The Indoor Air quality has become a real subject on its own and many studies have been made on the reason why and what we can do to improve our indoor atmosphere.
The why and how is not the subject in here, I would like to speak about what we can do to improve dramatically the indoor air quality just by the use of plants. Yes, this is really easy, just by adding some beautiful and decorative plants we can breath better and remove some indoor sickness syndrome.
Not only being surrounded by plants has a positive consequence on the way we feel, but it also silently fight all sorts of pollutants that have sneaked into our interiors. Some serious studies made by the NASA have shown how plants can remove some chemical substances and which ones are the best at doing this.
I have chosen to particularly speak about easy to grow plants that we can use in the office.
The same plants plus many others can also be used in the home environment, but I want to start with the easiest plants to grow and keep in the office, and that will benefit not only the health of the people working in the office but also their well-being and their efficiency.
The office environment is very often dry, with not a lot of natural light, and these conditions have to be taken into consideration when choosing plants so that they will survive and keep their look, as there is nothing more depressing than an office featuring half dead plants.... Even if a plant is robust, it will need to be looked after: being watered adequately and fed when needed. If the environment is really extremely dry, it is possible to create a micro-climate around the plant by having a tray filled with pebbles and water underneath the flower pot.
Studies have classified some plants according to their abilities to remove chemical substances, and I have chosen a few plants between the most efficient ones, and that can survive in an office.
Well, I can’t resist to first talk about the one rated as "the most eco-friendly" houseplant, Areca Palm (Chrisalidocarpus lutescens). It should be kept in a well lit area and sprayed regularly to keep its fresh look and prevent from insect infestation. It is constantly rated amongst the best houseplants for removing all indoor air toxins tested. It also has the unique ability to move salt accumulation to selected branches. When saturated, these branches die and should be removed quickly.
Another plant which is very good at removing chemical vapours and which was a favourite at Victorian times is the Rubber plant (Ficus robusta).
It can be place in semi-sun to semi-shade area and is known as very effective to remove formaldehyde.
Dracaena "Janet Craig" (Dracaena deremensis "Janet Craig") is a semi-shade plant that can tolerate dimly lit areas. It is well know for removing trichloroethylene.
This beautiful foliage and its white spathes, Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum sp) is a good addition to other green plants, and excels in removing alcohols, acetone, trichloroethylene, benzene and formaldehyde.
The Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana") is a good choice when a bigger space needs to be filled, and enjoys semi-shade conditions. It is an excellent choice to remove formaldehyde.
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is said to be the easiest houseplant to grow, and therefore is a good choice for an office. It likes semi-shade to shade conditions.
If the office has a good light, you can choose Kimberley Queen (Nephrolepis obliterata) a beautiful fern know also as Boston Fern. It requires semi-sun to semi-shade lighting conditions, it is one of the best natural humidifier and a great remover of chemical vapours.
A way to bring colour in the office is by having the Florist’s Mum (Chrysantemum moriflurum). This plant does require a lot of light, but provides such a display of colour that there must be a suitable place for it I the office. After it has bloomed, it can be rotated. It is one of the best flowering or seasonal plant for removing formaldhyde, benzene and ammonia from the atmosphere.
The list of plant that can help to de-pollute indoor air is big, and can’t be treated exhaustively here. What I would say, is that whether or not the plant has been studied and recognised as an efficient mean of removing chemical vapours, the more plants are introduced in the office, the better the air quality.
This is all in favour of the green walls that can be used outside or inside a building, and add interest and improve quality of life.
Emmanuelle Lemoine
Thanks..
ReplyDelete