Plants can help purify air indoors

The smoke has lead to air quality concerns for many New Mexicans

Jericho nursery manager Kyle Clem says people who want to purify their indoor air can skip costly machines and use plants instead.

"There's a lot of different toxins out there and a lot of your different houseplants will clarify those," said Clem.

How do they do it?

Simply put, plants will inhale surrounding air, toxins and exhale pure oxygen.

"They have on the bottom of the leaf what's called stomata, they're breathing pores and those stomata are what breaths out the oxygen that we use," said Clem.

Plants like aloe and aglaonema are good desert plants, according to Clem. They don't need as much water as other plants.

Clem says the list of desert-tolerant plants is actually extensive.

"Ficus, dracaena, aloe, cast iron plant, snake plant or mother-in-law's-tongue," said Clem.