Dusseldorf  – Three houseplants – the areca or Madagascar palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata) and the money plant (Epipremnum aureum) – are especially effective in keeping indoor air clean and oxygen-rich, according to Plants for People (PfP), an international initiative with offices in Dusseldorf.

The PfP said that four shoulder-high areca palms produced enough oxygen for one person. Mother-in-law’s tongue converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, particularly at night, and is therefore well-suited for bedrooms. Its leaves, like those of areca palms, should be regularly dusted so that it can do its work more easily.

The money plant, for its part, filters formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds out of the air. It thrives especially well when grown hydroponically, the PfP said.

The three houseplants’ efficacy as air cleaners was discovered by an Indian businessman who had 1,200 plants placed in an office building with an attached hotel, according to the PfP. Employees are said to have subsequently experienced 52-per-cent less eye irritation, 34-per-cent fewer respiratory problems and 24-per-cent fewer headaches.

The PfP said that environmental experts from the Indian government confirmed the results. (dpa)