Not enough time to enjoy the spring outdoors in Beijing? How about inviting the charm of spring into your home? Not only do plants decorate your apartment, but also play as air purifying plants and create an environment of spring surrounding you all the time. Plants growing indoors have multiple benefits, such as to relieve tension and fill the apartment with a pleasant scent.
We selected 6 plants from the recommendation list of NASA Clean Air Study, which you can easily find on local markets and which will function efficiently to provide you fresher air.
#1 Peace Lily
Peace lily tops the NASA Clean Air Study as the most powerful air purifying plants for removing common toxins violating from the furniture and newly decorated apartments. Peace lily can be the king of air purifying plants also because of his pristine white blooms. Even keeping in the shade, it can still survive. It sounds perfect for you, right?
Against Eliminates: formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene, ammonia
How to care: indirect sunlight, slightly moist soil, water weekly
Toxic for pets
Chinese name: 白鹤芋 (Bái Hè Yù)
#2 Aloe Vera
Aloe vera can be called the queen of the air purifying plants as a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners. This easy-to-grow succulent is so clever that her leaves will display brown spots as a warning when excessive harmful chemicals expose in the air. Aloe vera loves sunshine so that it is a smart choice to put it at a sunny window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside can help heal cuts and burns.
Against Eliminates: formaldehyde, benzene
How to care: sandy soil, sun-loving, water sparingly and weekly
Toxic for pets
Chinese name: 芦荟 (Lú Hùi)
#3 Bamboo Palm
Easy elegance best describes this sturdy palm, for it flourishes and intensifies the peace at your home. If you prefer a tall plant setting on the floor, you may want to think about a bamboo palm. Normally it grows between three and six feet tall. As it doubles as an air humidifier, it matches the dry spring in Beijing perfectly.
Against Eliminates: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene;
How to care: moist soil, bright but indirect sunlight
Non-toxic for pets
Chinese name: 散尾葵(Sàn Wěi Kuí)
#4 Spider Plants
Spider plants are incredibly easy to survive, so everybody with a black thumb listen up! If you spend little time at home or forget your houseplants all the time: spider plant is your best choice. It will be a challenge to kill this resilient plant. The rich foliage and tiny white flowers on it fight the toxins efficiently.
Against Eliminates: formaldehyde, xylene and toluene, ammonia
How to care: cool-to-average temperatures, dry to moist soil, indirect sunlight
Non-toxic for pets
Chinese name: 吊兰 (Diào Lán)
#5 Golden Pothos
Golden pothos is a fast-growing air filtering plant. After a week, you will be amazed by a cascade of green from a hanging basket. A nickname, devil’s ivy, appreciates its survivability, because it maintains green even if grown in the dark. Golden pothos is also suitable in garages against formaldehyde exhaust from cars.
Against Eliminates: formaldehyde, benzene, xylene and toluene
How to care: moist soil, bright but indirect sunlight, water weekly
Toxic for pets
Chinese name: 金绿萝 (Jīn Lǜ Luó)
#6 English Ivy
English ivy grows so fast that the National Park Service called it “an aggressive invader”. It is up to you to hang it in high gear or let it perch on the floor. English ivy is a Jack of all trades since it functions great on removing allergens such as mould and animal faeces and filtering out formaldehyde found in some household cleaning products.
Against Eliminates: formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene, ammonia
How to care: moist soil, low-light, water weekly
Toxic for pets
Chinese name: 常春藤 (Cháng Qīng Téng)
Where to buy
We recommend you three places where to buy your favourite household plants:
Chaolaichun Flower Market
朝来春花卉市场
Beiyuan Donglu (east side of Qingnian Cheng), Chaoyang District
朝阳区北苑东路 (青年城东侧)
Tel: +86 10 8491 0105
Laitai Flower Market
莱太花卉交易中心
No.9, Maizidian West Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区麦子店西路9号
Tel: 400 690 7520
Liangmahe Flower Market
亮马河花卉交易市场
No. Yi 8, North Road of East 3rd Ring, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东三环北路乙8号
Tel: +86 10 6504 2446
It is not challenging to find greenery and nature around you, if you bring some of the air purifying plants back home.
