Houseplants are beneficial to our health and the environment by counter...

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Houseplants originated as wild outdoor plants from all over the world dating to ancient Rome and Egypt.

The Victorians attempted to bring plants such as palms, ferns and cactus indoors in order to keep them alive all year round.
In the Western hemisphere this was the beginning of bringing nature indoors during the long winter months .

Plants add style, beauty, many health and psychological benefits to a room, homes and offices, also makes it inviting, friendly and has a calming effect on most people. Stress reducing effects: Scientific research carried out at the University of Twente, The Netherlands – K.Dijkstra, M.E.Pieterse & A.Pruyn has shown stress reducing effects of indoor plants in the healthcare environment.

Participants exposed to indoor plants in a hospital room reported less stress than those in the control condition. Mediation analysis confirmed that indoor plants in hospital reduces stress through their attractiveness of the room.
A study carried out by Kansas State University compared patients in rooms without plants and with plants.
Patients in rooms with plants request less pain medication, lower heart rates and blood pressure, less fatigue and anxiety and were released from the hospital sooner.
The experience also speeds up the recovery of surgical patients.

Influence of limited visible leafy indoor plants on the psychology, behaviour and health of students at Junior High School in Taiwan – Ke-Tsung Han. Two classes of Sophsomores at a Taiwanese Junior High School (eight grade). A expermental group and control group were surveyed every two weeks after 6 plants were placed at the back of the class room. The expermental group immediately demonstrated significantly stronger feelings of preference comfort and friendliness, they had fewer hours of sick leave and punishment records due to misbehaviour compared with the control group. A study carried out by the Royal college of Agriculture in Circencester, England found that attentiveness of students was 70% greater when thought in rooms containing plants and attendance was also higher for lectures given in these classrooms. Dutch Product Board for Horticulture discovered that when plants were added to offices resulted in decrease fatigue, colds, headaches, coughs, sore throats and flu-symptoms. Plant physiology – studies has shown that plants can absorb certain organic chemicals and distroy these chemicals by a process called metabolic breakdown.

NASA research (VOCs) – Plants purify the air by removing toxins such as cigarette smoke, benzene and formaldehyde and solvents found in man-made fibres.
I have read that NASA is contemplating decorating their offices
with plants in order to promote a more productive and friendly environment.
Journal of Environmental Horticulture 1996,14(2): 97-100 Dr. Lohr
Interior plants may improve worker productivity and reduce stress.
Journal

Examples: Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) and Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) and Philodendron purifies the air and remove formaldehyde.

Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata Bostoniensis) Humidifies the air.

English ivy (Hedera helix) Removes benzene

Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) Removes nitrogen oxide produced by fuel burning appliances. Gives off oxygen at night.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) Removes mold from the air.
Toxicity
Toxicity is usually dispersed by sap from broken stems, contact with leaves or by ingestion.
It is important houseplants are placed out of the reach of young children and pets.
Different people react to plants differently.

• 7 Jun, 2012
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