World Environment Day was celebrated earlier this week on 5th June – the theme for 2019 was ‘Air Pollution’

The quality of the air we breathe is important to our health, fitness and well-being. In closed environments the ‘flow’ of air is confined and is contaminated by chemical substances (called volatile compounds) released from furniture, paint, clothing, floors etc and from people! Extensive scientific research shows that plants absorb and remove these contaminants, thereby purifying the air.

Country Living magazine (UK based) lists the following 10 common indoor plants as the ‘Top air purifying plants for indoor homes & offices’

1. Gerbera (hybridised from our own local ‘Barberton Daisy’)
2. English Ivy
3. Sansevaria (Mother in law’s tongue)
4. Chrysanthemum
5. Spider plant (more commonly known as ‘Hen & Chicken’)
6. Aloe Vera
7. Broad lady palm (Rhaphis palm)
8. Draceana red edge
9. Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
10. Chinese Evergreen (Agloanema var.)

Keep yourself and your colleagues healthy and happier this winter, add an indoor plant to your office, your home and your bedroom.

As a general rule of thumb; 350 grams of healthy leaf mass is all that is required to achieve a reasonably good air purifying ratio of plant per person*.

Source: Professor Bert van Duijn, Leiden, 30 October 2013