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The Areca Palm (latin name: Chrysalidocarpus Lutescens) is also known as the butterfly palm. They require pruning and can grow up ten feet in height.
The Lady Palm (Latin name: Rhapis Excelsa) grows slowly but needs pruning. The palm is durable and adapts well to any room in the house.
The Bamboo Palm (Latin name: Chamaedorea Seifrizii) is also called the reed palm likes to be kept moist but not over-watered. This palm can be susceptible to spider mite (which can be sprayed with a solution of soapy water). Leaves may drop off when you first buy this plant as it adapts to conditions inside the home.
The Rubber Plant (Latin name: Ficus Robusta) grows to an overall height of eight feet with a five foot spread. Avoid direct sunlight but this plant likes a partial sunlight setting. keep moist in winter and be careful when pruning as the sap can irritate the skin.
Dracaena (Latin name: Dracaena Deremensis) can grow to a height of ten feet with a three foot spread. Keep the soil moist and remove any dead leaves.
Top ten houseplants for indoor air quality
A healthy houseplant is great to look at, makes us feel calmer and is an indoor air cleaner purifying the air we breath a study by NASA also confirmed this fact in the 1980's. Houseplants, mainly tropical houseplants get rid of harmful chemicals and help alleviate the symptoms of asthma and headaches among other things. The way we live today, in modern homes sealed off from the outide world, pollutants in paint and other household products can have a detrimental affect on our health.It's a well-known fact that common houseplants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis some houseplants mainly tropical houseplants also remove harmful elements such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air thus improving indoor air quality. Formaldehyde is used in many building materials and some cleaning products contain this chemical. Benzene, a common solvent, is found in oils and paints. Trichloroethylene is used in paints, adhesives, inks, and varnishes.
Tropical houseplants grow in their native form in areas of low sunlight. These plants are thus ultra-efficient at capturing light, which also means that they must be very efficient in processing the gasses necessary for photosynthesis. Because of this fact, they have greater potential to absorb other gases, including potentially harmful ones.
The following are the top ten houseplants according to the NASA research. They are mainly tropical houseplants and can be found in most gardening shops or online. With regular pruning their heights can be kept in check so the heights where mentioned are only a guideline.
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Philodendrons will tolerate
low sunlight to medium sunlight. Do not place in direct sunlight as this will burn the leaves. Clean the leaves regularly and keep moist but not over-watered.
Dwarf Palms (Latin name: Pheonix Roebelenii) prefers sunlight to shade. It is slow growing and can reach heights of eight feet without pruning. Caution: Dwarf Palms contain sharp spines that can easily penetrate the skin.
Ficus Alii (Latin name: Ficus Macleilandii Alii) prefers low to medium sunlight.
Boston Fern (Latin name: Nephrolepis Exaltata Bostoneinsis) prefers lots of light. The Boston Fern is usually on display as a hanging plant with it's fronds dangling downwards over its pot.
Peace Lily (Latin name: Spathiphyllum Mauna Loa) grows to a height of around three feet. Prefers a natural, well lit area and its leaves should be sprayed frequently to keep it moist.