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especially those prone to
respiratory ailments such as
asthma and tuberculosis, and
allergies.
However, a study conducted
some years ago by the US
National Aeronautical &
Space Administration (Nasa)
identified a number of
common house-plants that
actively remove these
chemicals from the atmosphere, leaving the air purer.
These include the dwarf date
palm (Phoenix robelenii),
Boston fern (Nephrolepis
exaltata), Kimberly queen fern
(Nephrolepis obliterata),
spider plant (Chlorophytum
comosum), Chinese evergreen
(Aglaonema modestum),
bamboo palm (Chamaedorea
seifrizii), weeping fig (Ficus
benjamina), devil's ivy
(Epipremnum aureum),
flamingo lily (Anthureum
andraeanum)
lilyturf (Liriope
spicata), broadleaf
lady palm (Rhapis
excelsa), our own
Barberton daisy
(Gerbera
jamesonii),
cornstalk dracaena
(Dracaena fragrans House plants make excellent air purifiers and
humidifiers
“Messangeana”),
peace lily (Spathifyllum
English ivy (Hedera helix),
“Mauna Loa”), and florist's
variegated snake plant
chrysanthemum (Chrysanthe(Sansivieria trifasciata
mum morifolium).
“Laurentis”), red-edged
In addition to the chemicaldracaena (D marginata),
removing properties of these
(and other) plants, all plants
sequester carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere and release
oxygen through the process of
photosynthesis. Moreover,
many plants aid in humidifying the atmosphere through
the process of transpiration,
both effects which are
beneficial to inhabitants
suffering from respiratory and
skin complaints.
Gerbera, aka Barberton daisy
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