Indoor Plants as Air Filters

Posted August 5, 2011 by oysteronahalfshell in Natural, The Farm. Tagged: Air Filter, Indoor
Plants, Ornamentals. 5 Comments
PLANTS as NATURAL AIR FILTERS
Our farm has been growing flowers for more than 15 years now. And we often forget the foliage
that grows around our greenhouses. The pretty flowers jut out and call a lot of attention but
really, equally important are the greenery that surrounds us as well. Nicolo loves ornamental
plants as much as he does flowers, and farming. He can actually tell you the name, genus and
species of every plant and tree you see and can go on for hours.

Areca Palm
A lot of people count us lucky to always have flowers in the house. And we are. But today, we
would like to highlight plants as well. Theres something delightful about going inside a home
filled with plants. The airs a little bouncier, and you can actually breathe easy. And since you
spend most of your time indoors, it helps to have a breath of fresh air especially when you live
right smack in the middle of smoke city. In fact, indoor plants not only produce oxygen, they also
absorb benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, toluene and trichlor.

Mother In Law's Tongue

NASA made a study on the best indoor plant filters. I have come up with my own list, adapting it
to the availability of plants here and our tropical climate. These are VERY easy to have. Indoor
plants originate from dense shades in tropical forests. The reason why they make good air filters
is that they have a very high rate of photosynthesis (thats why they dont need as much sun.)
Below are some of my comments based on growing them indoors in our home.
Plant

Benefits (according to
My comments
NASA)
Benzen Formaldehyd Tricho
e
e
Peace Lily
These are the easiest to take care of. They dont need
X
X
X much sun and in fact thrive beautifully indoors. You
also get a pretty white flower thatreminds you to om
your way to peace.
Chinese
X
X
These plants you can actually see everywhere as
Evergreens
they are the office and mall favorite. They are sturdy
and also do well indoors. I am not too fond of the
plant though. They dont look pretty J but you can
buy small ones to keep on a desk.
Bamboo
X
This ornamental I really love. They have nice pretty
Palm
stalks that look like red bamboo and you can keep
them for months. They also grow tall. I have had
Bamboo palms inside my house growing for more
than a year.
Mother in
X
For wives who would like their mother in law
Laws
always in the house, this is the plant for you.

Tongue

Draceana
(Fortune
Plant)

Ficus

Rubber
Plant
Boston Fern

Areca Palm

Spider Plant

Kidding. The name says it all, this plant just wont

wilt! It could go on forever. Though I have relegated
these plants to the bathrooms (no meaningful reason,
really) as they dont need so much sun and could
stay up and erect for months even if you forget to
water them. (This plant is also known as Espada in
the vernacular.)
Some people love this because it supposedly brings
good fortune. I tried my luck and have these plants
at our shop all the time.We bring this plant outdoors
once a week. I try to water it twice a week. But Ive
seen this plant thrive so long without sun exposure.
Quite elegant and can grow quite tall. I havent been
very successful at keeping it for so long. I think it
needs some sun. It is also sensitive to drafts. After a
few months the top branches wilt. The little leaves
always fall off too so you need to always sweep.
A strong indoor plant that tolerates drought. It has
shiny leaves that almost look like plastic.
I like how this plant looks but it is not as strong as
the other plants. I think its because this plant likes
humidity and you should be misting it when it gets
too dry or hot. Could last a few months without a lot
of sun.
No one pays much attention to this palm as it is quite
very common. But I love this plant and have had the
palm for more than a year. It looks pretty indoors as
they grow to a good size. I usually buy 2 or 3 (P100
each) and have them put in one big pot.
This is the easiest to keep. You can neglect it and
still it will thrive. These are those common plants
you see with the long thin leaves that have a white
stripe in the middle.

You supposedly need 1 plant for every 1 square meter of floor space.

Rubber Plant
You need not keep these plants near the window all the time nor do they need direct sun. Biweekly by the window with some filtered sun does the trick. I also water only once or twice a
week.
I buy my plants from the Bulacan Gardens, Guiguinto, Bulacan. Its quite easy to find. Just take
the exit that says Guiguinto and youre apt to see gardens on one side of the road. It takes me
about 1 1/2 hours (from Makati) but its definitely worth the time and the gas. The prices are
1/3 what you would pay for them in other markets/gardens. You can get small plants for about
P50-75 a piece and large palms at P100-150. The more special ones (like an enormous Peace
Lily or Areca Palm) could go only as high as P550. Go with P2000 and youll have enough
plants to fill a small home. Another option is the Manila Seedling Bank.
Theres also a wonderful book How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home
or Office. The book tells you about contaminants and toxins in your indoor environment and
how plants remove these from the air. It also tells you what plants to buy and how to take care of
them.

Floral Feast
MAY BRINGS ABOUT the blossoming of beautiful and colorful flowers throughout the country.
Blessed with a tropical climate, the Philippines is a treasure trove of plants, trees, and flowers
that are not found elsewhere in the world.
Blooming Bounty
The period of February to June is particularly significant to the growth of flowers throughout the
archipelago. The Panagbenga Festival, which takes place in Baguio and is held every February,
showcases the bountiful and colorful flowers the place boasts of. Floats festooned with various
buds of every color, shape, and size parade the streets to the delight of the local folks and foreign
visitors alike as the magnificently diverse array of flora are used during the festival.

The Flores de Mayo is also another event, an older tradition, that makes use of the flora
available in the country. A religious and community event, the Flores de Mayo is a month-long
festival which celebrates the Virgin Mary with daily floral offerings which young girls bring to
Marian images.
The Philippiness tropical climate creates an ideal environment for the growth of numerous
florals and folials.
Sampaguita (Jasminum sambac). One of the more common types of flora found in the country,
dubbed as the national flower, the sampaguita is usually seen sold on the streets of Manila as leis
or garlands used by people to adorn their altars or scent the interiors of their cars, or to welcome
tourists and other visitors. A great bulk of the sampaguita sold in Manila is grown in San Pedro,
Laguna. The flower has become a great source of income for the locals that they celebrate it with
a Sampaguita Festival held every February.
Ilang-ilang or ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata). Another fragrant bloom native to the country, it
is well-known throughout Asia for its heavy scent. The flower grows on trees in slightly acidic
soil and its oil is used in perfumes and aromatherapy oils.
Waling-Waling (Vanda sanderiana). Dubbed as the Queen of Philippine Orchids, it is endemic
to the island of Mindanao, particularly in Davao, Cotabato, and Surigao.
Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa L). A flowering plant which grows in warm climate and said
to be medicinal.
Alibangbang (Bauhinia malabarica Roxb. Leguminosae). It grows to a height of five to 10
meters, with flowers that are long-stalked with fine pink to purple petals and found in open
grazing lands throughout the country. Its leaves are used to sour soups and stews in Philippine
cuisine.
Botong (Barringtonia asiatica). A strand tree found along the seashores of the country, with
large white flowers, often cultivated for shade along avenues and boulevards by the sea.
Other flowers include gumamela (Hibiscus rosasinensis) and everlasting flower
(Helichrysum bracteatum) which is found in Baguio City. Also known as paper daisy or straw
flower, the everlasting is stringed into garlands and used to be the iconic pasalubong from
Baguio City.
Healing Properties
Apart from their beautiful appearance, some of these flowers also have medicinal properties. The
sampaguita is said to have anesthetic and sedative properties, while the ylang-ylang is believed
to relieve high blood pressure and help normalize oil secretion for skin problems. The banaba is
used widely in the Philippines as herbal medicine for diabetes and urinary difficulties, and
botong leaves may be heated and used as topical poultice for stomachache.
Growing Your Own
Seeds and seedlings may be bought at the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation Inc, including
banaba, alibangbang, botong, and ylang-ylang. The seeds are packed in bags of various sizes and
their prices range from P35 to P500. Other places to buy seeds include the plant shops located

along the strip in front of White Plains, Tecson Flowers, or Harbest Edible Garden Center in SM
Megamall. Tecson Flowers sells flower seed packets at P75 while Harbest sells various flower
seeds including mini zinnias, sunflowers, marigolds, and lavender at P40 per pack. Planting
instructions are found on each package of seeds. - Maria Zarah Gregorio Viado