This houseplant is bioengineered to fight indoor air pollution — meet the Neo Px

Neoplants Neo Px air purifying plant
(Image credit: Neo Plant)

Having one of the best air purifiers may be your first thought when dealing with indoor air pollution. Whether it’s seasonal allergies, dust, bacteria or the dangers of mold, these problems escalate when air quality is poor.

However, there are other ways to improve air quality in your home without a purifier. Neoplants has combined the power of nature and science to fight indoor air pollution with a plant. But it’s no ordinary peace lily or snake plant, both well-known plants that reduce indoor air pollution.

Instead, the company has engineered the Neo Px — the ultimate natural air purifier that removes pollutants from the air without electricity, and it’s supposedly 30 times more efficient than regular houseplants.

The Neo Px offers super-sized air purification

Foliage of Queen Marble Pothos houseplant

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Neo Plants is a Paris-based tech start-up, working with growers in the U.S., that is revolutionizing indoor air quality with its ingenious houseplant that’s far wiser than it looks.

At first glance, the Neo Px may seem like a regular houseplant — you’ll receive an attractive Marble Queen Pothos — but when paired with its sustainable planter and Power Drops technology, Patrick Torbey, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Neoplants says it “transforms into a highly advanced air purification system.

“It effectively neutralizes harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds), providing a sleek, high-performance solution, without the noise, blue light, or energy usage of traditional air purifiers.”

A drop of magic

Neoplants Neo Px air purifying plant

(Image credit: Neo Plants)

Where’s the magic? According to Torbey, the Power Drops do all the hard work. They contain a special formula packed with millions of "good" bacteria that boost the plant’s air-purifying powers, when applied once a month. “When added to the soil, the drops capture and recycle harmful air pollutants into useful matter," says Torbey.

And rather than plugging an air purifier into a socket, the Neo Px can sit discreetly in a room covering an area of 160 sq ft — the typical size of a modern bedroom.

To simplify plant care, the Marble Queen Pothos comes in an eco-friendly planter made from renewable materials like flax and agricultural waste, with a built-in water reservoir. “It’s designed to support optimal plant health with minimal effort,” says Torbey.

The science behind the plant's air purification

Neoplants claims, “The regular houseplants tested by NASA sometimes capture VOCs from the air, but often very inefficiently. Our Plant-Microbiome System goes beyond the capabilities of regular plants by capturing and recycling these pollutants.”

After five years in development, the Neo Px has been designed by Neoplants' team of scientists to efficiently absorb, metabolize, and recycle the three most dangerous VOCs found in homes: benzene, toluene, and xylene.

How will it actually fares in testing is up for debate — we haven't used it ourselves yet — but it sounds like a solution certainly worth exploring.

More from Tom's Guide

Camilla Sharman
Staff Writer, Homes

Camilla is the Homes Staff Writer and covers everything to do with homes and gardens. She has a wealth of editorial experience, mounting over 30 years, and covers news and features, tests products for reviews and compiles buying guides. 

Her work has appeared in business and consumer titles, including Ideal Home, Real Homes, House Beautiful, Homebuilding & Renovation, and Kitchen & Bathroom Business. She’s even appeared on the cover of Your Home, writing about her own house renovation.

Although she’s obsessed with decorating her home, she also enjoys baking and trying out the latest kitchen appliances. But when she’s not inside, you’ll find her pottering about in her yard, tending to her vegetable patch or taking in her prized hydrangeas.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.