health +
Houseplants
Good plant companions refresh your mind, brighten up your room, and clean the air in your breathing zone.
Houseplants can absorb airborne pollutants through their leaves and biodegrade them into a source of food for the plants, according to How to Grow Fresh Air by B.C. Wolverton, former NASA research scientist Such pollutants include chemical toxins and bacteria.
Lady palm, rubber plants and English Ivy are among the houseplants that are easier to grow and more effective at removing airborne pollutants, according to the book. Flowers, such as Gerbera daisy,are also effective at removing pollutants but require more maintenance. Wolverton says plants absorb more airborne pollutants, grown in soil-free medium than commercial postting soil.
Among various houseplants,Tonia Schoen, greenhouse assistant of Sunrise Garden Center,1501 Learnard Avenue,recommends English lvy and philodendron.The plants tolerate different levels of lighting,and if you forget to
Photo illustration by Sachiko Myikawake Smell the roses: Keeping fresh plants around the home helps remove pollutants in the air.
water them, they will not wither easily, says Schoen.
Houseplants, including English Ivy and rubber plants, are available from $6 at Sunrise Garden Center.
— Sachiko Miyakawa
buy one get the second HALF OFF
February 12,2009
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