Indoors House Plants You Can Use as an Air Purifier – Part 2

In a previous blog entry, we explained the value of plants to clean pollutants from the air. We described how polluted indoor air can affect you, common types of chemicals that foul indoor air and listed a few house plants that are exceptionally effective at that task.

In this follow-up blog entry, we’re listing 22 more plants that are up to the job of air purification in your home or office. Remember that it is recommended to have at least one plant (in a 10 inch or 12 inch pot) per 100 square feet of home or office space for effective air cleaning.

22 More Smart Options You Can Buy at Your Local Nursery

Common Name:  Kimberly queen fern
Scientific Name: Nephrolepis obliterata
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Common Name:  English ivy
Scientific Name: Hedera helix
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, benzene, trichloroethylene.

Common Name:  Spider plant
Scientific Name: Chlorophytum comosum
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Common Name:  Devil’s ivy, money plant
Scientific Name: Epipremnum aureum
What pollutants it absorbs: benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Common Name: Peace lily
Scientific Name: Spathiphyllum ‘Mauna Loa’
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, benzene, trichloroethylene, ammonia.

Common Name: Flamingo lily
Scientific Name: Anthurium andreaeanum
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, ammonia.

Common Name:  Chinese evergreen
Scientific Name: Aglaonema modestum
What pollutants it absorbs: benzene, formaldehyde.

Common Name:  Bamboo palm
Scientific Name: Chamaedorea seifizil
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Common Name:  Broadleaf lady palm
Scientific Name: Rhapis excelsa
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, ammonia.

Common Name:  Variegated snake plant, mother-in-law’s tongue
Scientific Name: Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, benzene, trichloroethylene.

Common Name:  Heartleaf philodendron
Scientific Name: Philodendron cordatum
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde.

Common Name: Elephant ear philodendron
Scientific Name: Philodendron domesticum
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde.

Common Name: Red-edged dracaena
Scientific Name: Dracaena marginata
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, benzene, trichloroethylene.

Common Name: Cornstalk dracaena
Scientific Name: Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene.

Common Name: Weeping fig
Scientific Name: Ficus benjamina
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Common Name: Barberton daisy
Scientific Name: Gerbera jamesonii
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene.

Common Name: Florist’s chrysanthemum
Scientific Name: Chrysanthemum morifolium
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, benzene, trichloroethylene, ammonia.

Common Name: Rubber plant
Scientific Name: Ficus elastica
What pollutants it absorbs: formaldehyde.

Common Name: Dendrobium orchids
Scientific Name: dendrobium spp.
What pollutants it absorbs: Xylene and toluene.

Common Name: Dumb canes
Scientific Name: Dieffenbachia spp.
What pollutants it absorbs: Xylene and toluene.

Common Name: King of hearts
Scientific Name: Homalomena wallisii
What pollutants it absorbs: Xylene and toluene.

Common Name: Moth orchids
Scientific Name: Phalaenopsis sup.
What pollutants it absorbs: Xylene and toluene.

For more information, review the NASA report on Wikipedia or read the book “Plants: Why You Can’t Live Without Them” by Bill Wolverton, published by Roli Books in 2010.

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