Best Plants for Indoor Air Quality in Garden Offices
Photosynthesis allows plants to release oxygen that helps cleanse the air of harmful chemicals like xylene, toluene and benzene.
Ferns make ideal office plants because they thrive in humid environments while simultaneously filtering out pollution such as ammonia, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. Boston ferns, heart-leaf philodendron or cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneck’) may all make great options.
Dracaenas are easy to care for; for best results look for varieties like the „Janet Craig”, red-edged or cornstalk varieties.
Calatheas
Calatheas have quickly become one of the hottest trends among houseplant enthusiasts due to their vibrant leaves that come in an assortment of colors and patterns. Calatheas make an eye-catching accent plant in any room, especially kitchens where their tropical elegance adds tropical flare. Calatheas can also make great floor plants in living rooms or bedrooms thanks to their moderate size allowing them to fit easily in planters or elevated stands.
Calatheas are strikingly beautiful air purifiers, capable of purifying indoor spaces of toxins. Unlike many houseplants, calatheas thrive under indirect light conditions with low humidity levels, preferring soil that’s slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.5-7.0) as their ideal environment; mixing potting soil with orchid bark, peat moss and perlite works great too – occasionally misting will mimic their natural humid environment!
Calatheas are generally low maintenance plants, yet can still be susceptible to spider mites and aphids, requiring regular inspection and insecticidal soap or neem oil treatments for mitigation. Brown leaf edges or tips often occur due to lack of humidity, overwatering or chemical sensitivities in tap water; switching to distilled water with high humidity levels will help alleviate this issue.
Calatheas are non-toxic to both pets and children, making them an excellent choice for families with hectic schedules who struggle to find time to tend their plants. Their resilience also makes them ideal for any conditions imaginable – making calatheas an excellent addition to anyone’s garden!
Calatheas are most often grown for their foliage, though occasionally flowers do appear within. This typically happens during spring and summer and are concealed amongst their foliage. Calatheas don’t produce an overpowering fragrance and make an excellent addition to an entryway or living area. Plus, propagation is easy so if your calathea is looking unkempt you can easily cut some cuttings off to reinvigorate its health!
Ferns
Ferns are beautiful additions to indoor spaces and easy to care for, perfect for busy offices. Their efficiency in photosynthesizing sunlight into energy makes them excellent air purifiers while their distinctive fronds come in various shapes and colors to match different environments: from large plumed ostrich ferns with five foot long plume to delicate hayscented ferns with bright green 12 inch long leaves growing clumpily, there’s sure to be one available that fits the bill for gardeners or interior designers.
Ferns are excellent air cleaners and carbon dioxide reducers, adding an organic touch and visual appeal to any garden office space they adorn. Their lush fronds add visual interest as well as cleaning the air of harmful compounds.
NASA conducted a two-year study that demonstrated how low maintenance plants like peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) and Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) could effectively remove formaldehyde and benzene toxins from the air, including formaldehyde. They only require regular watering, semi-shady conditions and moderate temperatures to be most successful at doing this job.
Dracaena plants are well known to filter airborne pollutants like xylene and trichloroethylene from indoor environments. Some varieties such as Janet Craig, warneck and cornstalk dracaenas make excellent choices for this task, tolerant of low light conditions while preferring moist rather than wet soil environments.
English Ivy (Hedera helix), another popular and hardy houseplant, makes an effective air cleaner by helping reduce formaldehyde levels in the atmosphere. This resilient plant can withstand sun, shade and high temperatures as long as its needs are watered regularly and misted; even high temperatures won’t hurt it!
Monkey Mask Monstera
Monstera adansonii, commonly referred to as Swiss Cheese Plant or Monkey Mask plant, is an easy houseplant to grow indoors. A close relative of Monstera deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Vine), this specimen boasts intricate leaf holes or fenestrations but with smaller growth habits and thinner leaves than its more well-known cousin.
Monsteras thrive in bright indirect lighting and warm, humid conditions. Although they can be planted outdoors during summertime months, when temperatures begin to dip at night it is important to bring them indoors when night-time temperatures decrease. Monsteras prefer indirect light over direct sun; therefore north or east facing windows often make ideal settings; artificial grow lights may supplement any limited natural lighting sources for best results.
Watering Monstera adansonii plants regularly is essential, yet be wary not to overwater. Soil needs to remain moist yet not wet at all times for best results, otherwise root rot may occur due to oversaturated soil conditions. An ideal mix for Monstera adansonii should include peat moss, perlite and coarse materials such as coco coir or orchid bark for good drainage and improved nutrient uptake.
An active monstera will demonstrate plenty of fenestration on its leaves; if they don’t appear to split open it may indicate insufficient sunlight for it to thrive properly. In such instances, gradually increase its exposure until your leaves no longer burn or become disfigured.
As with other members of the Araceae family, this plant can be poisonous if consumed, so keep it out of reach of children and pets. Furthermore, this species of plant is vulnerable to infestation from sap sucking scale insects and red spider mites; should these pests appear near your plants, spraying with fungicide or insecticidal soap will usually help eliminate them from your foliage.
Monstera varieties with intricate variegation make the plant even more stunning and eye-catching, such as Monstera adansonii ‘Laniata’ with long thin fenestrations or Monstera adansonii ‘Albo Variegata’ which features mottled green or creamy white patterns through its leaves.
Spider Plants
Researchers from UF/IFAS have discovered that spider plants are effective at filtering air pollution such as formaldehyde found in household cleaners and paints, carbon monoxide which causes accidental poisonings in homes, as well as turning toxic gases into oxygen for healthier indoor environments and easy propagation.
Just like other houseplants, spider plants prefer bright to moderate indirect lighting conditions and average temperatures. Their roots quickly establish in any soil condition and they quickly adapt to changing light levels; making them the ideal houseplants for beginner gardeners or apartment dwellers with busy lifestyles. Furthermore, spider plants resist over fertilization and irregular watering habits which makes caring for them much simpler!
Spider plants are easily identified by their long, narrow leaves that branch from their centers or appear channeled or folded along their length. Their foliage ranges in color from solid green to variegated yellow-white; and can even have straight or curved edges and either pointed or rounded tips; additionally they often sport lengthwise stripes running down each leaf as well.
Spider plants are beloved among botanical enthusiasts for their ability to improve indoor air quality, especially formaldehyde vapor removal and propagation ease. They’ve proven themselves incredibly efficient at filtering toxins out of the atmosphere such as formaldehyde while remaining easy to care for over time.
When propagating a spider plant, it’s essential that only offshoots with roots attached are transplanted. This allows the plant to concentrate its energy on existing growth rather than producing offspring. Furthermore, dead or brown leaves should be pruned off immediately as soon as they appear and soil must remain moist but not soggy.
To prevent overwatering, be sure to allow the top inch of soil to dry out between watering sessions. For added humidity in your space where spider plants are growing, place their pot on a tray of wet pebbles as this will provide natural humidity while helping avoid leaf tip browning caused by excess humidity in the air.