Houseplants that clean the air
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I recently wrote about new trends in houseplants. As much as I love plants, I don't have many inside my home. It's just too much responsibility. I'm more concerned with feeding my kids, feeding my husband, feeding my dog. I just can't add any more to my plate. So, as you might guess, the few houseplants I do have are rather mangy looking. Outdoor plants are another story altogether. And when the season gets underway, well, let's just say my family goes hungry.
An interesting topic of concern to many these days, what with the whole 'Green' movement, is that houseplants actually can clean the air in your home. Research conducted by NASA scientist B.C. Wolverton has shown plants are the most efficient and cost-effective method of "indoor air pollution abatement." In other words, growing houseplants in your home will result in cleaner air in your home. And commercial properties have incorporated the idea in hopes of avoiding the so-called 'sick building syndrome.' Ever notice that hotels, office buildings and restaurants always seem to have a lot of plants scattered about?
Here are some common household toxins and the plants associated with removing them from the air you breathe.
| BENZENE | FORMALDEHYDE | TRICHLORO- ETHLENE |
| Sources Detergents, inks and dyes, plastics, rubber products, petroleum products, synthetic fibers, tobacco smoke |
Sources Carpeting, cleaners, foam insulation, furniture, paper products, plywood and particle board |
Sources Adhesives, dry cleaning, inks and dyes, lacquers and paints, paper products, varnishes |
| Plants Spathiphyllum (Peace lily), Dracaena spp., Gerbera (Gerber daisy), Hedera spp. (English ivy), Chrysanthemum, Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) |
Plants Ficus spp. (Weeping fig), Philodendron spp., Chlorophytum (Spider plant), Sansevieria (Snake plant), Chamaedorea (Bamboo palm), Hedera spp. (English ivy), Epipemnum (Golden pothos) |
Plants Dracaena spp., Gerbera (Gerber daisy), Spathiphyllum (Peace lily), Chrysanthemum |
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Comments (2)
very informative site!
I read the study also and because we are building our homes to be highly insulated and sealed environments the sythetic materials that make up our modern day homes get trapped into the air we breath thus making it important to have a "greener" lifestyles.