PLANTS ARE GREAT!

[RoadRunner44]

I love plants and have many different kinds indoors and outdoors in the garden. I recently read an article online about good plants and some to avoid. The right plants can add moisture (humidity) to indoor air and can provide lots of health benefits. For example:

1. Rubber plants are great for helping to clear the air in our homes.

2. The Boston Fern has purifying properties that add moisture and remove toxins from indoor air.

Plants are usually good for our environment but some have the opposite effect when it comes to humidity. These plants tend to draw moisture instead of letting it out.

Plants to avoid:

1. Cactus

2 Succulents

3. Aloe Vera

4. Euphoria

Note. ....These plants are still wonderful but may be better to grow outdoors if you are looking for plants that provide humidity in your home.

If you know of any plants that have a health benefit why not post them on our forum.

[Hidden]

Many plants / most plants are air purifiers, without vegetation we would not be alive on the planet. As the rainforest trees are the lungs of the planet they help us all breathe. Trees in cities like London and anywhere there is heavy traffic, help clean up pollution. Really without trees and plants the human race would be no more.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Hidden]

I'm so delighted to read your comments as you, like myself, have an affinity to nature. Trees and nature as a whole are one of my passions and yes, it is not just upsetting about the felling of trees in the rainforests. Why is it that with all the knowledge we have acquired regarding climate change, animals becoming extinct, the destruction of our rainforests that the powers that be are still not getting together to find ways of preventing this destruction. Every living thing on the planet is linked through biodiversity. I sincerely hope that all the wonders of our world are still going to be there for future generations to come.

[Hidden in reply to RoadRunner44]

Its like wars and weapons, why are countries spending huge amounts on war mongering equipment instead of health enhancing our environment. Idiots in short, too much testosterone leadership, huge egos, fear, we need it to protect ourselves. The human race has lost it, its sick.

The one things I console myself with is this planet can survive without the human race, it can rejuvenate itself, hey it can even finish us off with a virus if it wants to.

People do not to respect the planet that sustains us, look after it, don't get sloppy with hygiene etc, stop the toxic pollutions, and the planet will look after us. Upset the eco system and it can destroy life, not just for us but all the animal, birds fish etc etc.

[Hidden]

NASA guide to air filtering houseplants here:

lovethegarden.com/uk-en/art...

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Hidden]

Very interesting reading and such a useful link. Thank you. I will pass it on to my Sustainability Organisation. It could well prove to be the basis for an interesting talk in the future.

[MacColl in reply to Hidden]

Nice link - already have a large Areca on the landing from my usual supplier, and just bought an English ivy to sit on a side table next to it!

Also have a Phlebodium in the hall, and a Pachira and Asplenium fern in the sitting room.

All made things nicer to look at as been laid down a lot in recent times, and keep the air fresh.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to MacColl]

Hi, and thank you for your response. Plants play a huge part in our lives and well-being and it appears you also love and appreciate them. Your plants sound very interesting and knowledgeable. I would be interested to know why you chose these. I like to group my indoor plants with each one having a particular shape. There are so many benefits to having plants and they provide me with so much pleasure indoors and out.

Cheers. 😀

[MacColl in reply to RoadRunner44]

It's been a while since I had any house plants apart from white orchids, but having to spend time lying down and feeling ill prompted me to not only add something interesting to what I see around me, but to add to the wellbeing of the air in the house.

I tend to like shrubs, trees, and roses, and my work studio looks out over the garden, so haven't really given a lot of thought to indoor plants until recent times.

It was early winter when I first got a plant, and that was a 3ft tall floor standing Pachira with plaited stems (now some inches taller). Second was the Areca Palm on the landing - another floor standing plant that came at almost 3ft tall and is growing well.

The Asplenium Fern was next, and is on a side table near the window in the sitting room (lovely strong plant), followed by a Phlebodium in a corner of the hall on the floor opposite the front door, and just a fortnight ago, a Pilea peperomioides in a nice hammered copper pot as an anniversary gift to my husband. It's sat on the dining table near the window, and next to a white orchid which has just finished flowering after being full of lovely white flowers for many months since last autumn.

The little English Ivy will complete the new plants.

All are different, various sizes, shapes and foliage colours, most will keep the air clean, and all look lovely.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to MacColl]

You obviously value plants for the pleasure they give you while understanding the air purifying qualities they have. Enjoy them, they are truly great!

😊

[MacColl in reply to RoadRunner44]

I do find them lovely to have, and also appreciate the air quality benefits.

A site I found (Hortology) may not be the cheapest - especially for smaller plants, but a fair amount of information regarding each plant is given, and can be very useful.

[chip1 in reply to Hidden]

I have always liked plants in the house and have some of these and now I know thank you for the information

[RoadRunner44 in reply to chip1]

Hello, Im so glad you enjoyed Bkins short films. They give us an insight of what could be lost if we dont have respect for our world and nature. We sometimes tend to take our plants for granted not always realizing the huge impact they have on our lives and well-being.

😊

[Gladwyn in reply to Hidden]

Very interesting! Thanks for posting . 🌷

[Caspiana]

I LOVE plants Chrys. My problem is I can't keep any indoor ones alive. The only one I have is a cacti I bought years ago at the hundred yen shop the equivalent of your pound shop. Also I am not allowed to have plants in the house due to what's in the soil. But yes, I love plants too and only have decorative ones aka plastic plants. But they look so real and the green makes a huge difference to how I feel. xx 🙋🌱🌲🌳🌿🍀

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Caspiana]

.Hi Cas, Thanks for replying. Knowing the value and pleasure plants give us it is quite sad you are denied this particular pleasure. I hadn't ever thought about the circumstances of what may be in the soil which, in your case, prevent you having any in your home. I assume you mean something like bacteria?

You are, however, making the best of things by having artificial ones. Although these cannot give you any real health benefits, visually they play their part and provide you with much pleasure.

Keep as well as you can.

😊

[Hidden]

Love this youtu.be/y-wHq6yY2CI(Not working as expected?)

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Hidden]

So beautiful! Its also very emotive. It has the effect of making you appreciate what we have but could lose. So much in such a short film. I hope other members on the forum enjoy it as much as I did.

🌵🌴🌳🌲🌱

[Ergendl]

Take geraniums out of the bedroom before sleeping at night if you suffer from depression.

[RoadRunner44]

Hello and thank you for your response. Well, that is interesting and I haven't heard that before. Do you know why that is?

[judes]

I like having plants etc in the house but and it’s a big but I kill them off and secondly there are many plants that are poisonous to cats.

My lot are not the brightest and I’m sure some would chew them and some would dig in them!

J

[RoadRunner44 in reply to judes]

That is so sad. But no, you couldn't risk having any with your cats.

Cheers for now.

😃

[shouty]

Nature has kept me going through Lockdown and am so grateful to be staying in a place where the garden is full of variety of trees, plants & wildlife. My chest has been so much better, infection free for nearly 6 months after a miserable 2019. Also mood enhancer. Sad to read pollution levels around the world going up again after lockdown being eased though.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to shouty]

I'm glad you are concerned shouty, During lockdown nature had the space to find her way again and he evidence of that can be seen all around the world.

How wonderful for you that you have experienced first hand the beauty and value of mother nature during the last few months. I'm sure you will continue to reap the benefits.

Cheers.

💩🌴🌳🌲🌱🌼🌻🌷

[watergazer]

Thank you all an interesting read. x

[RoadRunner44 in reply to watergazer]

Your response reflects your interest. I'm glad you enjoyed it and all the other information relating to my post. Thank you.

😀

[RoadRunner44 in reply to watergazer]

Hi Dickinson, I'm so glad it caught your interest. Thank you.

😊

[mikeadams51]

I have an aspidistra that it’s ancestors go back 50 odd years as a single leaf I got as a sixteen year old. I now have two plants from this one leaf and they have been with me during every house move. Once one leaf dies several more grow so is truly everlasting and is quite hardy to minor neglect. I’m hoping it lives on long after me.

Unfortunately gardening for me is over but the wife does an excellent job of growing different plants.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to mikeadams51]

As your wife still enjoys gardening you are both continuing to enjoy the benefits Mike.

Your aspidestra is of particular interest. Quite amazing really how some plants go on and on like this one. It will eventually be a family heirloom I imagine.

I like to get a cutting of a plant from a friend or family member when possible. If it takes, and grows, I have a memory of that person each time I see it.

Cheers.

[mikeadams51 in reply to RoadRunner44]

Yes hopefully our kids will keep Esther going. Nick name for the aspidistra. The wife also picks up cuttings from people she knows. May your plant world keep flourishing.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to mikeadams51]

I love that last sentence! Thanks.

😀

[kibera]

I also love plants! I have several house plants which just go on and on, one is a 'Pepperonia' which my neighbour's daughters gave me after she died, it's been going for more than four years now, my neighbour's husband was a distance cousin to me - we shared ancestors who married in 1801. And I love my allotment, although I can't do very much now but as well as the lovely vegetables and cultivated flowers, I let selected 'weeds' grow, especially 'Fumitory' which has a delicate pink flower and another 'weed' which is quite rare - Weasel's Snout - this used to grow on my grandad's allotment back in the 1940's and is one of the first flowers I fell in love with - along with blue 'speedwell' and the 'white star flower' (Chickweed). And I take cuttings wherever I can, especially Penstemons, most people on my site now have these from ones I have propagated and shared.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to kibera]

What a lovely response kibera. You are another plant lover I can tell. My grandfather had an allotment and spent many hours in the day just being there. I realize now Im older the advantages it provided for us as a family. During the war years people were encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables. My family continued to grow their own and we were lucky enough from then on to be able to eat a very healthy diet.

A third of all the plants we eat have been pollinated by bees. They maintain bio-diversity and vibrant eco-systems for plants, humans and the bees themselves.

As someone who appreciate letting some areas of our gardens grow wild it was heart warming reading how you also appreciate so called weeds. I have made a note of those particular weeds you mention. Thank you.

I'll finish by providing a significent quote by John Muir.....

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it is attached to the rest of the World".

😀📥📤🌿🌿🌲🌱🌳🌴🌵🌻🍃🍓🍒🍇🍅🍏🍎🍊🍋🐾🐞🐝🐜🐛🐚🐬🐜🐝🐬

[Maximonkey]

Hi Roaddrunner, I too love plants and when I was first diagnosed with Bronch I made enquiries at the garden centre and discovered all the plants which are good for clearing the air of polutants and also give out oxygen giving us a far healthier atmosphere in which to live. My favourites are spider plant and spathiphyllum which has a lily flower and is easy to grow and multipy, my flat now has many plants. I recommend anyone who wishes to have a healthy home to begin buying plants. Happy planting, Maximonkey

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Maximonkey]

Hi, That was sensible of you when you got your diagnosis of bronchiectasis. I was diagnosed with it 6 years ago and although I passionately love plants and had many in my home, that hadn't occured to me at the time. As time went on and I joined a Sustainability Group, it became evident that plants of all kinds are not only beautiful to look at but are quite extraordinary, beneficial and have a variety of uses.

Last year I turned a part of my garden into a a wildlife area. I contacted a seed company who, given a specific postcode can supply wildflower seeds suitable and common for that area of the UK. I am delighted to say that during the lockdown when I sat in my garden, the sound of bees and insects buzzing around the flowers was fantastic! My near neighbours are delighted as they are benefiting too by the swarms of insects circulating in their gardens and pollinating their plants.

Cheers.

😀🌱🌲🌳🌴🌵

[Maximonkey in reply to RoadRunner44]

Hi Roadrunner, well done. The wildflowers sound wonderful. We moved to a flat so sadly no garden. The garden is one of the things I missed during lockdown especially. Happy planting, Maximonkey

[O2Trees]

Brilliant, thank you RR.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to O2Trees]

Thank you. 😁🌴🌳🌲🌱🌿🍃

[PhilGM]

Knew spider plants were good but not this good!

CHLOROPHYTUM (SPIDER PLANT) – The well-known Spider Plant is also a champion cleanser of air. ... this plant helps to filter out harmful benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde

[RoadRunner44 in reply to PhilGM]

That is fantastic information Phil. We just take them for granted and don't realize how wonderful they are! Thanks for posting that. Take care and breathe easy,

😆🌵🌲🌱🌷🌵🌴🌳🍀

[Falcon22]

I love plants ..and I think my flat has its own micro climate...I read the Nassa plants to purify the air...then I was off ..I guess my my living room is more jungle complete with African masks and my owned little stripped Tiger.. Stay safe and breathe easy xx

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Falcon22]

Your flat sounds like my kind of heaven Falcon! With our lung diseases we need all the help we can get to ensure we breathe as much clean air as possible. Knowledge of helpful plants is so useful. I just wish that more worth was put on the value of plants together with nature as a whole, then we wouldn't see so much destruction in the world including our beautiful rain forests.

😀

[RoadRunner44]

Your flat sounds like my kind of heaven! With lung conditions we need all the help we can to ensure we can breathe as much clean air as possible. It is so helpful to acquire information like this as it helps us make the right choices where our plants are concerned.

If everyone put more worth and on plants and nature as a whole, we wouldn't see so much destruction of our rainforests.