September 2008 - The Parklander Magazine

GARDENING
Buckwheat flowers
Common Yarrow
By Amanda Levine
Flowers and plants can certainly brighten up a dark
home or dull office space and rejuvenate a failing
garden. Although they may look like they don’t do
much more than sit in a pot, you’d be surprised to
learn that certain plants have incredible, almost
magical powers, making their surrounding environments
safer and healthier. For all those mavens with
green thumbs, and for those novices who are not so
garden savvy, there are many plants available today in
your local nurseries or garden shops that are easy to
grow and maintain and that actually serve as helping
hands in purifying homes and gardens.
Plants that are good for
the home or workplace:
Areca Palm - This plant helps to take in toxins from
paints and pesticides that can be the cause of
headaches, lung problems, and sore/irritated throats.
They require a lot of watering and sunlight to survive
and thrive. Other palm plants that have similar benefits
include the Date Palm and the Lady Palm.
Spider Plant - Easier to maintain than the Areca
Palm, this plant helps to take carbon monoxide out
of the home’s atmosphere. When a person breathes
in too much carbon monoxide, headaches, dizziness,
and in extreme cases, death can result.
Peace Lily - The Peace Lily is a plant that helps to
remove alcohols and formaldehyde from the air in a
home. The plants are easy to maintain because they
do not require much light and do not attract many
insects. The Peace Lily also benefits people with
allergies because they help remove “allergenic
microbes” in the air. However, for families with small
children or pets, please be advised that the Peace
Lily can be a serious danger because its leaves are
toxic if ingested.
Boston Fern - Although they are somewhat
difficult to maintain because of their need for light,
Boston Ferns help to remove formaldehyde and add
moisture into the air of any indoor workplace.
Bromeliads - Bromeliads are extremely beneficial
for the home, especially for people who have trouble
sleeping at night. These plants release more oxygen
at night than during the day, purifying the air. Some
studies show that rooms with cleaner air are more
conducive for nighttime sleep.
Plants that are
good for the garden:
Buckwheat Flowers - These flowers help reduce
the number of insects present in a garden by
attracting more beneficial insects, which feed on the
harmful ones. Buckwheat flowers, which range in
color from yellow to pink, attract bugs such as hover
flies, which help pollinate plants. Ladybugs, which
help kill a variety of harmful bugs and their eggs, are
also attracted to Buckwheat flowers.
Cross Vines - If you prefer to plant vines on a wall
or fence around your home, cross vines are the
perfect Florida plant. They grow and bloom in
almost any condition, and are resistant to the
droughts that South Florida is often plagued with.
They do not attract any bugs, keeping surrounding
areas free of pests.
Yarrow Plants - There are many benefits to having a
Yarrow plant in your garden. Like the Buckwheat
Boston Fern
Spider Plant
102 SEPTEMBER 2008