PLANTS THAT PURIFY THE AIR

What can pollute the air inside buildings?   The answer is quite a lot!  Just a few of the common pollutants are floor coverings, curtains, upholstery, computer screens, paper towels and photocopiers.  The symptoms associated with sick buildings include allergies, asthma, fatigue, headache and sinus congestion.

 But help is at hand – When they were looking for a way to provide clean air for proposed moon bases, NASA scientists discovered that houseplants could purify and revitalise air.  NASA has tested 50 indoor plants for their efficiency in the removal of chemical vapours, their ease of growth, resistance to insect infestation and their transpiration rate. Areca scored best, with an 8.5 (out of 10) rating, with kalanchoe scoring a 4.5 at the other end of the scale. 

 The 50 plants tested from most “eco-friendly” to least are: Areca palm, Lady palm, Bamboo palm, Rubber plant, English ivy, Dwarf date palm, Ficus alii, Boston fern, Peace lily, Corn plant, Golden pothos, Kimberley queen, Chrysanthemum, Gerbera, Dracaena, Dragon tree, Red emerald philodendron, Syngonium, Dumb cane, Parlour palm, Weeping fig, Schefflera, Wax begonia, Lacy tree philodendron, Heart leaf philodendron, Snake plant, Elephant ear philodendron, Norfolk Island pine, King of hearts, Prayer plants, Dwarf banana, Christmas and Easter cactus, Oakleaf ivy, Lily turf, Dendrobium, Spider plant, Chinese evergreen, Anthurium, Croton, Poinsettia, Dwarf azalea, Peacock plant, Aloe vera, Cyclamen, Aechmea, Tulip, Moth orchid, Kalanchoe.

From: Eco friendly house plants by B.C. Wolverton.