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Plants that improve indoor air quality:

Based on information in the book: How To Grow Fresh Air by Dr. B.C. Wolverton which is the outcome of 25 years of research including the studies done by NASA. I highly recommend the book if you are interested in improving your indoor air quality.

Studies done by NASA show that having two plants per 100 sq. ft. of floor space could absorb up to 85% of indoor air pollutants. (So you would need 40 plants in a 2000 sq. ft. home). Some plants have proven better at removing pollutants from the air than others. Some plants are better for removing specific toxins from the air than others.

The number in parentheses represents a rating from 1-10 regarding the plants ability to remove chemical vapors from indoor air.

Plants for full-sun:

Gerbera Daisy (9)
Aloe Vera (2)
Wax begonia (4)
Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina) (8)
Florist's Mum (9)

Plants for partial sun:

Rubber Plant (9)
Corn Plant (8)
Peace Lily (8)
English Ivy (9)
Kimberly Queen Fern (9)

Plants for shade:

Corn Plant (8)
Golden Pothos (5)
Dragon Tree (6)
Snake Plant (3)

Plants for bedrooms (because they produce oxygen at night):

Dendrobium Orchid (partial sun) (7)
Snake Plant (partial sun) (3)
Christmas and Easter Cactus (partial sun) (3)
Aloe Vera (full or partial sun) (2)

Plants for office (because they are good at removing the toxins produced by fax machines, photocopiers and printers):

Corn Plant (partial sun) (8)
Peace Lily (partial sun) (8)
Dragon Tree (partial sun) (6)

Plants to keep near cleaning supplies:

King of Hearts (partial sun) (7)
Lily Turf (partial sun) (7)

My favourites (mostly because of ease of care):

Rubber Plant:

I like Rubber Plants because they are easy to care for. They survive in different light conditions. You can forget to water them for long periods of time without them suffering any damage. I've never had one become infested with pests. Their rating on a scale of 1 - 10 for removing chemical vapors is 9.

Peace Lily:

I like Peace Lilies because they are easy to care for and they have beautiful flowers on a regular basis. They survive in different light conditions. If you forget to water them, they will start to droop but they bounce back really well once you water them again. I've never had one become infested with pests. Once they get bigger, they are easy to divide into multiple plants. Their rating on a scale of 1 - 10 for removing chemical vapors is 8.

Golden Pathos:

I like Golden Pothos because they are easy to care for. They survive in different light conditions. You can forget to water them for long periods of time without them suffering any damage. I've never had one become infested with pests. You can propagate them very easily by cutting off the ends and sticking them in a jar of water until they grow roots. To keep them looking more bushy, cut off the ends regularly - especially the ones that start to become long vines. They are excellent as an underplanting for larger plants, such as Dragon Tree or Corn Plant. Their rating on a scale of 1 - 10 for removing chemical vapors is only 5.

Gerbera Daisy:

I like Gerbera Daisies because of their brightly coloured flowers. They are quite fussy about light, water and being moved. I have had a few die despite my every attempt to baby them. They are available in red, orange, yellow or pink. They bloom on a regular basis. I like them on my kitchen window sill - to admire while I'm washing dishes. Their rating on a scale of 1 - 10 for removing chemical vapors is 9.

Corn Plant:

I like Corn Plants because they are easy to care for. They survive in different light conditions. You can forget to water them for long periods of time without them suffering any damage. I've never had one become infested with pests. I usually have more than one Corn Plant in a pot at varying heights with an underplanting of Golden Pothos. Their rating on a scale of 1-10 for removing chemical vapors is 8.

Dragon Tree:

I like Dragon Trees because they are easy to care for and they are very beautiful - especially the ones with variegated leaves (they have thin white and red stripes). They survive in different light conditions. You can forget to water them for long periods of time without them suffering any damage. I've never had one become infested with pests. Their rating on a scale of 1 - 10 for removing chemical vapors is 6.

Plants that are best for removing formaldehyde (the most common toxin found in indoor air):

The number in parentheses represents how many µg per hour of formaldehyde is removed by the plant.

Bosten Fern (20)
Florist's Mum (15)
Gerbera Daisy (14)
English Ivy (12)
Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina) (10)
Peace Lily (10)
Areca Palm (10)
Corn Plant (10)
Dragon Tree (8)
Spider Plant (7)
Golden Pothos (5)

(Some household sources of formaldehyde are: foam insulation, plywood, particleboard, clothes, carpeting, furniture, paper goods, cleaning products)

Plants that effectively remove benzene:

English Ivy
Marginata
Janet Craig
Chrysanthemum
Peace Lily
Gerbera Daisy
Warneckei

(Some household sources of benzene are: tobacco smoke, gasoline, synthetic fibers, plastics, inks, oils, detergents)

Plants that effectively remove trichloroethylene:

Gerbera Daisy
Chrysanthemum
Peace Lily
Warneckei
Marginata

(Some household sources of trichloroethylene are: dry cleaning, inks, paints, varnishes, lacquers, adhesives)

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