There are many pollutants in the air that we breathe that can be harmful to our body. Polluted air may be the main reason for those pesky allergies that you are battling every day, a hindrance in helping you get radiant skin. These harmful and toxic chemicals found in your daily cleaning detergents, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and more are everywhere. If you think that you are safe by staying in an air-conditioned room all day, think again!
Before you head out to get yourself an expensive air purifier to plug in, you would perhaps like to consider having some indoor plants that can help you out. Studies conducted by NASA and Dr B.C. Wolverton, an environmental engineer from Picayune, have concluded that there are several plants that can help you rid toxins present in your interior spaces. Not to mention, they help to create a lush and relaxing ambience while refreshing and detoxifying the air that you breathe. Read on to find out what some of them are!
Lady Palm
Starting the list with one of the easiest palms to maintain, the lady palm may be the one for you to kickstart the journey of bringing plants into the indoors. This plant is very resistant to insect infestations, low in maintenance and looks beautiful with its graceful, arching stems. It does have a requirement for optimal growth and maintenance at a cool temperature of 16—21 degree Celsius and little sunlight to survive though.
Boston Fern
Coming in at the top of the list for all the plants tested by Dr Wolverton, the Boston fern holds the champion title of getting rid of formaldehyde from the air. As formaldehyde can be found in almost everything from paper towels, facial tissues, adhesives, floor coverings, tobacco, to plastic bags and the list goes on, making the Boston fern the smart addition to any interior, without a doubt.
Like all ferns are, they are best hung up for a stylish display of their feather-looking leaves or placed on a pedestal, away from strong sunlight. To keep it alive and living its best even without a green thumb, mist it at the leaves frequently with warm water. This beneficial plant does not need much water to stay alive and green so don’t go pouring buckets of water into its soil! For fertilising, simply add humus rich potting soil to support all the plant’s needs apart from the regular misting.
The downside? The Boston fern attracts whitefly and spider mites. Thus regular misting with soap water is required to prevent an infestation.
Areca Palm
Shaped somewhat like a vase with pencil thin looking leaves, the Areca palm, also known as the butterfly palm, is purported to be effective in eliminating toxins from the air. It is highly effective in getting rid of toxins like xylene and toluene and compared to than other indoor plant species. The Areca palm also has a unique property of releasing water vapour into the air which makes it an ideal plant for interiors that are dry, like the fully air-conditioned office that one works in all day. It may suffer from browning at the tips of its leaves due to dry conditions, but it is resilient in most indoors environment. Besides, the browning at the tips serves as an indicator of the lack of moisture in the air. To solve this issue, pop in a humidifier and this lovely palm to create a conducive environment for yourself to be in.
Bamboo Palm
With the ability to remove formaldehyde from the air, bamboo palm thrives in the indoor temperature of 16—24 degree Celsius and strong sunlight. So if you choose to bring this beautiful plant to your interior, be sure to place it near the window for ample indirect sunlight. Water them generously and regularly but avoid having the soil flooded (it should be moist not covered with water) or still water in the drainage plate. New bamboo palms will need some time to accustom to a new environment and may lose some leaves, it is normal.
Rubber Plant (Ficus Robusta)
Well-loved by many interior stylists (and many people since the Victorian era) to dress up space effortlessly is the Ficus Robusta, also affectionately known as the rubber plant. The rubber plant is very effective in eliminating formaldehyde from indoor air and can grow very well indoors as they do not require much sunlight. This means no trouble in situating them at any place and you can pop them in places that you please. This low maintenance also means that rubber plants do not require much water, hence do not drown the plant by overwatering it.
The major challenge comes only when the rubber plant grows to a height of eight feet or attract spider mites and other pests. You may need to support it by a stake for the former and seek professional help for the latter.