Page Updated: Jan-17-2011

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Clean Air Filters

Growing Clean Air using three common house plant species to clean, and produce, enough air to supply an enclosed living environment.

Areca Palm produces daytime oyxgen

Bird's Nest Plant produces night time oyxgen

Golden Pothos Plant removes toxins from air

Air Purifying Ionizers produce hazardous levels of ozone

Night-Time - Air Filter Plants

Bird's Nest, Snake Plant, Hahnii’, Sansevieria trifasciata

6 to 8 plants, waist-high, per person.

Releases oxygen during the night for conditioning indoor air while humans and animals are sleeping.

Growing Bird's Nest Plants

By Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University
of Florida, Gainesville.

Bird’s Nest is a stiff, vase-like, herbaceous perennial that attains a height of about 6 inches. Its simple, long elliptic leaves are arranged in a rosette. These attractive leaves are dark green with light green, irregular bands that run across the leaf’s width. The flowers of this plant are green and white and occur periodically throughout the year. Small berries follow the flowers, but these fruits are unnoticeable.

General Information

Scientific name: Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’
Pronunciation: san-sev-VEER-ree-uh try-fash-shee-AY-tuh
Common name(s): Dwarf Snake Plant
Family: Agavaceae
Plant type: herbaceous; ground cover
USDA hardiness zones: 9B through 11 (Fig. 1)
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: suitable for growing indoors; ground cover; edging
Availablity: generally available in many areas within its
hardiness range

Description

Height: 0 to .5 feet
Spread: .5 to 1 feet
Plant habit: upright
Plant density: moderate
Growth rate: slow
Texture: coarse

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: basal rosette
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: linear
Leaf venation: parallel
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: 12 to 18 inches; more than 36 inches
Leaf color: variegated
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy

Flower

Flower color: white; green
Flower characteristic: pleasant fragrance; flowers periodically
throughout the year

Fruit

Fruit shape: oval
Fruit length: less than .5 inch
Fruit cover: fleshy
Fruit color: red
Fruit characteristic: persists on the plant
Trunk and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: not applicable
Current year stem/twig color: not applicable

Shaded area represents potential planting range.

Culture

Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun; plant
grows in the shade
Soil tolerances: alkaline; clay; sand; acidic; loam
Drought tolerance: high
Soil salt tolerances: good
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 inches
Roots: not applicable

Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding
Invasive potential: potentially invasive
Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests

Use and Management

Bird’s Nest is occasionally used in the landscape as a ground cover, especially in dry, desert-like gardens. Their small size and drought tolerance makes them suited for a rock garden. It is also very attractive when used in containers placed indoors or outdoors.

This plant is not particular as to light level and is tolerant of most well-drained soils. It will endure periods of drought and tolerates moderate amounts of salt spray. Bird’s Nest should not be grown outdoors in the northern regions of Florida due to its cold tenderness. Overwatering this plant will cause it to develop root rot. Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’ is propagated by leaf cuttings and division.

Pests and Diseases

This plant has no insect or disease pests that are a major concern. Chewing insects may occasionally cause problems.

What's the Best Way To Grow Air Filter Plants Indoors?

South facing windows provide the maximum light available for indoor potted plants to thrive. However, sunny locations can lead to increased water consumption and increased growth. To accommodate the increase, larger pots containing moresoil that will hold more water, allowingless frequent watering's while the plant takes longer to dry between watering's. The planting pots should have holes in the bottom to prevent over watering. Use a catchment tray for watering overflow. Don't letplants sit in standing tray water for more that a few hours.

Feeding Indoor Plants With Instant Compost Tea

Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants = Healthy Air.

Here's some practical starter suggestions for using "biologic" growing methods without chemical fertilizers.

How to Grow a Healthy Strawberry?

Here's a collection of recent research about the effectiveness of strawberries, and other fruits, on human and animal health to help discover the best practices on how to grow fruit for optimal health.