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conscious living: give the gift of clean air

[images above, clockwise from top left: spider plant, peace lily, Janet Craig dracaena, and philodendron selloum)

If you’re thinking of giving something “green” this Christmas, consider heading to White Plains or Manila Seedling Bank for green gifts—literally.

Houseplants are great gift options to give friends all year round. You are not only giving them something pretty to decorate their homes, but you are also giving them the gift of fresh indoor air. Yup, houseplants can clean the air from toxins such as VOCs (volatile organic compounds), according to studies conducted by NASA. VOCs are vapors that evaporate from volatile liquids or the gases that are given off by synthetic materials (like the bad smell that comes from new furniture made of hdf /mdf panels and plywood).

But not all plants are effective in filtering the air. Here are the TOP 10 HOUSEPLANTS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE IN CLEANING INDOOR AIR.

1. Reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii) – Local suppliers call/pronounce this as ziprichi.
2. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) – This is the plant that is said to be excellent in absorbing formaldehyde.
3. Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis `Janet Craig’) – This is also great for plant cuttings arranged in a vase.
4. Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)
5. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum `Mauna Loa’) – Our late german shepherd, Biggie, loved to bite on this plant’s flowers because he thought they’re the white butterflies that he often chased around. Haha!

6. English ivy (Hedera helix)

7. Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens `oxycardium’)
8. Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)
9. Golden pothos (Epipiremnum aureum) – Locally known as “yellow water plant”.
10. Selloum philodendron (Philodendron selloum) – Designers often use the leaves of this plant for minimalist arrangements.

(Source: Wolverton, B.C. et al (1989). “NASA report Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement”)

The good thing about this list is that all of the plants here, except for the english ivy, are tropical plants and are available here in the Philippines. In fact, half of the species listed are planted around our house. You can read more about this topic here and in David Pearson’s  The Natural House Book.

TIP: When you give plants as gifts, place them in a nice ceramic pot, or wrap the seedling bag with a cloth to make them presentable. Add a gift card on a stick that may also have the plant’s name and the maintenance instructions.