How To Improve Air Quality With Plants

Plants are the lungs of the earth: they produce the oxygen that makes life possible, add precious moisture, and filter toxins. Houseplants can perform these essential functions in your home or office with the same efficiency as a rainforest in our biosphere.

Of course we can’t all have a rainforest at each of our doorsteps so having green walls or vertical greenery indoors is the next best thing. In fact, 13 linear metres of green wall panels absorb the same amount of dust as an average city tree, about 140g/year!

Plants As Air Filters

Green public infrastructure can actually ‘clean-up’ or reduce pollution. Planting vegetation in urban streets can reduce the amount of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) by up to 40%, and reduce the amount of Particulate Matter (PM) by up to 60%.

During Singapore’s annual haze season, green walls within your home or office, or around your building, will help in trapping contaminants and dust particles, thereby reducing your chances of developing respiratory, eye and skin irritations.

Studies have shown that certain plants can rid a room of harmful Volatile Organic Components (VOCs) such as ammonia, formaldehyde, xylene and benzene. Hundreds of these poisonous chemicals can be released by furniture, carpets, and building material, and then trapped by closed ventilation systems, leading to the host of respiratory and allergic reactions now called Sick Building Syndrome.

Improve Air Quality With These Indoor Plants

Here are some indoor plants that we commonly include in our green wall plant palettes that purify the air around you.

Ferns

Favoured for their soft feathery leaves, ferns help rid the air of pollutants such as toluene and xylene, found in paints, nail polish and glues. Choose from a wide range of ferns from Maidenhair to Boston to Pteris ferns.

Schefflera

Glossy, sturdy-looking oval leaves with a waxy shine, perfect for dust aggregation, needing only the occasional wiping down with a damp cloth. Hardy and long-lasting, they’re also known to soak up nasty toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and toluene, and like ferns, are great for households with a smoker.

Draecena Reflexa aka ‘Song of India’

Attractive green, lime and yellow-streaked leaves make these plants stand out. They are easy to grow in both high and low light, and absorb undesirables like formaldehyde, toluene and xylene.

Philodendron

Easy to care for houseplants that need very little attention. Their various cultivars have unique colouring, making them an attractive addition to your home. They’re known to rid the air of xylene, a toxin that’s found in many glues and leathers.

Peperomia

A pleasant shade of mint and pale green, the numerous variegated leaves of this plant release high oxygen content into the air, while removing pollution. Regarded as one of the top air-cleansing indoor plants, it fights chemicals such as formaldehyde, ammonia and benzene, and also acts as a natural humidifier.

Aglaonema

Large, showy variegated foliage that emits high oxygen content, and purifies indoor air by removing chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene and other toxins.

Chlorophytum

NASA places this plant among the top 3 types of houseplants that are great at removing formaldehyde. Its long-bladed leaves also remove carbon monoxide and other toxins and impurities, making it an excellent plant for the kitchen area, where carbon monoxide tends to accumulate.

Dieffenbachia

These spectacular houseplants are grown chiefly for their large variegated foliage. The leaves of their many cultivars vary in formation and degree of variegation and colour. Tough, easy to maintain, and withstands the indoors well, they help remove formaldehyde from the air that could come from foam insulation, carpets and plywood.

Flowering Houseplants For Air Purification

NASA studies have found that just one 6-inch plant can help purify and remove harmful gases and toxins per 100 square feet (9.3 square metres) of living space. So imagine what just 1 square metre of green wall can do to improve your living environment! We can easily pack 40 houseplants densely into that one square metre – a natural solution for removing contaminates and carcinogens for your interiors.

Here are some flowering houseplants that can be added to your green wall for a vibrant splash of colour:

Dendrobium & Phalaenopsis Orchids

From the palest pink to the most virant purple, you can choose orchids in a dazzling array of colours. Orchids rid the air of xylene, a pollutant found in many glues and paints. Unlike most other plants, orchids respire and give off oxygen at night, so they’re great for the bedroom.

Spathiphyllum aka ‘Peace Lily’

Anthuriums

Exotic-looking crimson blooms with large, dark green leaves, these plants suck up ammonia, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene, so they are a thoughtful inclusion for a workplace green wall, especially among copiers, printers and adhesives.

Talk to Greenology’s team of expert horticulturists and designers to create a gorgeous living work of green wall art. It will literally bring a breath of fresh air into your home or office!

Let’s Clear The Air!