posted
I've read that the jade plant/tree is the best aircleaner of the houseplants are their others that are almost as good? And what are they? I like having a variety of plants in the house and since I smoke I need all the help in this area I can get. I have an air purifier but those aren't all they are cracked up to be.
* * * * Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.75.252
posted
I've read that spider plants and peace lilies are good for their air-cleaning properties, too, Tammy. Since I smoke, too, I know what you mean about needing all the help you can get to clean the air. I am so glad that my future hubby gave up that habit years ago.
posted
There is a great deal of misunderstanding about the celan air effects of plants. The plants that were tested by Bill Wolverton (the only one who has done any research on the topic) were tested in a highly controlled environment. The air pollutants tested did not include tobacco or auto emissions, the two most common household air pollutants.
Although air cleaners do have limitations, they are generally more effective in removing air pollutants than plants.
Despite the rankings of plant species by their ability to clean, the bottom line is that healthy plants with lots of total leaf surface are the most effective, regardless of species. So select your plants based on their ability to thrive in the environment you can provide for them.
If you can quit the Devil Weed, that's the best answer. I can sympathize with how difficult that can be because I went through it many years ago.
Seeded: 24.215.241.27
posted
Definitly quiting would be best. I try and I try but so far no luck. But I'm sure I will get there someday.
So I am looking for an easy care big leaf'ed plant. hummmmm, that dragon wing begonia looked really pretty down in the mystery plants. Wonder where I can find one.
* * * * Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.141.231
Will Creed
guest
posted
tk,
If you have enough light for a Begonia then you have enough light for a Ficus lyrata or fidde-leafed fig. It has very large green leaves shaped like a fiddle.
Seeded: 24.215.241.27
well i've killed a few of those. I don't know what I did wrong but they died. Leaves dropped off ... that sort of thing. So is it because the ficus leaves are green and the begonia is kind of red? Is the begonia hard to grow too. What's real easy that's big. That I cold buy when it's really small or a seed/tuber/bulb? In it's cheapest form so to speak. I am currently growing one subspecies of a jade type plant. A pink tinged succulent. A small varigated aloe, a puple velvet passion plant, some white caladium, some butterhead lettuce, a few tomatoes, two baby coleus, some chives and some green onions inside. I have room for a large pot on the floor about 9 feet away from the 40 watt florescent light. It would also get some indirect light from the west facing window that is about 11 feet away but not much. The apartment gets very warm in the summer and very cold during the winter due to broken single pane windows.
* * * * Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.24.47
Will Creed
guest
posted
tk,
The Ficus I referred to is a different species than the Ficus benjamina that you are referring to. Ficus lyrata holds onto its leaves much better.
However, from your description, you do not have adequate light for either a begonia or a Ficus. Light intensity drops off dramatically with distance from the source. The location you describe is too far from both the fluorescent light and the window to support anything but a low light plant. In low light, no plant is going to start out small and eventually become very large.
I suggest that you get a low light species of the size that you want without expectation of much increased size.
Seeded: 24.215.241.27
posted
I don't know which houseplant is the best air cleaner.. but Im a smoker too.. I use a product called O*ZONELite in my greenhouse. Its a light bulb that you can plug directly into a light socket and its an air purifier... it also helps get rid of smoke odors and the clean air then allows your plants and flowers to grow stronger and last longer. I'm sure it will work in your house as well. www.ozonelite.com if you are interested.
Plants: 2 | From: Connecticut | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 66.184.179.217
Thankyou for the link. I'll add it to my favorite catalog list for the future. I went way over budget last month so I can't get it right now. Is the difference noticable to you? I have an air purifier but I'm not happy with it and after spending 350.00 dollars on it too.
* * * * Plants: 8557 | From: triangle, virginia | Registered: Mar 2005
| Seeded: 4.249.72.64
posted
Yeah- it has been working for me.. I have 2 in my greenhouse which is a pretty good size. I spend a lot of time in there.. reading or tending to my plants.... so it tends to get pretty smokey. But after I started using O*ZONELite back in February I noticed a difference in how smoky it was. I also noticed a difference in how quickly my plants were growing. It has definitely helped.
Plants: 2 | From: Connecticut | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 66.184.179.217
posted
I have read that the airplane plant, a type of spider pleant, is great.
Plants: 292 | From: Arizona | Registered: Oct 2004
| Seeded: 68.105.143.209
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Since I smoke, too, I know what you mean about needing all the help you can get to clean the air. I am so glad that my future hubby gave up that habit years ago.
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