Gift a plant

Amarjeet Batth

The lockdown has given us many lessons, one of these being cleaner environment. The gains were for all to see — deep blue sky, star-filled nights and improved air quality. Let’s not lose these gains. This festive season gift a breeze of clean air by presenting a purifying plant to your near and dear ones. Readily available and moderately priced, these plants have the ability to absorb toxic air. Here are some plants you can gift:

Areca palm (chrysalidocarpus lutescens): The plant with a rich tropical look needs bright filtered sunlight and moist soil. It is rated as the best air purifying indoor plant with the highest removal rate of formaldehyde. It is the most effective air humidifier plant. Date palm, bamboo palm and rhapis palm are some others.

Asparagus fern (asparagus densiflorus): The small-sized, lush evergreen fern can be planted in a pot or hanging basket. It requires little care and flourishes indoors as well outdoors. Just keep the soil moist. It absorbs benzene, toluene, octane and trichloroethylene.

Dracaena (dracaena deremensis): The cane-like single stem plant has a strappy foliage. It is easy to maintain. Light fertilisation, once a month, is enough. Filtered light is preferred. It helps remove xylene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

Boston ferns (nephrolepis exaltata ‘bostoniensis’) These thrive best under filtered sunlight, moist soil and high humidity. The potted plant makes an adorable hanging basket in porches and patios. The stylish foliage is a stress buster. The plant significantly removes formaldehyde, benzene and xylene.

Elephant Ear (philodendron domesticum): The plant with long arrow-shaped leaves makes it perfect for indoors. It prefers warm, humid and indirect light. The plant absorbs formaldehyde.

English Ivy (hedera helix): The fan-shaped silver green plant can fit in baskets, cling to walls, spread as ground cover and spill over planters. It helps to remove air-based mold and is an effective formaldehyde remover.

Peace lily (spathiphyllum ‘mauna loa’): An easy to care plant, it prefers low light and moist soil. White flowers bloom during the rainy season. It has high transpiration rate and humidifies the air around. It is best for removing formaldehyde, benzene and certain VOCs that are emitted by paints.

Money plant (epipremnum aureum): The evergreen decorative vine can be grown in hanging baskets, trailed on support and planted in pots. Its low maintenance makes the plant a popular choice. It removes emissions like formaldehyde, xylene and benzene.

Spider plant (chlorophytum comosum): This houseplant is mostly grown in hanging baskets and pots indoors. It eliminates benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene.

Snake plant (sansevieria trifasciata ‘laurentii’): The hardy plant survives in low light and drought conditions. Wipe the leaves with a moist cloth to enhance its look. It removes toxins like formaldehyde, xylene, toluene, and nitrogen oxides.

Weeping fig (ficus benjamina) is a tall plant with drooping glossy branches. It grows tall when planted outside but can be potted where it remains in short height. It is maintenance free and absorbs toxins like formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

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