Spathiphyllum shines with a steady green vitality.

When it comes to the air purification effect of plants, it is the air purification plant ranking announced by NASA that appears as evidence without missing out.

NASA became interested in plants while thinking about how to maintain comfortable air in spaceships, which are enclosed spaces that cannot be ventilated. Air purification has been an important issue affecting the health of astronauts. We all know plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, but NASA needed special plants to remove air pollutants.

In 1989, a NASA team of researchers announced that in an air purification study, plants removed up to 70 percent of volatile organic compounds in one day. The ranking of air purifying plants was not officially announced by the NASA research team, but rather in a book published by Senior Researcher Wilburton, who participated in the project, including follow-up studies. In Korea, a translation was published in 2013 with the title of <50 Indoor Air Purifying Plants that Save People>.

NASA’s air cleaning experiment is to put plants in a narrow and closed space, inject organic compounds, and investigate how much the plants remove organic compounds. However, as scientists raised the issue that this experimental condition was different from the environment in which we live, it was argued that the results of NASA’s air cleanliness study were exaggerated. The indoor space was larger than 1 cubic meter (1 meter in width, length and height each) and was not sealed, and the reason was that organic compounds were not continuously injected.

The air purification function of plants is difficult to quantify accurately. In that sense, it is similar to talking about the efficacy of health food. It is clear that healthy food is beneficial to our body, but it becomes inconvenient if it is exaggerated as all-purpose to protect health. What is clear is that the plant is not Manlab enough to act as a natural humidifier or air purifier. To play that role, it is possible only when the house is filled with plants to form a forest. Rather, ventilation is more effective in purifying the air.

NASA’s research is old, and over time, the world of plants has become richer and more diverse. Besides, our life needs more plants. In addition to the function of purifying the air, the role of regulating the routine of irregular life and providing psychological stability in this difficult corona era has grown tremendously. Now, instead of focusing only on research on the function and efficacy of plants, various studies on psychological prevention and healing are urgently needed.

Top 10 Air Purifying Plants, Spathiphyllum

See the larger photo. Rolled-up new shoots sprout nonstop and the leaves become lush. Spathiphyllum shines with a steady green vitality.

Of course, the air purification function of plants attracts us who are tired of city life. Occasionally, department stores hold special plant exhibitions with promotional slogans such as the top 10 air purifying plants selected by NASA. One of the popular selling plants at this time is spatphyllum. Spathiphyllum is one of the top 10 air purifying plants by NASA. Spathiphyllum received an overwhelming evaluation in terms of removing air pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde.

Contrary to its splendid abilities, Spathiphyllum has a dignified appearance without any special features. Green leaves that look like long spears grow luxuriantly on slender stems. Light green shoots that have been rolled up and dried will sprout and grow into completely green leaves.

If the size is small, it is cute, and if the size is large, it gives a cool feeling. Interestingly, a plant that grows well makes the butler less tired. It seems that the butler must move diligently in response to its rapid growth, but spatphyllum is a plant that knows how to live happily alone without taking care of people when its own environment is created to a certain extent.

However, it is not an easy plant. There is a lot of information about how easy it is to grow, so you can take a blunt approach and get frustrated. Obviously, it grows well and is easy to manage, but sometimes it goes away all at once. I went away twice, once because of overwatering and once because of the cold. Proper coordination of the two can go a long way. It should be noted in advance that spathiphyllum is toxic, so be careful not to eat it by children or pets.

How to get acquainted with Spatiphyllum

If you are in the early stages of getting acquainted with Spathiphyllum, it is okay to water the leaves enough when the leaves look weak. While observing in this way, if you gradually adjust the watering interval, you will get a sense of it. You should not leave the thirsty state for a long time, but it is better to be slightly thirsty rather than overwatered. Getting cold is a mistake made by lazy people like me who often miss the timing. At the beginning of winter, you should move to a place that is not cold.

Spathiphyllum is a plant native to tropical America. Because it grows under the shade of thick trees in the tropical rain forest, the leaves will discolor or burn if exposed to direct sunlight. When the light is well received, the leaves are large and full of fresh energy. If it grows well, repot it and try to encourage growth by separating the stems that are closely attached to each other.

In the dry season, you can spray water directly on the leaves. It is also intended to wash the leaves as Spathiphyllum absorbs dust so well. If there is a lot of dust, it is difficult for the leaves to breathe. Basically, Spathiphyllum hates a lot of water, but likes moist air. With the gentle breeze here, the tropical rainforest is a comfortable environment, as if you were in my hometown.

If the newly sprouting stem is plump and whiter than usual, the flower stalk is coming up. When you find a flower stalk and start waiting, it is quite slow until it blooms. When the flowers are in full bloom, the white color is elegant and pretty. It’s like clear ivory. Once it blooms, it lasts for a long time.

The part that looks like a white feather is a deformed leaf that wraps around the flower, and the rod-shaped protrusion is a real flower. Fire flames attract insects and protect flowers. The Spathiphyllum flower is in the shape of a goblin bat, so it was very strange and strange when I first saw it.

There are various criteria by which people select plants. Some grow them because they are attracted to the functional aspects of plants, some bring them because they like the freshness that nature gives them, and some focus on choosing unique plants to record and communicate the growth process on social media. To be honest, I didn’t have any special expectations or excitement when I brought Spathiphyllum. What is the appeal of ordinary green plants? No matter what happens in the world, I feel like I am receiving constant support when I see a green plant that just grows and grows, regardless of what happens. It has the power to make you grow again even if you fail.

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