CasaSugar

Ask Casa: Plants To Clear the Air

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:30:26 -0700

Hi Casa,

I just moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend, and although we love it, the previous owners left it absolutely filthy! We cleaned up dust, dirt, old food, and mildew . . . yuck! My little puppy and I are both experiencing allergies and there is still a stale smell despite cleaning like crazy.

Are there any plants that are particularly suited to clean the air in a situation like this? We would be working with indirect and indirect partial sunlight.
Thanks,
Lacornflakegirl

To see my suggestions, read more.

Hi Lacornflakegirl,

Although you started out with a mixed bag with your apartment, it sounds like it's on the mend, thanks to your hard work. I looked for some plants that are great at purifying the air and are also nontoxic to pups, and here's what I came up with.

Try mums, which are great at purifying the air and also have a light, pleasant scent. Gerbera daisies also deal well with indirect light, and are great air purifiers. Another plant that you might put to work is a bamboo palm (shown here), though their growth sometimes occurs at funky angles, so you'll have to prune it occasionally.

I hope these plants will get your home smelling fresh. If your stale smell remains, even with these plants, try a natural air freshener, or whip up a no-sew sachet.

Hope this helps!
Casa
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Plants That Purify: Bamboo Palm

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:14:29 -0800

We all could benefit from a cheap and beautiful way to improve a home's indoor air quality. That's why I'm bringing you an ongoing series on house plants that are particularly good at purifying the air.

Next up in our series is the bamboo palm.

To find out more about this hardy house plant, just read more.

Bamboo palm, which is also known as reed palm, is a low-maintenance houseplant that prefers rainwater or distilled water to tap water. This plant is susceptible to spider mites and mealy bugs, so be careful to avoid insect infestations. Place your bamboo palm in indirect sunlight and allow the plant to stay moist, but not wet. If any water accumulates in the bottom of the planter, dump it out, as bamboo plants hate to sit in water.

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Plants That Purify: Dracaena

CasaSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 07:15:47 -0800

Next up in our series is the dracaena.

To find out more about this hardy house plant, just read more

There are many varieties of dracaena. The one shown in the photo is a Dracaena marginata, or Madagascar Dragon Tree. Dracaenas are known for being rugged, carefree houseplants. They have a tropical appearance that is attractive in many different decorating styles. Many tolerate low light conditions, though they grow best in bright, indirect light. Let soil dry slightly between waterings, and avoid watering with cold water.

Warning: Dracaena can be poisonous to your pets and children!

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Plants That Purify: Ficus

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:11:21 -0800

Next up in our series is the ficus.

Ficus benjamina, or the weeping fig, is one of the most popular trees that are grown indoors. Bright green leaves grow abundantly on the ficus, but leaf loss is common, especially when their environment is changed, or when there is a drop in temperature. Place ficus trees by a bright window, wipe off their leaves when they get dusty, and water them regularly (but do not overwater), and they'll be happy trees indeed.

Warning: plant sap from a ficus tree may cause dermatitis or allergic reactions.

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Plants That Purify: Chrysanthemum

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:59:46 -0800

Next up in our series is the chrysanthemum.

Chrysanthemums are a beautiful, autumn flower, and if you decide to use garland chrysanthemums as a Thanksgiving centerpiece, they can do double duty in a salad, since the flowers are edible!

Although chrysanthemums are usually associated with outside fall flower beds, they also grow well in pots indoors. Chrysanthemums come in a wide variety of colors and prefer full sun, except when in bloom. Keep the soil from becoming compacted, and only water when the soil has dried out. Chrysanthemums flower as a response to short days and long nights, and while old plants are usually not rebloomed, you can grow new plants from cuttings. To force chrysanthemums to bloom, provide them with 14 hours of darkness for 10–12 weeks.

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Plants That Purify: Mother-in-Law's Tongue

CasaSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 04:04:32 -0800

Next up in our series is mother-in-law's tongue.

Mother-in-law's tongue, or snake plant, produces long narrow leaves, that can grow up to five feet tall. While the name itself is obviously meant to disparage mother-in-laws, I think that the gorgeousness of this hearty, easy-to-care-for plant reverses that ill intent. This plant requires little care and is drought tolerant. Warning: All parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested.

Mother-in-law's tongue is ideal for anyone with a black thumb, as they will thrive under almost any conditions. Just don't leave them in a snowbank. Anything short of that extreme bad care and these plants will do right by the blackened of thumb gardener. Oddly, while most plants hate to be root bound, the mother-in-law's tongue will most likely flower if its roots are cramped in the container. Plants which are not root bound seldom blossom.

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Plants That Purify: Gerbera Daisy

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:00:39 -0800

Want a cheap and beautiful way to improve your home's indoor air quality? Then get some house plants! All plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, but in this process they also filter out toxins and pollutants, too. I'm going to tell you about house plants that are particularly good at purifying the air.

To find out more about this plant, just read more

Originally native to Africa, Asia, and Madagascar, Gerbera daisies can now be found all over the world. A compact plant that come in a variety of colors, Gerbera daisies like indirect or filtered light. You should avoid abnormally warm areas, such as placing them near a heating vent or woodstove. Keep the soil moist and allow the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings.

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Plants That Purify: A Healthy Home With House Plants

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:05:32 -0800

Whether you have a home bursting at the seams with house plants or there's nary a leaf to be found in your home, there are some important things to consider when keeping plants in your home. I'm going to bring you a series of posts called Plants That Purify, which will introduce you to the top 15 houseplants for maintaining healthy indoor air quality in your home.

To learn about how to keep your home healthy with house plants, just read more

A NASA study that tested primarily for formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene (all, frighteningly, found in most standard cleaning, painting, and building materials), determined that house plants can reduce the level of these chemicals in your home.
For a home of under 2,000 square feet, the study recommends using at least fifteen samples of a good variety of these common houseplants to help improve air quality.
To reduce the humidity and mold issues that may be a problem with house plants, water only when necessary and cover the soil with stones or marbles.
Remember-some plants may be harmful to your pets. Keep those plants on bookshelves and tables, away from pooch's or kitty's curious tastebuds.
By that same token, some plants are also poisonous for people, too. If you have a toddler that likes to put everything in her mouth, use the same strategy and keep potentially toxic plants out of reach from little hands-or better yet, wait until the kids are older to acquire these plants.
Always keep a non-porous watering dish under your plant's pot. Porous dishes can transfer moisture onto your floor and stain or damage wood floors and carpets.

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Plants That Purify: English Ivy

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:00:03 -0800

We all could benefit from a cheap and beautiful way to improve a home's indoor air quality. That's why I'm bringing you an ongoing series on houseplants that are particularly good at purifying air.

Next up in our series is English ivy.

To find out more about this hardy houseplant, just read more

English ivy can be found in close to a hundred varieties and has been known to also help remove benzene from the air. It is considered an invasive plant outdoors, since it spreads so quickly and can smother wildflowers and other native plants. However, it's a great plant if kept indoors.

To control growth, pinch leaves off of your English ivy plant. Also, make sure that your plant has sufficient humidity. Keep it away from heat registers or changes in temperature, and if your house is dry, it might help if you keep your ivy plant on a tray of pebbles that can have water added to it daily. Ivy likes indirect light, and its flexible stems allow it to be trained in predetermined shapes. In the home, plant diseases are very rarely a problem.

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Plants That Purify: Chinese Evergreen

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:00:50 -0800

Next up in our series is the Chinese evergreen.

Calling all black thumb gardeners! To find out about this black thumb-resistant plant, just read more

This tropical foliage plant is one of the most durable houseplants. It will forgive you if you put it in a poorly lit corner, blast the air conditioning, subject it to dry air, and even forget to water it for a few weeks.

Keep your Chinese evergreen out of direct sun and grow them in a standard soil mix with extra humus. If you can remember, try to keep the soil moist. Varieties include Emerald Beauty, which is rich green with pale green markings; Parrot Jungle, which has silvery markings on dark green leaves; Queen Julienne, which has silvery feathering on dark green foliage; Silver King, which is heavily silvered and grows 24 inches tall; and White Rajah, which has bold white markings. Warning: This plant is toxic, so keep it away from kids and pets!

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