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Plants That Help You Breathe

Part 1 - Foliage Plants

By Chloe McClementsPublished 5 years ago 9 min read
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The introduction of plants into your home, although isn’t a recent one, is becoming increasingly popular for more than its aesthetics. For centuries plants have been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, including breathing conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Nowadays, with the increase of smaller living spaces, modern high rise building blocks, air conditioning, plug in air fresheners filled with chemicals, as well as our hard and soft furnishings being made from synthetic materials, good air flow, and protection from indoor air pollution is seen as somewhat hard to come by.

Many of us are becoming more and more aware of the damaging effect that modern day living is having on our overall health, but for asthmatics and sufferers of other breathing conditions, myself included, this feeling of longing for clean, unpolluted air is all too familiar. According to Asthma UK, the UK has some of the highest rates of Asthmatics across Europe, with an average of three people losing their lives every day to an asthma attack, and sadly 2/3 of these deaths are said to have been preventable. With statistics like that, it’s no surprise that over the last few years, using plants as décor has become more than just a fashion statement, but an attempt to naturally purify the air in our homes.

Since 2007 when the smoking ban in public places came into effect across the UK, many households took on the same initiative and stopped smoking in their homes, taking their nasty habit outside. Nowadays being in an enclosed space, smelling and inhaling smoke for a lot of people is extremely unpleasant, as they can see and feel the toxic chemicals surrounding them and entering their airways. Most parents will do what they can to keep their children away from cigarette smoke, because they know the harmful effects. But what about all the other chemicals you and your developing child inhale on a daily basis without even realizing it?

Our homes are our havens. Our own space, however large or small, where we should be able to feel safe and secure in the knowledge that we’re not unwillingly breathing in harmful toxins that pollute the air from modern day life.

In 1989 NASA discovered that some houseplants are actually able to absorb harmful toxins in small, enclosed spaces. Making them perfect for purifying the air in your living space. In this article I aim to give you a list of indoor foliage plants that could help your home become a fresher place to live, as well as tips for caring for them so that they can perform at their best. Although I cannot confirm that these plants will directly help any breathing condition you may have, I can give you a list of plants that could potentially help get rid of harmful toxins in your home, which in turn may help your breathing.

Aloe vera

So this is probably the most obvious and most commonly heard of plant at the moment when it comes to things like skin conditions. Egyptians used the gel from the Aloe’s leaves on sunburns, grazes, and irritated skin, and the plant has cropped up in a lot of blogs lately as a skin soother, as well as a digestive aid—you can even buy the cool soothing gel in juice and capsule form from places like Holland and Barrett. However, it’s also great for absorbing toxins such as Formaldehyde and Benzene, which can be found in a lot of domestic cleaning products, as well as in some textiles and paints, making it a really great plant to have around the house. Aloes are relatively easy to care for. Keep the plant in a warm spot, but out of direct sunlight as this can cause the leaves to turn brown and wilt. Make sure your plant is in a well-draining pot, preferably one with holes in the bottom as Aloe’s hate having wet feet, and sitting in water for long periods of time, so water at the base of the plant, and around the leaves, instead of sitting the pot in a tub of water. If you don’t have a pot with holes in it, fill the bottom couple of inches of your pot with gravel, mixing some in with your soil and top the plant with more gravel or perlite to make sure any excess moisture isn’t sitting at the plants roots. Aloe’s don’t need a whole load of nutrients, as they’re used to growing in Mediterranean conditions similar to that of thyme. So you might find that even a multipurpose compost may be too nutritious for an Aloe. I tend to use left-over soil from my potato plants, as its completely depleted of nutrients, making it a perfect home for Aloe’s. Failing this, an indoor houseplant compost, or topsoil, mixed with gravel or perlite should be sufficient as well. Although Aloes aren’t a fast-growing plant, they develop baby plants called pups stemming from the base of the adult plant. When these pups become too big, you can actually transplant them by removing the whole plant from its pot and cutting through, or prizing the baby away from the parent, leave both plants out on a tray overnight to allow the wound to callus over before repotting both parent and pup back into their own pots.

Pineapple Plant

The ornamental pineapple plant is part of the bromeliad family, and is used to living in the warm jungles of Uruguay, so it will enjoy a warm, indirect sunlight spot on your window sill. A study from the State of New York University researching the effect of volatile organic compounds on some house plants, and how much of these compounds they absorb showed that the bromeliad plant was capable of absorbing up to 80 percent of six of the eight VOC’s tested on the plant, including toxins found in furniture, printers, and dry-cleaned clothes, which can contribute to asthma and dizziness. It's these absorbing effects originating from many of the bromeliad species that may give this ornamental pineapple its air purifying status. Toxins are absorbed through the leaves, as well as water and nutrients to feed the plant. Something special about Bromeliads is that they work their magic overnight, whereas most other house plants will work through the day. So it’s a great plant to introduce with your other natural purifiers for an all-round fresh home. The ornamental pineapple, like the aloe likes to have a good drainage system, and doesn’t like to be sitting in water. Unlike the yellow and green edible pineapple that we are used to seeing, when mature, the ornamental pineapple tends to be dark pink, adding a great splash of colour to any room.

Marginata Dracaena (Red Edged Dracaena)

The same study by the State university of New York found the Dracaena to absorb a whopping 94 percent of the toxin Acetone when exposed to it. This is the chemical most commonly found in nail varnish remover, and has a very distinctive smell. Two of the other chemicals the Dracaena has been found to absorb are Xylene, which is used a lot in the leather and rubber industries with small amounts being found in airplane fuel and cigarette smoke. Some of the effects that exposure to this toxin can cause are dizziness and nausea, as well as potentially disturbing the actions of proteins that are essential to normal neuronal function. Toluene, which is used in explosives and plastics, as well as some pharmaceuticals. Now I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel pretty uneasy to think about what’s entering our bodies from the medical industry. This toxin can also cause drowsiness and headaches, as well as memory problems. Dracaena’s are still relatively low maintenance; they prefer a dappled shade position on a warm window sill. Any drooping or yellowing of the leaves will indicate that you are over-watering the plant, or that the plant doesn’t have enough drainage. However, they do benefit from being fed every two weeks with an all-purpose indoor plant feed during the warmer months, dropping that to just once a month during autumn, and allowing the plant to remain dormant over winter. Dracaenas have been known to be toxic to cats and dogs if ingested.

Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

A relatively easy plant to care for, the Snake plant is a great plant to introduce to your air purifying collection. It has been found to have the ability to absorb toxins such as Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Xylene, which we have already mentioned, as well as Trichloroethylene, which is found in the metal cleaning and degreasing industries, which may mean it could be lurking amongst your oven-cleaning products. Exposure to small amounts of this chemical haven’t been found to have major side effects, and the presence of this chemical in the air has been shown to not always necessarily lead to an exposure, however I think it’s better to be safe than sorry. Breathing in contaminated air could lead to irritation in your nose, throat, and lungs. And it has been noted to have the ability to cause cancer when exposed to larger quantities.

With around 70 species to choose from, you won’t have to settle for something not quite to your liking, as each species has its own attributes, whether it be a twist in the leaves or a pink tint. The most common choice is the Sansevieria Trifasciata, nicknamed the mother-in-law’s tongue. This architectural plant likes to be warm, and in indirect sunlight. But make sure you let the soil completely dry out between waterings, as it is quite easy to over water. Separating this plant is similar to that of the Aloe. It produces fleshy rhizomes at its base, which can be cut with a sharp knife and replanted into its own pot, meaning you could end up getting more for your money, and having a few around the house at very little expense. You can also take cuttings of the plant from its long leaves, and regrow a plant from them. These plants are also considered to be toxic to cats and dogs.

Philodendron

As this plant can deal with being stuck in a small (ish) pot for a relatively long time without needing to be repotted or cut back in any way, it comes in at one of the easiest houseplants to have on your shelf, as long as it has a warm sunny spot. If it gets really hot during summer, then the plant will benefit from a misting during the hotter days. If the plant starts to get really tangled and trailing around its spot, then it might be a good idea to support it up a moss pole. Although these are also considered to be toxic to pets, there are so many variants to choose from. From the Heart Leaf (Philodendron Oxycardium), Red Emerald (Philodendron Erubesceus), Elephant Ear (Philodendron Domesticum/Tuxia) and Lacy-Tree (Philodendron Selloum) all having air-purifying properties, there really is something for everyone. The plants have been proven to absorb Xylene and Formaldehyde. Two chemicals which we have already covered in this article, that are found in most cleaning products and glue.

I hope this has helped you in deciding that perhaps you’d like to introduce some greenery into your living space to help clean the air around you. Or maybe you’ve not found what you’re looking for yet. If not, keep your eyes peeled for part two where we’ll be talking about more foliage plants, as well as introducing some floral plants into our spaces too!

Chloe x

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