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Grow your own toxin-filter

Indoor potplants bring literal life to a sterile room and what's even better - they're proven natural air pollution filters.

Studies by Nasa, no less, have shown that indoor plants improve air quality by helping reduce concentrations of toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia.

Some plants are better at this than others though. These species are good options -- print out the list and see if your local nursery garden has them in stock:

1. Aglaonema modestum Chinese evergreen

2. Chamaedorea sefritzii Bamboo or reed palm

3. Chlorophytum comosum Spider plant

4. Chrysanthemum morifolium Pot mum or florist’s chrysanthemum

5. Dracaena deremensis `Warneckii' Warneck dracaena

6. Dracaena fragrans `Massangeana' Cornstalk dracaena

7. Dracaena marginata Red-edged dracaena

8. Ficus benjamina Weeping fig

9. Ficus elastica Rubber plant

10. Gerbera jamesonii Gerbera / Barberton daisy

11. Hedera helix English ivy

12. Philodendron domesticum Elephant ear philodendron

13. Philodendron scandens `oxycardium' Heartleaf philodendron

14. Philodendron selloum Selloum philodendron

15. Spathiphyllum `Mauna Loa' Peace lily  

 - Olivia Rose-Innes, EnviroHealth Editor, Health24, October 2011

 

 More EnviroHealth Tips 

 

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