Air Cleaning House Plants

My air cleaning house plants are outside, I just open some windows! There again, I live in an area where this is possible. I've always been one for fresh air in a house.

Only indoor plant I have is some Lucky Bamboo.
 
Bo said:
Indeed, I think it just applies to eating it or chewing on it, I have not yet come across anything which says that it is dangerous only when it is in the area,

As long as you can keep your cats and dogs away from touching/eating/chewing it, they should be fine.

Unless some other members have different advice?

Thank you Gimpy and Bo. I checked the entry for Peace Lily on the site you gave, and even if it doesn't mention explicitly that it is only toxic when they eat it, it mentions reactions like oral irritation and intense burning and irritation of mouth, so that's clear.
 
Keit said:
Belibaste said:
Gimpy said:
This looks really interesting, but the big question I have is this: are any of these plants toxic to animals? Like dogs and cats? :/

Here is a list of plants (excerpt from an ASPCA document) that are toxic to dogs and cats.

Peace Lily
I have a question about this list. What does it mean toxic for animals? Is it toxic only when they eat it or when those plants are in their area? We have a cat and a dog and also two big peace lilies, and it seems like it doesn't have any negative effect on them.

From the Cat Fanciers' Association website we can read :

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants-non-toxic.html said:
The following list contains plants that have not been reported as having systemic effects on animals, or as having intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Note that any plant material ingested by an animal (as when dogs and cats ingest yard grass) may produce symptoms including vomiting, depression, or diarrhea. These symptoms are generally mild and self-limiting and often do not require any treatment.

From what I understand those plants are toxic if ingested and the symptoms are not this serious.
 
Generally, due to a far keener sense of smell, cats and dogs(and pretty much all animals for that matter)will avoid chewing on/eating anything that is toxic to them.
So I have observed/learned thus far in my life.
 
Gertrudes said:
Thanks for the info Shijing and RyanX.
On this subject, here is someting that I found. It is extracted from a Feng Shui book but the data is quite interesting:

The Feng Shui Bible by Simon Brown said:
Research indicates that plants can help reduce the affects of EMF (Electromagnetic fields). The Institut Des Recherches en Geobiologie at Chadonne in Switzerland carried out a two year research programme in offices on New York's Wall Street, to examine the effects of keeping plants next to computer terminals. The most effective plant was Cereus peruvianuf (a type of cactus, 40cm/ 16 in high), which reduced the incidence of headaches and tiredness among employees when placed next to the computers. Other investigations have promoted the Peace Lily and Spider plant as having similar properties.

it might be interesting to empirically check how much do various plants "filter out" microwaves. it's an easy test to perform against wi-fi frequencies (~ 2.4 GHz). one could just put different plants somewhere near the AP device and observe changes in signal strength on a computer with a proper software installed.

i'll try to get a wireless router (i don't have any at home) and see what the results are... with a very limited variety of plants in my flat.
 
Great information in this stream!

I've always felt that plants had a grounding effect. I grew up in a house with a huge amount and variety of houseplants. I've kept up the habit of co-habitating with houseplants in most of my homes over the years. Though I don't have any indoor plants at present in my new abode, smack in the middle of Manhattan, I have begun an outdoor garden on the terrace that surrounds my apartment. So far, I have a number of small trees, lots of big bamboo plants, herbs and some flowering shrubs.

I was wondering whether there's anything fundamental about our relationship with plants in relation to protection from 4D STS. Has that question ever been presented during a Cs session?

I've come across all kinds of usage of plants in shamanic stories, where the spirit of herbs and other plants are allied with in order to protect, or provide power, protection, etc... I wonder how do the Cs see this? Which plants in particular are useful and how would one go about making use of, or bond with them, whatever the case might be?
 
What's sold of late as "lucky bamboo" is often simply a species of Draceana; all of which are very easy to care for, one of which (the Janet Craig hybrid) is among the very popular lists of plants efficient at cleaning indoor air.

In fact, the whole bamboo in a vase of water seems a very efficient marketing excercise of the floriculture industry....those rootless canes are how most Dracaenas (and many other plants) are shipped from their native environments where they're propagated; packed and shipped to another wholesaler in (often northern) regions non native to the plant, where they're potted up, grown on, and resold again to the retailer.

Pot up your lucky bamboo and watch it grow! It'll be much more luscious and happy once it's feet are in some dirt!
:)
 
I had a pup who once ate some jade plant leaves. I did not know if it was toxic or not, but since it was a succulent I didn't worry too much about it. An hour later she threw up the nastiest, foul smelling pitch black goo... lots and lots of it... in the front seat of my brand new car. She seemed none the worse for wear afterward, but my car (and the pup) required some serious cleaning. That stuff was really disgusting.

I would advise keeping jade plant out of the reach of animals.
 
Indeed. Plants help us to be much better energetically and physically.I have many around me, specially orchards.I love to "talked" with them and i know they listen to me :love:

When i have some visits in my place they say:"i do not want to move from here" and i know why :P
 
Just don't put them in the bedroom. Plants give off carbon dioxide at night. Bad Feng shui.
 
Laura said:
Just don't put them in the bedroom. Plants give off carbon dioxide at night. Bad Feng shui.
Could this be a Feng Shui myth? Plants do release C02 at night. But it seems like the same argument could be made about spouses, who I think would absorb more oxygen and release more CO2 than a few house plants. :) Other primates like gorillas and orangutans sleep in the middle of forests at night.
 
I've myself this kind of plants for long but once I read a scientific study saying that the filtering capacity in terms of air capacity was measured as very very low. Studies can be oriented but I tend to give this one credit. What is sure is that plants have "energetic" value anyway.
 
CO2 levels will be a little higher at night in a room with plants compared to one without. In the atmosphere in general C02 levels fluctuate in a daily rhythm due to the effects of plants having a net release of CO2 during the night.

At night, our oxygen requirements would be less than when we are up and moving about during the day. CO2 is also reported to be a muscle relaxant, so maybe that could even be a good thing during sleep? Of course I don't mean one should deliberately sleep in an air-tight room, some ventilation like a partly opened window seems to be a good idea for a healthy sleep.
 
Feng Shui or not, you would need to sleep with a LOT of plants in a very well sealed room to be affected by the amount of CO2 released by those plants.

But talking about Feng Shui, spiky plants are not recommended unless you want to keep other people away (more or less). And, as FS masters say, ‘"Any plant is better than a dead plant."

https://fengshuisteps.wordpress.com/tag/spiky-plants-bad-feng-shui/ said:
Cactus plants (cacti) and other Thorny plants
Spiky and thorny plants are rarely admitted in Feng Shui gardens and homes; their thorns put out small amounts of bad energy. Over time this can cause sickness, loss and bad luck, so it is better to avoid those.

Bonsai
Bonsai are large trees that have been artificially stunted over the years. Although bonsai can be valuable, they are bad Feng Shui when grown indoors. Bonsai symbolise stunted growth, and can cause blocks in growth and business.

Plants that grow downwards
Don’t grow weeping willows, spider plants, ivy and other downward growing plants indoors. These draw energy downwards, when we want indoor plants to boost our energy.

Dead, sick and dying plants, and wilting cut flowers
These release negative energy and symbolise death. Throw them out. Keep only healthy plants and freshly cut flowers indoors. Replace dead and dying plants with healthy plants to boost Chi.

So for an harmonious INDOOR place, avoid bonsais, downward growing, dying and thorny plants.

A few random quotes about spiky plants:

Generally speaking, you want to opt for plants that have nice rounded shaped leaves, okay, as opposed to the plants that are on the spiky side, okay. The reason for this is that particularly yuccas which have broader leaves than this, they have a very kind of aggressive or stimulating or clashing energies we call it, which is not conducive to harmony.

In the world of Feng Shui, we often recommend plants with soft or curved leaves. Why? Because leaves that are soft tend to ‘feel’ friendlier and when you use a ‘friendly’ plant it’s easier to create a sense of welcome in your living space. Whereas leaves that are sharp and pointed cannot only hurt us but they also keep us from drawing near and that tends to work against the creation of a sense of welcome.

But here’s the question, are sharp pointy leaves, thorn and prickles bad Feng Shui, in a word ‘no’.

The quality of protection that spiky, sharp leaves offer a plant can also be used to your advantage. We all have times in our lives when we need a little space, time to regroup and re-evaluate our lives. And that is when a sharp, spiky leaved plant is perfect. When placed in the Bagua area that relates to your situation, the plant provides healthy vibrant energy while also protecting your space. For example: if you have recently ended a difficult relationship and are not ready to begin a new one, a plant with spiky leaves can create a sense of distance while also bringing the positive chi that plants possess. The ultimate yes no. ‘Yes’ I’m beautiful and healthy, ‘no’ I don’t want you any closer. Think of it as a living buffer zone.

Houseplants with rounded leaves and an upright habit attract good Chi, symbolizing round coins and money, thereby creating a sense of abundance.

Spiky plants like cacti and snake plants are excellent for shielding you against negative Chi, but their aggressive energy means you need to place them where they’re not in highly-trafficked areas of your home.

Avoid droopy plants like ivies. They create a drag on the energy of your home and can make you feel tired every time you look at them

Plants to Use
From a feng shui perspective, the best plants are those with round or soft leaves. Spiky plants that bite when you touch them are not encouraged, unless you have a particularly strong love for them.

Another feng shui can of worms is sick or dying plants. A sick plant is worse than no plant at all. If you can’t bring yourself to toss out a plant as soon as it begins to droop, al least keep all dead leaves trimmed off. And know when to give up and admit that your plant is not going to bounce back to health – don’t wait until it’s a brown stick in a pot. For this same reason, get rid of cut flowers as soon as they begin to fade.

Back to air cleaning indoor plants:

http://www.gizmag.com/indoor-plants-emit-volatile-organic-compunds/12761/

Houseplants are not only aesthetically pleasing giving a touch of color to otherwise drab offices or houses, they also combat indoor air pollution, particularly with their ability to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. These compounds are gases or vapors emitted by solids and liquids that may have adverse short- and long-term health effects on humans. But in addition to giving off oxygen and sucking out harmful VOCs, a new study has shown that some indoor plants actually release VOCs into the environment.

A research team at the University of Georgia’s Department of Horticulture conducted a study to identify and measure the amounts of VOCs emitted by four species of popular indoor potted plants and to note the source of VOCs and differences in emission rates between day and night. The four plants they chose were Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii Regel), Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata Prain), Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina L.), and Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens Wendl.).

Samples of each plant were placed in glass containers with inlet ports connected to charcoal filters to supply purified air and outlet ports connected to traps where volatile emissions were measured. The results were compared to empty containers to verify the absence of contaminants. A total of 23 volatile compounds were found in Peace Lily, 16 in Areca Palm, 13 in Weeping Fig, and 12 in Snake Plant. Some of the VOCs are ingredients in pesticides applied to several species during the production phase.

And it turns out the plants themselves aren’t the only ones responsible for the release of VOCs. Micro-organisms living in the soil were also to blame for releasing volatiles into the atmosphere along with the plastic pots containing the plants, which were the source of 11 of the VOCs – several of which are known to negatively affect humans.[...]

:flowers:
 
Mal7 said:
Laura said:
Just don't put them in the bedroom. Plants give off carbon dioxide at night. Bad Feng shui.
Could this be a Feng Shui myth? Plants do release C02 at night. But it seems like the same argument could be made about spouses, who I think would absorb more oxygen and release more CO2 than a few house plants. :) Other primates like gorillas and orangutans sleep in the middle of forests at night.

No, a quick check on the net reveals that it's not a "Feng Shui myth". (You could have looked it up yourself.) I think the Feng Shui part of it has less to do with any measurable chemicals or gases and more to do with the fundamental Feng Shui platform. And, as one commentator on the topic said: "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it." That is, since Feng Shui has been practiced and shown to be helpful (valid?) for so long a time, moderns who might wish to argue with it are messing with something they don't fully understand.
 
Back
Top Bottom