Indoor Plants for Wellbeing
Having indoor plants in your home bring many benefits for your mental and physical health. However, some plants can be toxic and poisonous. Here we have listed 26 plants which are beneficial for air purification and categorised them as non-toxic and toxic to children and pets.
Plants purify air by absorbing toxins and releasing carbon dioxide. Toxins includes ammonia (♦), benzene (⛛), carbon monoxide (☀), chloroform (★), formaldehyde (⚫), hexene (⛝), toluene (+), trichloroethylene (☄) and xylene (⛬) which can leak into your home from most household cleaners, paint, etc. Symbols represent the toxins that the plants absorb.
Caution is needed if the plant is poisonous, by keeping them out of reach from children and pets. Symptoms of ingestion includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe stomach discomfort and, sap can cause irritation to skin and eyes.
Most indoor plants are easy to care and maintain. Watering may be done once a week depending on the moisture in the soil. If the soil is still wet, it is best to leave it and this can be checked by dipping your finger in the soil. Water moderately during winter. To provide relative humidity especially to plants that have thick and waxy leaves, you can wipe the leaves with a wet sponge or cloth, soaked in lukewarm water. Attention is also needed on their light requirements.
Tips:
Most indoor plants require little attention and are easy to grow but, occasionally, will have infestations from pests such as scale insects and mealy bugs. They can be control by using organic biopesticides which are harmless to the home environment. Two types can be used; Type A and Type B. They can be pre-prepared and stored for 48 hours, and further diluted before spraying. Dilution is 1 part biopesticide to 1 part water.
Type A: 300ml water, 5 Garlic cloves, 6 Thai red Chilli and 1 inch Ginger. Blend and sieve.
Type B: 300ml water, 1 spoon cooking oil and 1 spoon washing up liquid.
Non-toxic plants:
- Areca palms (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) ⛛ ⚫ ★ ⛬
This is the powerhouse for air purification. Bright indirect light to bright shade. Avoid radiator. Feed once a month. Palms will naturally shed the lower older leaves, therefore remove them when they dry and turn brown. - Eternal flame (Calathea crocata) ⛛ +
Bright indirect or filtered light. - Paradise palm (Howea spp.)⛛ ⛝
Bright indirect light to bright shade. - Footstool palm (Livistona rotundifolia) ⛛ ⚫ ☀
Bright indirect light to bright shade. - Guiana chestnut (Pachira aquatica) ⛛ ⚫ ☄
- Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa) ⚫ ☄ ⛬
Bright shade. - Mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis spp.)
Direct sunlight - Mind-your-own-business (Soleirolia soleirolii)
Full to partial light. More suitable for hanging basket. Sensitive to dry air. - Stromanthe (Stromanthe tricolor) ☀
Partial light. - Aloes (Aloe vera) ⛛ ⚫
Sun-loving, best plant for kitchen windowsill. Heals cuts and burns. - Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) ☀ ⚫ ⛬
Bright filtered light - Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata Bostoniensis) ⚫ ⛬
Bright filtered light.
Toxic plants:
- Flamingo lily (Anthurium spp.) ♦ ⚫ ⛬ +
Bright indirect light to bright shade - Croton (Codiaeum spp.) ⚫
Bright filtered light - Dracaena ⚫ ☄ ⛬
Bright direct light - Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) ⛛ ⚫ ☄ +
Bright direct light - Swiss cheese plant (Monstera spp.) ⚫
Bright filtered light - Aralia (Polyscias spp.) ⛛
Bright filtered light - Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) ⛛ ☀ ⚫ ☄ ⛬
Bright filtered light, flowering may suffer in deep shade - Fern arum (Zamioculcas spp.) ☀
Bright indirect light to bright shade - Snake plants (Sansevieria trifasciata) ⛛ ⚫ ☄ ⛬
Bright direct light - Philodendron ⚫
Bright filtered light. - Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum) ⛛ ★
Bright indirect light to bright shade - English Ivy (Hedera helix) ⛛ ⚫
Bright indirect light to bright shade - Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema spp.) ⚫ ⛬
Bright indirect light - Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia spp.) ⚫
Bright indirect light
Plants available at Creepers Wandsworth include: Anthurium, Calathea, Chrysalidocarpus, Codiaeum, Dracaena, Ficus elstica, Howea, Livistona, Monstera, Pachira, Polyscias, Rhapis, Rhipsalis, Soleirolia, Spathiphyllum, Stromanthe and Zamiocalus.
