Clearing The Air

NASA researches discovered in the early 19080’s that houseplants were capable of purifying the space pods of the future, as opposed to pricey, high-tech filtering systems. Here a re a few of the top performers:

Palms: (Bamboo, lady, and areca varieties) Palms are great at removing airborne toxins and can up to a liter of moisture to the air per day-perfect for counteracting the desert-dry effects of indoor heating systems.

Rubber plant: This plant to say the least is resilient, I guess that is where it gets the name from. This thirsty, shiny plant is perfect for rooms that don’t receive much sunlight. It’s particularly adept at filtering formaldehyde, which is found in many adhesives and floor coverings. (Tip: I use olive oil on my rubber plant leaves to give them extra shine)

Mum’s the word: Bright, happy reds, pinks, and yellows, this flowering fall plant is a great filter of airborne chemicals such as ammonia (common in cleaning supplies) and benzene (emitted by gasoline, ink, paint and pesticides).

I don’t know about you but my plants on the floor suffer immensely to the hands of the curious kids. Have no fear, look up to the Boskke Sky Planter. It’s built to hang upside down from a ceiling hook and uses a reservoir system to release more water when soil is dry and less when it’s wet. And don’t panic, the dirt stays put! It requires up to 80% less H2O than its conventional counterparts, and needs refills as infrequently as twice a month-saving you water and time, not to mention that much needed floor space. $25-$75; unicahome.com