GARDENING: AIR PURIFYING INDOOR PLANTS

Indoor plants are an essential element to any office setting and in my opinion, homes. They can add warmth, colour, texture, and they also purify the air.

A recent study by the University of Technology Sydney found that pot plants could remove common pollutants. Three large pot plants per room (that’s floor-standing sized plants) are enough to clean the air to the point where contaminants are negligible.

In 1989 a scientific study for NASA found that a number of popular indoor plants, including Dracaena and Spathiphyllum, were effective in purifying the air. Air pollutants can be a bi-product of the material in office furniture and building materials, and from air-conditioning.


Certain plants, more than others, can absorb the poisons and toxins in the air. These include Dracaena deremensis; the bamboo palm Chamaedorea microspadix, which is attractive looking, and the sculptured Dracaena marginata.


Another good indoor plant is the Sansevieria trifasciata, or mother in law's tongue. It needs little water, is very hardy, and does well in low light.

The peace lily Spathiphyllum is one of the plants that probably performs the best in low light conditions. Leave it in a room without any windows and it will survive on artificial light.


Aglaonema is a beautiful plant that also does well in low light and is in the top10 most popular plants that remove toxins from the air. Different varieties include ‘Silver Queen’ and ‘Silver King’ - so named because of the silver mottling in the leaves.


Yuccas are an in-vogue plant at the moment. In fact many plants with angles are popular. Look out for Yucca elephantipes which looks good in a pot, but try a combination of three different sizes in the same pot. These plants look especially good in boardrooms and reception areas.

Happy gardening.