By Wes Porter ——Bio and Archives--November 8, 2019
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Modern interior decorating, furniture and life styles can wreak havoc on air quality in homes and offices alike. Known carcinogenic sources such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene expose those living and working there. That is the bad news.
The good news is that a single Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) can clean the polluted air of a space measuring 10 square metres, or roughly a 30- by-30-foot room.
The stage was set by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Concerned that astronauts would be exposed to these and other toxic agents, they sought for natural solutions. So was borne the Clean Air Study, conducted in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, to clean the air of space stations.
In 1989, they released the results of their investigations. Not only do photosynthesizing plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) and release oxygen – the reverse of humans and other animals – but they actively absorb serious pollutants, namely the aforesaid benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
However, not all plants are created equal in such endeavours. More good news: the list of plants is almost exclusively made up of common, easily obtained and cultured species. They are best grown in potting soil, a subsequent 2004 study suggests. Microorganisms flourishing there also remove benzene from the surrounding air.
Over the years since the original 1989 study, there has been much written. Most has stayed within the parameters set by the original report. Inevitably, perhaps, there has been a few alternatives. One of the most frustrating of these has been for writers to offer usually local common names to the mix. Here are NASA’s original suggestions:
Dwarf Date Palm Phoenix roebelenii
Areca Palm Dypsis lutescens
Boston Fern Nephrolepsis exaltata
Kimberley Queen Fern Nephroplepsis obliterata
English Ivy Hedera helix
Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum
Devil’s Ivy Epipremnum aureum
Peace Lily Spathyphyllum ‘Mauna Loa’
Flamingo Lily Anthurium andaeanum
Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema modestum
Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea seifrizii
Variegated Snake Plant Sanssevieria trifasciata’Laurentii’
Heartleaf Philodendron Philodendron cordatum
Selloum Philodendron Philodendron bipinnatofidum
Elephant Ear Philodendron Philodendron domesticum
Red-edged Dracaena Dracaena marginata
Cornstalk Dracaena Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’
Weeping Fig Ficus benjamina
Barberton Daisy Gerbera jamesonii
Florist’s Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum morifolium
Rubber Plant Ficus elastica
Dendrobium Orchids Dendrobium spp.
Dumb Canes Dieffenbachia spp.
King of Hearts Homolomena wallisii
Moth Orchids Phalaenopsis spp.
Aloe Vera Aloe vera
Janet Craig Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig’
Warneckei Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckei’
Banana Musa acuminata
Note that in the interiors of homes of the rich and infamous as illustrated in glossy magazines, there are few, if any, of these are indeed any other indoor plants.
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Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.