It was the American Space Agency
(NASA) that discovered how eco-friendly house plants can be when it was looking
for ways of providing Oxygen in space stations. NASA found that in an enclosed
space, plants are super-efficient at cleansing chemicals, in the form of
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), from the air. These VOCs have no colour,
smell or taste but can be detrimental to human health. They include chemicals
found in paints and dry cleaning fluids, car exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke.
One of the best all-rounders in fighting air pollution is
the PEACELILY (Spathiphyllum). Varieties of dracaena, dragon trees, are good
at removing VOCs, in particular D. trichloroethylene, is given off by
photocopiers, printers, paint and dry cleaning fluids.
Formaldehyde is given off by
paper products such as tissues, furniture, carpets, adhesives and tobacco smoke
causing asthma and other respiratory problems. Top of the house plant list for
removing this from the air we breathe are the Boston fern (Nephrolepsis exaltata)
and the Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina).
If you prefer a flowering plant
to do the job, consider the daisy-like gerbera, or the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis).
Carbon Monoxide is the toxic gas
found in car exhaust fumes. Research has found that a single Spider Plant (Chlorophytum
comosum) placed in a small enclosed space, can remove 96% of the carbon
monoxide from the air.
Benzene is also found in air
exhaust fumes as well as cigarette smoke. Apart from spider plant, palms such
as the Palour Palm (Chamaedorea degaficus) peacelily, dragon tree, Boston fern,
Chrysanthemum and Gerbera are all effective at removing this absorption
process, and provided they are looked after-given adequate water, light and
food-can continue to absorb chemicals as they grow.
IMPORTANCE OF HOUSE PLANTS.
As well as removing harmful
chemicals from the air, further research has proved that everyday
Houseplants are
- Beneficial to our psychological well
being.
- They make rooms look cared for and
welcoming.
- House plants absorb noise and lessen
dust.
- They lower blood pressure.
- They help concentration and improve
memory.
- They help, alleviate stress, promote
feelings of relaxation calm and well being.
- Plants live in harmony with humans-we
give plants carbon dioxide when we breathe out, and they give us oxygen
through transpiration.
- Indoor plants boost oxygen levels and
reduce air temperatures.
- They also raise humidity, making it
easier for us to breathe.
- Aloe vera is an unusual plant in that
it gives off oxygen at night and absorbs carbon dioxide, the opposite of
the normal photosynthesis, other plants in the group doing the same
include sanseviera (mother-in-law’s tongue) and members of the bromeliad
family.
LIST OFENVIRONMENTAL PURIFYING
PLANTS.
v Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum).
v Dragon Tree (Dracaena).
v Boston fern (Nephrolepsis
exaltata).
v The weeping fig (Ficus
benjamina).
v Gerbera.
v Phalaenopsis.
v Chlorophytum.
v Chamaedorea.
v Chrysanthemum.
v Aloe vera.
v Sanseviera.
v Bromeliad Family.
Contact:lindhalim@gmail.com
(Peacelily)
Dracaena
Dracaena
massanaegea
