HOUSEPLANT HELPERS COMMON POLLUTANTS AND THEIR SOURCES Houseplants are a wonderful way to beautify and cheer up your indoor spaces, but the fact that they are exceptional air purifiers is often Formaldehyde: overlooked. Houseplants improve air quality Carpeting, pressed wood, foam by absorbing toxins along with carbon insulation, fiberwood products (such as dioxide. Within their leaves, microorganisms paneling), hair sprays, wax paper, paper break down the chemicals naturally. The towels, and various cleaning products. plants then release fresh, clean oxygen for us to breathe. Benzene: Glue, spot removers, oils, paint, inks, Studies have been done to measure the varnish, rubber, plastic products, amount of pollutants filtered out by common detergents, dyes, gasoline, and houseplants. In some studies the plants were paint stripper. able to remove up to 80% of the pollutants! Some research even showed that not only Hydrocarbons: were the leaves doing the work, but the roots Vinyl products (such as furniture also helped in the process. and flooring), detergents, and fabric softeners.

Trichloroethylene: Inks, paint, lacquer, varnishes, adhesives (such as rubber cement, epoxy, or spray mount).

Methylene Chloride: Paint strippers, refinishers, and many aerosol products. Purify Your Indoor Air Naturally

REFERENCES How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office by B.C. Wolverton One study conducted by NASA suggests using one houseplant per 100 square feet The internet also has many resources available. of floor space for the most effective pollution control. INDOOR AIR POLLUTION PLANT SUGGESTIONS We all know how important it is to help Aglaonema commutatum clean and maintain air quality outside; but Chinese Evergreen many people don’t realize that indoor air Aloe vera pollution is one of the fastest growing environmental problems we face today. Araucaria heterophylla The alarming fact is that electrical Norfolk Island Pine equipment, furniture, cleaning products and Asplenium viviparum Mother Fern building materials all release trace amounts of toxins such as carbon monoxide, Chamaedorea elegans Parlor Palm formaldehyde, and benzene (a known Chlorophytum comosum carcinogen), into our homes and offices Spider Plant Musa acuminate every day. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens Dwarf Banana Areca Palm Nephrolepis e. GROWTH REQUIREMENTS Codiaeum variegatum Croton ‘bostoniensis’ Boston Fern Ctenanthe oppenheimiana Keep in mind that Orchid Phalaenop- Never-Never Plant different houseplants sis, Dendrobium have different needs. Dieffenbachia seguine Dumb Cane Variables such as light, Pepperomia Dracaena spp. Corn Plant, Dragon spp. humidity, water, and Tree, Janet Craig, Warneckii plant size are all Philodendron bipinnati- important Epipremnum aureum Golden Pothos fidum Tree Philodendron considerations when Ficus benjamina Weeping Fig Philodendron cordatum choosing houseplants. Ficus elastica Rubber Tree Heart-leaf Philodendron Please refer to care instructions or ask an Howea forsteriana Kentia Palm Pothos spp. Devil’s Ivy employee for Monstera deliciosa Swiss Cheese Radermachera sinica China Doll assistance when Plant, Split-leaf Philodendron selecting the right air Sansevieria trifasciata cleaning houseplant for Snake Plant, Mother-in-law Tongue your home or office. Schlumbergera Christmas Cactus Schefflera spp. Spathiphyllum spp. Peace Lily