I Was Skeptical, but These Plants Really Do Make My Home Feel Cooler

Summer heat can turn your home into an oven-and your energy bill into a nightmare. But what if one of the easiest ways to cool things down didn’t involve blasting the AC or upgrading your windows? Turns out, your houseplants might be doing more than just looking pretty on the windowsill. Thanks to a natural process called transpiration, some indoor plants can actually help lower the temperature in your home-no electricity required.

When plants release moisture into the air, it creates a cooling effect that can make your space feel more comfortable, especially during the hottest parts of the day. It’s a small change with big impact, and it could even help reduce your energy bill over time. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance, budget-friendly way to stay cool this summer, these houseplants pull double duty as both décor and natural AC. 

Transpiration is when water flows up out of the soil and through a plant to its leaves and stem. This is how water and nutrients are delivered, but the process also keeps plants cool as water evaporates from the leaves. 

So how does that help us? “Transpiration also cools the area around the plant.” said Craig Morley, a gardening specialist at Budget Seeds.

NASA’s Earth Science Division executed a study that shows plants on a large scale help combat rising temperatures caused by global warming. On a smaller scale, adding plants to your home could help regulate temps indoors, though there’s less research on how transpiration affects temperature at a smaller scale.

But, hey, it can’t hurt.

Tips for increasing plant transpiration

Morley shared tips for ramping up your indoor houseplant’s transpiration to increase cooling effects.

1. Keep houseplants well-watered: If a plant is not watered often, this can reduce the rate of transpiration as the plant tries to conserve water.
2. Increase humidity: Placing your plant wet pebble tray can also promote transpiration. As the water evaporates from the tray, it creates a bubble of humidity surrounding the plant.
3. Group plants together: Grouping plants together helps to create a humid microclimate.
4. Upsize your pot: Plants in containers may transpire less, as their roots are often confined within a small space.
5. Avoid pruning in the summer: Pruning can decrease transpiration in a plant, as it reduces water uptake.

It’s important to note that Reddit gardeners also warn against overwatering your plants, too. Pouring too much water into the soil can cause different cells to burst as the water runs out of places to funnel to, hurting or even killing parts of your precious plant. Looking out for signs of transpiration or guttation is a good way to know whether you’re doing the proper amount of watering for your plant.

Best houseplants for cooling the air

And here are seven of the best air conditioning plants to keep your home cool this summer. What do they have in common? Larger leaves. 

“Plant species have different leaf structures which affect their rate of transpiration.” According to Morley, “A larger leaf size means more pores through which to release excess water and increased transpiration.”

Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis ‘miller’)

Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

For more plant tips, here are the best places to put plants for growth and see the best plants to repel bugs.

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