9 Pollution Reducing Plants and How to Love Them
The air is bad, the air is bad. We all know the air is bad. No one wins awards for originality when complaining about crappy air quality in China. Get your air purifiers set to full blast and seal up the windows. But, what else can you do, I hear you cry? Well, house plants are a great way of cleaning the air in your home. And they're pretty too. I have no idea how effective plants are against toxic China smog but the internet (and a study by NASA) tells me they’re great.
Here are nine pollution fighting plants, how to look after them and where you can buy them.
Garden Mum (chrysanthemum)
In the NASA research, this plant was an air-purifying king, removing ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene from indoor air. Popular, cheap and pretty! Once they have finished blooming you can stick them outside or wait for them to come around again!
Pollutants removed: ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene
Taobao link: http://bit.ly/2BqPJUy
Spider Plant
Spider plants are one of the easiest house plants to own. You literally need to do nothing to them and they get super cool when they sprout their little babies out. They like bright, indirect sunlight and you can just water them whenever you remember.
Pollutants removed: formaldehyde and xylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2kbrIO5
Dracaena
You can get over 40 different kinds of Dracaena plants, so it’s easy to find out you love. They have long, wide leaves that are often stripped with lines of white, cream, or red. Pet owners might want to steer clear though, as these are toxic to cats and dogs.
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2BBZMY4
Ficus/Weeping Fig
Time to get figgy with it! Grow this low-maintenance houseplant in bright, indirect light and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. This plant is a tree. A TREE. So you probably need a spacious apartment!
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2AlRqDn
Peace Lily
Peace lily plants are cute little plant, but they still pack some major air-cleaning punch. Easy to grow, these plants will flower for much of the summer. Just be aware that those flowers (like all flowers) do contribute some pollen and floral scents to the air. Smells good but it can trigger hayfever if you’re an itchy eyed sufferer.
Pollutants removed: ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2Apa79p
Boston Fern
These plants prefer to clean the air from a cool location with high humidity and indirect light, maybe a chilly bathroom. They need watering everyday to keep the soil moist so they’re only good for attentive green fingered growers.
Pollutants removed: formaldehyde and xylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2jzVSGY
Snake Plant/Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
Good news for house plant murderers, this is one of the hardest houseplants to kill. Although it does need to be watered occasionally, it generally prefers drier conditions and some sun light, but basically it can handle whatever you throw at it.
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2kdIPi6
Bamboo Palm
Annnnd it wouldn’t be China without a bit of bamboo. These bamboo palms thrive in bright sun light and need a fair bit of watering. They can grow up to 12 feet high which can make them a super cool statement addition to any living room!
Pollutants removed: benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2AxaZvn
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is super easy to look after, is great and cleaning air and is generally great thing to have in your home. The plant's leaves contain a clear liquid full of vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, and other compounds that have wound-healing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, and there is some evidence that aloe may help (well, it won’t hurt) skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
Taobao: http://bit.ly/2AxaZvn
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