Houseplant helpers

Find this article in Cville Weekly's Abode

What do draperies, traditionally dry-cleaned clothing, men's aftershave, and flooring materials potentially have in common? They could be off-gassing formaldehyde, terpene, and other chemicals into your home. One solution? Let beautiful houseplants do the purifying work for you through their natural process of breathing oxygen into the air.

Kelly Agee of local nursery Elzroth and Thompson says, "The broader the leaf, the more purifying it is." You'll be needing over a dozen to really cleanse the air. Here are the top recommendations from National Geographic's Illustrated Green Guide:

Boston fern
golden pothos
spider plants
(known to reduce levels of formaldehyde)

areca palm
moth orchids
dwarf date palm
(reduce xylene and toluene)

gerbera daisy
chrysanthemum
spider plants
peace lilies
(reduce benzene)

Other healthy plants include bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy, indoor Dracaena species and the snake plant. Now you can breathe a little deeper knowing your houseplants are helping!