TOP 10 AIR PURIFYING HOUSE PLANTS
The indoor pollutants that affect health are
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, formaldehyde, Volatile Organic Compounds (benzene and trichloroethylene
or TCE), airborne biological pollutants, pesticides and disinfectants (phenols), and radon.
These pollutants contribute to ‘sick building syndrome’, which causes symptoms ranging
from allergies, headaches and fatigue through to nervous-system disorders, cancer and death.
Through studies conducted by NASA, scientists have identified 50 houseplants that remove
many of the pollutants and gases mentioned above.
NASA, with assistance from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, conducted
a two-year study directed by Dr. B.C. Wolverton, an environmental engineer from Picayune, Washington,
and a research scientist for NASA for over 20 years.
Dr. Wolverton’s study of the interaction between plants and air found that houseplants,
when placed in sealed chambers in the presence of specific chemicals, removed those chemicals
from the chambers.
He concluded that plants can clean pollutants in homes, offices, factories and retail outlets.
And here are TOP 10 AIR PURIFYING HOUSE PLANTS :
1.Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum Wallisii
Removes: Benzene, Formaldehyde, Tricloroethylene,
Xylene and Tolune, Ammonia.
The peace lily plant is very popular and easy enough for most growers to care for and maintain,
which is one of the reason's it has become so favored.
The simplistic look of the glossy leaves and the fantastic white lily that sits above the
foliage provides a minimalistic room with an added touch of simplicity.
The peace lily gets top marks for removing toxins according to the clean air study.
Peace lilies are fairly easy plant's to care for and maintain.
They also look beautiful when they bloom and the foliage is quite attractive.
This species is available to purchase in many places including DIY and garden centers.
"So in terms of removing air pollutants this plant is one to have a round the home".
2.Corn Plant - Dracaena Fragrans
Removes: Benzene, Formaldehyde, Xylene and Tolune.
The dracaena corn plant (botanical name: dracaena fragrans massangeana) is a well known indoor
plant which is grown in many homes and offices within the US, UK and Europe.
There are a few dracaena fragrans varieties that display different types of leaves such
as the massangeana, lindenii and victoria.
The one with the common name corn plant or cornstalk is the massangeana.
Like many dracaena house plants the corn plant is easy to care for - tolerating low lighting
conditions well and has low watering needs.
An ornamental plant that looks great in many settings including offices, large living rooms,
or hall ways.
There are a few varieties that display different leaf color variations.
3.Spider Plant - Chlorophytum Comosum
Removes: Formaldehyde, Xylene and Tolune.
The spider plant is very popular and can be found in many homes or offices.
Most people have owned or lived with one (or many) at some point.
These are easy-to-care for types that grow quickly, making them a great beginner's plant.
This is a plant we had many of within the home while growing up.
Some looking good and others looking quite shabby.
When taken care of properly and pruned right this popular house plant looks great.
Once it begins to mature it produces lots of plantlets (small plants) that can be propagated.
4.Mother In Laws Tongue - Sansevieria Trifasciata
Removes: Benzene, Formaldehyde, Tricloroethylene,
Xylene and Tolune.
The mother in laws tongue (also known as snake plant) is a flowering species which is primarily
grown for it's slick sword like long leaves.
This is a slow growing plant that anyone can grow because of it's low and high sun light
tolerance and ease of watering.
The Mother In Laws Tongue is a very popular house plant - grown for it's striking upright
sword like leaves.
It's easy to grow and makes a very good air filtering plant.
A grower must avoid overwatering a Sansevieria Trifasciata and cold temperature conditions
because too much cold and watering can cause serious harm.
This plant is flexible in terms of lighting and will tolerate low lighting conditions.
5.Barberton Daisy - Gerbera Jamesonii
Removes: Benzene, Formaldehyde and Tricloroethylene.
Barberton daisy is the common name for the Gebera Jamesonii, also known as the Transvaal
or Gerbera daisy.
The large range of striking flower colors has enabled this flowering pot plant to become
a popular house plant choice for a number of years.
An extremely attractive and popular flowering pot plant which is a perennial but treated
as an annual in temperate regions indoors.
Warm indoor temperatures and a good amount of sunlight helps encourage blooms to last
longer.
The flowers are so attractive they're used in wedding bouquets and for other decorative
purposes.
Also known as the Transvaal or Gerbera daisy.
6.Boston Fern - Nephrolepis Exaltata
Removes: Formaldehyde, Xylene and Tolune.
The Boston fern is the most popular of all ferns grown indoors and has been found to
be one of the easiest to care for and maintain.
Compared to most other ferns your going to find this plant a lot easier to care for in
regards to light, humidity levels and propagating Ferns are not the easiest of plants to grow
indoors because of their need for high humidity conditions.
This plant - the Boston Fern is one of the easier species and very popular in temperate
regions grown indoors.
These are fantastic plants for displaying in a conservatory within hanging baskets or
somewhere the plants fronds can hang over.
7.Pygmy Date Palm - Phoenix Roebelenii
Removes: Formaldehyde, Xylene and Tolune.
The Pygmy Date Palm is an easy to care for plant which displays very narrow (compared
to other palms) arching leaflets.
This feather type species (P.roebelenii) is a slow growing ornamental palm that's well
adapted to growing indoors, unlike other phoenix plants from this genus.
Indoors they grow up to approximately 4 - 6ft which is quite a manageable size for most
homes.
Also known as the dwarf palm because of how small the Phoenix Roebelenii grows in height.
The trunk is an attractive feature that grows up to 6 inches in diameter, brown in color.
This feather type species is a slow growing ornamental palm that's well adapted to growing
indoors, unlike other phoenix plants.
8.Dragon Tree - Dracaena Marginata
Removes: Benzene, Formaldehyde, Tricloroethylene,
Xylene and Tolune.
The Madagascar Dragon Tree is most definitely one of the easiest indoor plants to grow and
maintain.
Dracaena Marginata trees can grow up to 6ft high indoors, and they're slow growing.
Love this plant!
It's so easy to care for and maintain and bounces back from neglect easily.
It takes some years for a dragon tree to mature, unless it's purchased mature in height.
There are a few varieties available with the most popular being the red edged species.
Worth having around the home for both decorative and air purifying purposes.
9.Weeping Fig - Ficus Benjamina
Removes: Formaldehyde, Xylene and Tolune.
The weeping fig is part of the Ficus plant genus (scientific name: F. benjamina) and
tree like, in looks.
With large arching branches and long pointed leaves, it looks attractive indoors (apart
from leaves dropping).
The Benjamina is one of the most popular small indoor trees from this genus that grows quite
slowly and needs a grower to take particular care of a few needs (lighting, watering, etc.),
which is fairly easy, when you know how.
The weeping fig is a favorite of many households becoming a very popular ornamental plant.
There are various sizes of this plant available and many are grown as bonsai.
This plant does not remove as many toxins as some of the above plants (as tested by
NASA) but it removes some and like all plants its obviously good for the environment.
10.Areca Palm - Dypsis Lutescens
Removes: Formaldehyde, Xylene and Tolune.
The areca palm, also known as the butterfly and golden cane palm is the most popular grown
indoors from the dypsis genus, and easy to grow.
Multiple cane like stems grow from the root system and produce attractive arching fronds,
with quite narrow leaflets.
Not many plants can beat palms at being an attractive focal point within a home or office.
The Areca is a cane palm with multiple stems growing from the soil and can be purchased
about 5ft tall (grow up to about 8ft).
This species is quite undemanding (the worst a grower can do to this plant is overwater it).
A popular species from the Dypsis genus.