Now to really make a dent in the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene, NASA recommends 14 to 16 houseplants in at least six-inch pots for the average-size home. So if you have a few larger houseplants, you can get away with a fewer number.
The good news is that the houseplants that do best indoors all year long are also the ones most efficient at grabbing and filtering bad indoor air.
• Clean Air Tarzan Style: Grow these jungle plants with bold, broad leaves
Just give Peace Lily a chance if you’ve failed with houseplants in the past. This upright houseplant or Spathiphyllum waves a hanky-shaped white bloom when it is given a lot of light, but even if your home or office is dark and dreary, this survivor will continue to thrive. The Peace Lily will even forgive you for irregular watering – unlike the more finicky tree-like houseplant the weeping fig. Ficus, or weeping fig, is often sold as large, potted indoor trees and, once established and adapted to your home, a ficus can live for many years with few problems – the key here is getting a new weeping fig tree to adapt to a new location. Leaves turn yellow and fall off every time this plant is moved or experiences a change in environment.
If you are lacking floor space for your indoor jungle, use hanging plants such as golden pathos or heart-leaved philodendrons. These plants can also be grouped at the base of a ficus tree to cover the pot and convert a reading corner into an area free of indoor pollutants.
• Mid-Century Modern and Politically Incorrect: Sanseveria or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
This is a sleek, slender houseplant that sends lance-like green and yellow leaves straight to the sky. Out of respect for kind mother-in-laws everywhere, the new common name for this contemporary-looking houseplant is snake plant. All sanseverias will thrive even in low light as long as you don’t overwater. Place a snake plant inside a sleek, metallic pot, display it on a pedestal and you have living modern art.
Dracaena is another houseplant with thin, elegant foliage and a contemporary vibe. This hard-to-kill indoor plant comes in many forms including the colorful ‘Red Edge’ and compact ‘Janet Craig’.
• Flower Power and Mean-Spirited Gossip: Easy-Going chrysanthemums and demanding Gerber daisy
Who would suspect the common mum of being such a hard worker when it comes to cleaning up the air quality? Of all the plants tested by NASA, it was the chrysanthemum that removed all three of the most common indoor pollutants. The next time you’re feeling ill, bring home a potted mum as well as medications for your treatment.
Now for the gossip. Gerber daisies are the new darlings of wedding shows and interior designers because the bold, bright colors are hard to miss. But I must pass along that Gerber daisies are difficult to grow both indoors and out, and sometimes those remarkable color tones are enhanced by paint, dyes and even glitter. Buy a potted Gerber daisy if you must, but I have killed too many of these divas to have any warm and friendly feelings toward them. Yes, mean-spirited indeed.
Marianne Binetti is the author of “Easy Answers for Great Gardens” and eight other gardening books. She has a degree in horticulture from WSU and will answer questions from her website at binettigarden.com.
