergic tendencies, according to a study by the Agricultural University of Norway.
Which succulent houseplants should you buy?
There are various kinds of succulents some of which are succulents good for air, good for health, and good for decoration.
You may feel confused while choosing the succulents perfect for your home. Here are some types of succulents that you may try to grow in your indoor garden:
1. Crown of Thorns (euphorbia milii)
These beautiful succulents produce oxygen, besides regulating humidity. Surviving with only 4-5 hours of sunlight, they need regular watering. Apart from this, it does not need much attention.
However, it is said that the healthy blooming of the crown of thorns indicates the owner’s good luck.
2. Jade plant (crassula ovata)
Jade plants are one of the most popular houseplants shaped like a small tree, with thick, shiny leaves.
They can survive on drylands and if maintained properly, can also have beautiful flowers. They are s.
3. Aloe Vera (aloe vera)
If we must count the benefits of succulents in the home then Aloe Vera would be on the top of that list.
These plants are easy to maintain and possess medicinal qualities. They have pointy, fleshy leaves which can be used for skin burns and irritations.
4. Pincushion Cactus (mammillaria crinite)
These tiny, cute cactuses are spiky and can be perfect indoor plants to place on your window-pane. But you may be wondering do cactus give off oxygen? Yes, like any other oxygen producing plant, these succulents produce oxygen as well.
Moreover, they are known to produce tiny, vibrant flowers that can light up any home space.
5. Roseum (sedum spurium)
You can probably assume from the name that this beautiful succulent looks similar to a rose in shape. It is small in size and requires full sunlight.
6. Snake plant (sansevieria trifasciata)
This succulent is of West African origin and probably requires the lowest maintenance. These are also great for air purifying and oxygen inside your house. The leaves, resembling the shape of snakes grow in various shades green.
7. Flaming Katy (kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
This beautiful flowering succulent has its origin in Madagascar. It requires heat and good sunlight for 8-10 hours. It produces vibrant red and golden flowers which perfect for a décor piece in your home.
8. Burro’s Tail (sedum morganianum)
This plant belongs to the cacti family and grows quite long. It resembles the shape of a tail and is very low maintenance.
9. Panda plant (kalanchoe tomentosa)
This unique succulent can survive for many years indoors. It has small, fuzzy leaves with red markings.
10. Zebra plant (haworthia fasciata)
It is called the zebra plant for its uncanny resemblance to a zebra. Its leaves are pointy with white stripes and if cared for properly, it produces a yellow, cone-shaped flower.
Where can I get oxygen producing succulents?
Now that you know all the impact of succulents, you may be thinking about where to get them.
If your local nursery does not offer you enough variety of succulents then you can also get these amazing oxygen-producing plants from the online stores at an affordable price.
Get yourself a good decorative pot and place it in a bright area of your room and your succulence is bound to grow heartily.
Summary
Taking care of trees can be a great hobby and it also helps you to connect with nature which we hardly get time for considering the fast-moving life nowadays.
Apart from adding to your indoor décor, succulents produce oxygen and the fact that these are among the plants that produce oxygen at night will allow you a sound sleep on having them in your bedroom.
Succulents produce oxygen to gift you with an improved quality of air around your house, making you feel more lively and energetic. Reduction of stress and fatigue is a bonus for our fast-paced, stressful life.
To address your query – do succulents produce oxygen, let me tell you that even scientific studies conducted by NASA have vouched for the benefits of succulents in home and outside.