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| 5 Best Indoor Plants for Air Purifying and Styling your Home |
In the 1980s an American Scientist, Dr. Bill Wolverton conducted an interesting experiment. He enclosed a couple of his housePlants in a gas chamber. His objective was to see If those plants could remove any pollution from the air.
So, He basically introduced all kinds of pollutants in this chamber, one by one and measured the pollutant levels in the presence of the indoor plants.
In 1989, NASA used this report to come up with a list of air-purifying indoor plants that efficiently purify the airs.
This was followed by a large number of studies and finding a lot of Indoor plants as an effective air purifier which commonly found in our Homes.
This list is actually quite exhaustive But today I am going to briefly talk about 5 indoor plants that are not only air purifiers but also very stylish to decorate your home. So, Let's start with my list number one plant:
1. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia)
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| ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas Zamiifolia) |
The best part about this plant is that it requires no care at all just don't overwater it. We often end up killing plants by over caring for them. So, Just water it once in 10 - 12 days or so or even in two weeks. It will be completely fine also keep it away from direct sunlight.
I actually have two of these, one is in a low light gallery in fact very low light came and it really well that. And the second one is kept on my desk this is a slightly brighter spot but without direct sunlight. So, both of them are doing great.
The important point about this plant is that it can efficiently remove chemicals such as Toulene and Xylene from the existing air. If you have never heard of these chemical names So, no need to bother just remember they are an end product of petroleum and their primary source is vehicular emission (like Car fuels). So basically, traffic pollution pollutants are Toulene and Xylene.
When NASA had actually released this list of plants they had also mentioned that to keep the indoor air clean there needs to be at least one indoor plant per 100sq ft is important. Implying that if you have an average-sized house of 800 - 1000sq ft. So, you would need at least 8-10 plants in your house of medium size for air purifying.
2. Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica)
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| Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica) |
Actually, There are two kinds of rubber plants common in India. One is a typical Burgandy color and the second one is a Variegated kind. You can choose either one. For this plant, you must keep the soil moist at all times this doesn't mean that you will keep it saturated with water. Only just maintain moisture in the soil such that the soil should be sticky on your finger this will help the plant grow faster. As it grows you might have to give it support like we can use one stick I have used.
I think, This plant is great for adding some height. I have placed it next to my sofa in the living room. Also, keep it away from the direct sunlight otherwise the leaves will get burnt. It prefers medium light or well-lit space. The special thing about this one is its ability to remove pollutants like formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a chemical found in crud-oil, paints, detergents, grease, and that is why it is present in our furniture. It can cause short term problems like Irritation to long term issues with immunity and blood-related problems.
Not everyone might be susceptible to such problems or Also, I am not the best person to talk more about them and don't want to fear you. I will put links to resources that I used for this information on diseases related to air pollutants to can refer them if you like to read.
3. Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus Lyrata)
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| Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus Lyrata) |
Personally, this is my favorite plant due to it has these pretty broad leaves. Most of these plants I have bought online. These ones I have bought from amazon.in and also some planters I have bought.
Moving ahead with the fiddle leaf fig plant this one is not only efficient in removing chemicals but also effectively reduces humidity as well. Permanent humidity may cause fungal problems indoors. You can place this one in such rooms. Fungs or Mould can also cause breathing issues. So, this plant can be of great help such rooms.
For its care keep it in a bright place direct sun will also work for it. Just don't keep it in a dark spot. It likes humid and warm spaces. So. If you keep it near a window it will be doing great.
4. Areca Palm (Dypsis Lutescens)
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| Areca Palm |
Areca is available in various sizes also doesn't need a lot of light. You can find huge areca to even tiny ones in the market. Tiny areca I keep on my study table that does not get direct sun but brightly lit. Keep Areca away from direct sunlight. People complain of it turning yellow. There could be 2 reasons for this If only the leaf tips are turning yellow. It means there is a water-related problem. It prefers its soil moist so that roots get moist. Therefore I water it once in 3 days and its working well for my Arecas. If these streams and leaves are yellow then ensure that it's away from direct sun. Direct sun also may cause this.
So. if it's turning yellow, take care of both these points. Areca is great in removing two toxic pollutants like Benzene and Formaldehyde. I already wrote above about Formaldehyde.
Benzene can also cause major problems like short term problems is Irritation to long term issues with immunity and blood-related problems. Areca is super easy to grow and care for. I use my bigger Areca in the background of my room corner.
5. Monstera (Monstera Obliqua)
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| Monstera Plant |
There are a lot of Montera varieties, this one is leaf are naturally cut like this. If you can see, its tip is slightly yellow-brown this arises because of irregular watering this rule of thumb applies to most plants.
This one also removes Formaldehyde effectively that comes from furniture etc. Monstera soil layered with moss on top to keep it moist. In summers you can water it once in 3 days is good also keep it in a well-lit place but away from direct sun.
You can also grow this one like money plant from a cutting.
A Bonus Tip
Apart from these plants, there are also a lot of other great air purifiers plants as well such as Snake plant, Spider plant, Money plant, and etc.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the 5 best indoor plants for
air purifying and styling your home. We hope this article has provided
you with useful information and inspiration for incorporating these
beautiful and beneficial plants into your indoor space. Remember to care
for your plants by providing them with the proper amount of sunlight,
water, and nutrients, and they will reward you with their natural beauty
and air-purifying benefits.
Happy Gardening! 😊
Related Post: Physical and Phycological benefits of Gardening
