HOUSEPLANTS TOUGH ON TOXINS
Aloe Vera
Photo Credit: Ragesoss / Wikimedia
Although 19 plants were tested by NASA, it is concluded that many houseplants are suitable for removing indoor toxins. Dr. B.C. Wolverton, a chief contributor to the NASA study has written a book called How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office. You will find it a wealth of information on the subject.
Remember that every plant has it’s own culture requirements. Light, soil and temperature are important for the health of the plant, and healthier plants remove more toxins than ones just barely hanging on to life.
The areas that you use most will be the places to concentrate most of your efforts. Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and the home office are good places to focus on first.
Bedrooms will especially benefit from plants that do most of their metabolism at night, releasing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide such as aloe vera, snake plants, and Christmas cactus. These have an added benefit in that they are easy to grow, even if you think you have a black thumb.
Here are 12 tested, easy to find and easy to grow varieties.
Full Sun
| Weeping fig | Ficus benjamina |
| Gerbera daisy | Gerbera jamesonii |
| Pot mum | Dendranthema morifolium |
| Aloe | Aloe barbadensis |
Medium Light
| Green spider plant | Chlorophytum comosum |
| Chinese evergreen | Aglaonema modestum |
| English ivy | Hedera helix |
| Peace lily | Spathiphyllum ‘Mauna Loa’ |
Low Light
| Warneck dracaena | Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckei’ |
| Heart leaf philodendron | Philodendron scandens ‘oxycardium’ |
| Elephant ear philodendron | Philodendron domesticum |
| Golden pothos | Epipiremnum aureum |
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