Series: Back 2 School
"Man himself should be considered another source of indoor air pollution, especially when living in a closed, poorly ventilated area."
- NASA Study
Most choose plants to fill their home with joy, have a greener aesthetic, or have a cozier environment, but did you know plants can cure you also? In particular, we will hone in on what plants purify the air and clear harmful toxins, and which plants are best for your Back 2 School desk set-up or study space.
WHAT ARE AIR-PURIFYING PLANTS?
In 1989 NASA released a study that plants indeed purify the air. In particular, recommended having at least one plant per every 100 square feet (which is 10 square meters). Be it that this information and the study itself is older, most regard it to be the most accurate to date.
Most may think the logical answer would be to include more outdoor time in their every day, but what if you work and must spend a large portion of your time indoors? The answer is houseplants!
"When plants absorb CO2 and release O2 through photosynthesis, their leaf pores and root systems also work to absorb pollutants. To break that down, one example is ammonia (NH3), which is harmful to humans but can be processed into amino acids by plants. This process is called phytoremediation."
- Moss Amsterdam
Plants can help the body feel better indoors; certain plants are excellent at removing harmful toxins from the air, such as ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene.
THE PLANT LIST
Below you'll find the list of which plants are most effective at pulling toxins out of the air and how they can benefit you and your wellbeing.
No. 1
SNAKE PLANT (Sansevieria Trifasciata 'Laurentii')
Recently Reclassified in the Dracaena Family
Snake Plant Fun Facts:
Did you also know this plant works best at night time? Having one or even a few snake plants in your bedroom can improve sleep and airflow. This is due to the process a snake plant goes through; they release oxygen at night; the process that occurs is called Crassulacean Acid Metabolism or, for short, CAM.
They only open their stomata (basically a part of the plant that controls the rate of gas exchange) at night. The Snake Plant avoids dehydration by capturing co2 and releasing o2. During the day, stored organic acids are used for photosynthesis.
"Most workspaces and homes have built-in air circulation systems, but the more snake plants in spaces like this will help, especially when the air conditioning systems are turned off during the night hours. A lot of green can do a lot of air cleaning!"
- Planterina
(Click below to check out this blog and learn how to propagate a Sansevieria)
No. 2
PEACE LILY (Spathiphyllum)
Peace Lily Fun Facts:
When your goal is clean air with peace lilies, the best way to achieve this is to have the pot's topsoil exposed to the air. Through the soil, pollutants can be absorbed straight into the soil. This is how they are broken down and recycled into clean air. Trim away the lowest leaves on your peace lily to allow lots of direct contact between the soil and the air.
"...The Peace Lily removes benzene, Xylene, Ammonia & formaldehyde. Properties of leaf surface, shape, density, and chemical composition are all factors that play a role in the absorption of pollutants".
- Moss Amsterdam
No. 3
GOLDEN POTHOS (Epipremnum Aureum)
Pothos Fun Facts:
This golden girl has the personality, looks, and is like a breath of fresh air; she clears 4 out of the 5 well-known indoor toxins and even more not listed in NASA's studies; she's tough as nails and impossible to kill. One of the best indoor plants and easy to propagate, this plant is the plant that keeps on going and giving (growing up to 10 feet or more).
"Pothos is very apt at removing VOCs and toxins from the surrounding air. According to the clean air study by NASA, the plant eliminates pollutants such as benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and xylene from the air."
- Balcony Garden
No.4
CHINESE EVERGREEN (Aglaonema)
Chinese Evergreen Fun Facts:
This plant does all the work for ya! Easy to grow and adaptable to almost any spot in the home (known to survive in low-light). This striped beauty brings an intrigue of texture, shape, and life into any space in addition to clearing the air!
"Best air purifier, Aglaonema plant is shown to clean out formaldehyde and benzene from the air in your home and more. Aglaonemas are ideally suited where an attractive foliage display is needed for those shady corners. "
- Rolling Nature
No.5
BAMBOO (PARLOR) PALM (Neanthabella Palm)
Bamboo (Parlor) Palm Fun Facts:
One of the oldest and toughest plants known to come from the Victorian times, it received its common name "Parlor Palm" because, you guessed it, it was in every parlor due to its ability to handle low-light. Past the Victorian times, it remained a favorite because it could and still can be placed anywhere in the house and thrive; then, in 1989 became even more of a star due to being highlighted by NASA as one of the top air cleaning plants.
"Parlour palm is one of NASA's top air cleaning plants able to remove pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide from the air. When it comes to indoors these plants look perfect and their size remains very appropriate. These grow max to 2-2.5 feet only. "
- Rolling Nature
PARTING WORDS
When choosing your air-purifying buddies, always consider the rooms in your home you spend the most time in. Spaces like the living room, the kitchen, and bedroom.
By selecting which plant best suits you, your area is aesthetically improved with the added bonus of the natural process plants go through to synthesize their nutrients, which simultaneously helps clean the air we breathe.
SOURCES
"11 Amazing Science-Backed Pothos Plant Benefits." Balcony Garden Web, Balcony Garden Web, 4 July 2022, https://balconygardenweb.com/science-backed-pothos-plant-benefits/.
"20 Indispensable Facts about Snake Plants: Sansevieria Care." Planterina, Planterina, 2022, https://planterina.com/blogs/get-planted/20-indispensable-facts-about-snake-plants.
Authors, Multiple. "NASA Reveals a List of the Best Air-Cleaning Plants for Your Home." Bored Panda, Bored Panda, 1 July 2022, https://www.boredpanda.com/best-air-filtering-houseplants-nasa/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic.
Baessler, Liz. "Peace Lily and Pollution – Do Peace Lilies Help with Air Quality." Gardening Know How, 4 Oct. 2020, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/peace-lily/do-peace-lilies-help-air-quality.htm.
Camilleri, Lauren, and Sophia Kaplan. Plantopedia: The Definitive Guide to House Plants. Smith Street Books, 2020.
"Chamaedorea: The Tropical Mini Air Purifying Palm." Rolling Nature, Rolling Nature, 6 Jan. 2020, https://www.rollingnature.com/blogs/news/chamaedorea-the-tropical-mini-air-purifying-palm#:~:text=Parlour%20palm%20is%20one%20of,to%202%2D2.5%20feet%20only.
Diebel, Kelai. "Biosystems Are Curing 'Sick' Buildings." Moss Amsterdam, Moss Amsterdam, 26 Sept. 2019, https://moss.amsterdam/2019/04/29/biosystems-to-cure-sick-buildings/.
VanZile, Jon. "Parlor Palm Is a Great Indoor Variety." The Spruce, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2021, https://www.thespruce.com/grow-chamaedorea-indoors-1902884.
"What's Trending - Best Air Purifying Plants for Indoors." Rolling Nature, Rolling Nature, 29 May 2019, https://www.rollingnature.com/blogs/news/whats-trending-best-air-purifying-plants-for-indoors.
Wolverton, B. C., et al. "Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement - NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)." NASA, NASA, 15 Sept. 1989, https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19930073077.
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