Huffington Magazine Issue 46 | Page 68

Exit HUFFINGTON 04.28.13 HOME BAMBOO PALM The attractive bamboo palm also made NASA’s list of top cleanair plants with a purifying score of 8.4. It’s particularly effective at clearing out benzene and trichloroethylene. These need to be well-watered, in shade or indirect sunlight. GETTY IMAGES/DORLING KINDERSLEY (BAMBOO PALM, RED EDGED DRACAENA)); KEVIN RUSS/GETTY IMAGES (PHILODENDRON); ELVISRIPLEY/FLICKR (GOLDEN POTHOS); GETTY IMAGES/IMAGE SOURCE (SPIDER PLANT) RED-EDGED DRACAENA This beautiful, vibrant plant can grow to be ceiling-height (15-foot dracaenas are common), making it a great plant for decorating and filling up space. It also removes toxins including xylene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde from the air. Grows best in sunlight. GOLDEN POTHOS The Golden Pothos made the NASA list for its ability to clear formaldehyde from the air. Try adding it to your kitchen or living room as a hanging plant, as the leaves will grow down in cascading vines. They grow easily in cool temperatures with low levels of sunlight. PHILODENDRON SPIDER PLANT One of the most common house plants, spider plants are decorative, easy to grow, and also made the NASA list of the best air-purifying plants. Spider plants are effective at fighting pollutants including benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene. The heart-shaped philodendron is a popular plant choice for indoor areas, as they’re easy to care for and can grow decorative vines. Like the English Ivy, they are particularly good at absorbing formaldehyde. They can also last for many years when properly cared for. Grow with moderate water and some sunlight and they’ll be fine.