Air Purifying Plants

Seeing as how we’re all often stuck in our homes these days, it’s nice to get a breath of fresh air. The parks out here were closed (post link) for a couple weeks at the beginning of the pandemic, and I started getting antsy for some indoor green. Bonus points if those plants kept the air clean of all my cooking.

Plants are natural air purifiers. We put out a heck of a lot of carbon, and all plants will help reduce that to some degree. The only issue is that carbon isn’t the only thing we’re putting into the atmosphere. Our atmosphere indoors, where we’re spending so much time, is equally important. We put out a few other notable bad chemicals (aside from the various carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides) in the course of daily living – ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene.

There’s plenty of electronic air purifiers on market that deal with these sorts of chemicals. Of course, those air purifiers take toxic work to produce, and run on energy that isn’t always clean. Plants provide the right kind of alternative: lovely to look at, more meditative to maintain, capable of processing these chemicals into something useful, and all around less of a drain on the environment.

I think it’s fair to say that I’ve formed a pretty close bond with my plants. After researching for this post, I’ve definitely formed a better appreciation for my Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), and for the chrysanthemums I’ve left outside to sun and flower.

If you’ve been looking for plants that clean the air, you’ve probably come across a study done by NASA on which plants could keep a spaceship clean long-term. Their best interest was not only in scrubbing carbon and making some of that sweet sweet O2, but also in clearing up the other chemicals that are released by packaging, cleansers, and even paper.

Plants don’t clean the air on their own. Later studies showed that plants aren’t entirely responsible for processing all these compounds. The fungus in the soil – myccorhizae – assist the plants in processing and moving stored nutrients. Additionally, you’re going to need to help the plant breathe by cleaning off all the dust and particulate matter than builds up on the surface. Normally, wind and rain would take care of this, but those things aren’t a good sign when you’re indoors.

Their main benefit is acting as an air purifier, so it sounds only reasonable that NASA did a Clean Air Study, that found which are the best indoor plants at removing benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and ammonia from our surroundings – chemicals that have been linked to adverse health effects…
Bored Panda

Still, whether your plant receives the best care in the best conditions or just reasonably enough to stay alive, it’s beneficial. Every little bit helps.

The Chemicals

Below is a list of some of the harmful chemicals that may be popping up in the atmosphere of your home, as well as some of their associated symptoms.

Ammonia

Window cleaners, fertilizer, and floor cleaners.

Leads to eye irritation, sore throat, and coughing.

Benzene

Tobacco smoke, furniture polish, glue, paint, drugs, pesticides.

Headaches, drowsiness, confusion, eye irritation.

Formaldehyde

Paper bags, paper towels, plywood paneling, synthetic fabrics.

Nose, mouth, throat, and lung irritation.

Trichloroethylene

Paint, ink, laquer, varnish, adhesive.

Dizziness, headache, drowsiness, and vomiting.

Xylene

Printing, rubber, leather, tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust.

Throat and mouth irritation, dizziness, headache, liver and kidney damage.

The Plants

Below is a list of air cleaning plants, and some general care notes to help you start looking for the plant that’s right for you.

Bamboo Palm

Chamaedorea seifrizii

Can reach a height of seven feet and a width of four feet. Overall balance can be maintained by rotating your plant every week. Grows slowly.

Light	Bright, indirect, dappled light
Soil	Houseplant potting soil, high organic content
Water	Consistently moist, but not soggy
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene
Notes	Evergreen perennial from forest floor

Zone 8b

Barberton Daisy

Gerbera jamesonii

Light	Full sun to partial shade
Soil	Organic-rich, well draining
Water	Overly moist soil leads to root rot
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Xylene
Notes	Herbaceous perennial

Zone 8 to 10

Boston Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata

Sensitive to smoke and other noxious chemicals. I can attest that burning pancakes seems to have no ill effect, however.

Light	Bright with no direct light Will tolerate shade
Soil	Compost mix
Water	Constantly moist During winter, can allow top to dry Do not use cold water
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene
Notes	Loves humidity Avoid drafts

Zones 9-11

Broadleaf Lady Palm

Rhapis excelsa

6-15ft tall outdoors, less than 6ft indoors.
Gets damaged below 55F.

Light	Partial light, shade Prefers dappled light
Soil	Loamy, well-drained Lightly acidic
Water	Average, top 1″ dry during summer Drought tolerant
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene Ammonia
Notes	Very slow growing

Zone 9-11

Chinese Evergreen

Aglaonema modestum

This is one of the plants with Calcium oxalate crystals, which are toxic to humans (and many pets). The poisonous parts are: Bark, Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Roots, Seeds, Stems. Just don’t eat any of it, and try not to pet it.

Light	Well-diffused, or low light
Soil	Clay, loam, sand
Water	Allow dirt to dry completely for one day between waterings Avoid using cold water
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Benzene
Notes	Sensitive to cold, prefers 70-80F Herbaceous perennial Poisonous to humans and most pets

Zones 10b, 11a-b

Cornstalk Dracaena

Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’

Awarded the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Grows up to 10-15 ft tall and 4 feet wide.

Light	Part shade No direct sun
Soil	Organically rich Well drained
Water	Uniform soil moisture
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Benzene
Notes	Low stress I’ve grown one in a fishbowl

Zone 10-12

Devil’s Ivy / Golden Pothos

Epipremnum aureum

Grows 8 feet wide as groundcover, but can reach 40 feet long as a climbing vine.
Wipe down leaves to remove collected dust from time to time.

Has calcium oxalate crystals, can be toxic to humans or pets.

Light	Medium, well lit No direct sun
Soil	Loamy, rocky, shallow
Water	Medium humidity Mist leaves and mist soil Occasionally let dry
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Benzene Xylene
Notes	Grows better as a climbing vine

Zones 10 – 11

Dwarf Date Palm

Phoenix robelenii

Grows to 5 or 6 feet tall.

Light	Bright, indirect light
Soil	Good organic content Well draining
Water	Water when top 1/2″ of soil is dry Focus slow watering on root ball
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene
Notes	Enjoying being around room temperature No drafts

Zones 9b – 10a

English Ivy

Hedera helix

This plant is seen as largely invasive out in SoCal. Keeping it contained to a pot is definitely a friendly alternative.

They prefer cooler temperatures, 50-70F

Leaves are heart-shaped, which is adorable.

Light	Medium to bright light Can survive direct light growing outdoors
Soil	Normal potting soil Add rocks to the bottom to help with draining
Water	Don’t overwater, better to underwater Let top of soil dry out
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Benzene Xylene
Notes	English Ivy doesn’t like wet soil, but it likes higher humidity

Zones 4-9

Flamingo Lily

Anthurium andraeanum

You can stuff sphagnum moss around the edges of the plant to increase ambient humidity. The leaves will start to brown and crisp if the air is kept too dry.

Light	Bright, diffuse light Won’t flower in lower light
Soil	Peat-heavy potting soil
Water	Consistently moist soil Water when top of dirt is dry
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene Ammonia
Notes	Appreciates a tight-fitting pot

Zone 10

Florist’s Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum morifolium

There’s more than a few flower-shape varieties!

They have a better chance of blooming outdoors, but the greenery will still grow indoors. May become leggy in low light.

Light	6 or more hours of full sun
Soil	Good drainage
Water	Keep plant moist, but not wet
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Benzene Xylene Ammonia
Notes	Plant oil can be irritating Poisonous to cats and dogs

Zones 5a-9a

Kimberly Queen Fern

Nephrolepis obliterata

Light	Bright, indirect light Tolerates low light
Soil	Peat-based potting soil
Water	Consistently moist soil Do not let it dry out between waterings
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene
Notes	Thrives around room temperature May need increased humidity in winter

Zones 9a-11

Lilyturf

Liriope spicata

Light	Full sun to partial shade
Soil	Prefers fertile, moist soils
Water	Moderate water
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Xylene Ammonia
Notes	Grows underground through rhizomes

Zones 4-10

Peace Lily

Spathiphyllum ‘Mauna Loa’

Can grow to 6 feet tall, but usually only 3 feet in an indoor setting.

Fertilize at only one-quarter strength.

Leaves form calcium oxalate crystals.

Light	Tolerates heavy shade Blooms more in medium light
Soil	Soil high in organic matter
Water	Keep soil moist, but not soggy Let water sit for chlorine to evaporate Use room temperature water
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Benzene Xylene Ammonia
Notes	No specific bloom time Flowers freely

Zones 11a-12b

Red-Edged Dracaena

Dracaena marginata

Can grow to 15 feet or more outdoors, but are often kept pruned to 6 feet or less indoors.

Light	Bright indirect light
Soil	Loam and potting soil
Water	Water when top half of soil is dry Restrict water in winter
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Benzene Xylene
Notes	Can be overwatered Rarely needs fertilizer

Zones 10 – 12

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum

Light	Partial to full shade
Soil	Well draining organic mix
Water	Moderate water Tolerates drought
Chemicals	Formaldehyde Xylene
Notes	Rarely add nutrients

Zone 9 – 11

Variegated Snake Plant

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’

Light	Full sun
Soil	Well-drained soil, potting mix Tolerates many soil types
Water	Water regularly Let soil dry between waterings
Chemicals	Trichloroethylene Formaldehyde Benzene Xylene
Notes	Propagates by suckers or division