Let's clear the air

Nicole Avedon | By Nicole Avedon | Staten Island Advance
on April 01, 2008 at 11:59 AM, updated April 01, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Christmas Cactus

In the process of researching methods of keeping the atmosphere clean in future space stations, NASA discovered many tropical/indoor plants and blooming potted plants help fight pollution by absorbing a considerable amount of harmful gasses from the air through the process of photosynthesis.

So, indoor plants not only beautify our homes, many also absorb harmful toxins within them on a daily basis. The latter can come from floor coverings, curtains, upholstery, computer screens and paper towels and cause symptons including allergies, asthma, fatigue, headache and sinus congestion.


Variegated Philodendron

Among plants tested, the following are listed from the most environmentally friendly to the least:

Bamboo palm, rubber plant, English Ivy, dwarf date palm, ficus alii, Boston fern, peace lily, corn plant, golden pothos, Kimberley queen fern, chrysanthemum, gerbera, dracaena, dragon tree, red emerald philodendron, syngonium, dumb cane, parlor palm, weeping fig, schefflera, wax begonia, lacy tree philodendron, heart leaf philodendron, snake plant, elephant ear philodendron, Norfolk Island pine, prayer plant, dwarf banana, Christmas and Easter cactus, oakleaf ivy, lily turf, dendrobium, spider plant, Chinese evergreen, anthurium, croton, pointsettia, dwarf azalea, peacock plant, aloe vera, cyclamen, tulip, moth orchid, and kalanchoe.

Most of the plants mentioned above evolved in tropical or sub-tropical forests, where they received light filtered through the branches of taller trees. As a result, their leaf composition allows them to photosynthesize efficiently under relatively low light conditions, which allows them to process gasses in the air efficiently.

Peace Plant


Over the past 25 years, building materials have changed drastically, as natural materials like wood and steel have been replaced by synthetic substances like fiberboard, plastic and foam insulation. During the energy crisis of the 1970s which called for airtight buildings and homes, pollution increased dramatically giving rise to the term "sick building syndrome" and the determination that working in modern office buildings could be detrimental to a person's health.


The air in the majority of new sealed buildings was not circulated through windows, but through heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. As a result, indoor air polluting chemicals that are emitted from synthetic building materials remained within the buildings. In fact, research has shown indoor air is 100 times more polluted than the air outside.

According to some research, it is very possible that, to a cerrtain degree, all tropical/indoor plants are beneficial in removing the toxins that inhabit our homes and office buildings.

Some do a better job of removing formaldehyde from the air, others are better at removing benzene; none are much help in removing tobacco smoke. Regardless, research has shown enough plants do a good job of removing pollutants from the air we breathe to cause us to view tropical/indoor plants as more than a decorative feature in our homes.


Check your houseplants for pests. Webs and stippling on leaves indicate the presence of spider mites. Use a mister or spray to wash them away. White cottony masses on stems indicate mealybugs, which can be removed by wiping them with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol or spraying with insecticidal soap.

Dolores Higgins is a member of the Great Kills Garden Club and First District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State.