Don’t be fooled again, this is the best formaldehyde absorber!

The air quality is poor nowadays, and formaldehyde levels in various decorations and furniture exceed the standard. Harmful substances are everywhere, making people feel very unsafe when living here. In addition to professional formaldehyde removal measures, plant selection is also a method people commonly use, but do you know which plants absorb formaldehyde best? Chlorophytum comosum? NO, NO, NO!

According to the latest indoor plant formaldehyde absorption capacity ranking released by the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Landscape, the plant that absorbs the most formaldehyde per unit area is Monstera! The Chlorophytum comosum that everyone recommends every day is actually at the end of the list!

How about it, flower lovers, are you surprised? Now Huahua will share with you the top 10 common indoor formaldehyde-producing plants. When you buy flowers in the future, just follow this list!

NO.1 Monstera

Monstera takes the first place in the list, absorbing 90% of formaldehyde, which can be said to be a very powerful purifier. In addition to absorbing formaldehyde, Monstera can also effectively absorb benzene and other volatile harmful gases.

Maintenance points:

It is not difficult to care for Monstera, and it is very suitable to be placed indoors. Just keep the soil moist during the growing period, and spray it with water when the air is dry. It will hardly get any diseases.

NO.2 Schefflera

Schefflera occupies the second place in the list, and can reduce the concentration of formaldehyde by about nine milligrams per hour. It can also convert nicotine and other harmful substances in the air into harmless substances.

Maintenance points:

Schefflera is a medium to large potted plant that can be placed in the living room or balcony. It does not have strict requirements on light, and scattered light is enough. In summer, ventilate more, ensure sufficient watering, spray water on the leaves more often, and increase the humidity of the environment.

No. 3 Azalea

In the study, azalea ranked third in formaldehyde absorption, second only to Monstera and Schefflera. Isn't it surprising that such a beautiful flower has such a high absorption of formaldehyde?

Maintenance points:

Rhododendrons have a certain degree of shade tolerance, but if they are kept indoors, it is best to ensure sufficient light so that they can bloom more.

When planting, there must be acidic soil, such as pine needle soil. Alkaline soil and water can easily cause the leaves of azalea to turn yellow.

NO.4 Cyclamen

Cyclamen is a particularly popular New Year flower in recent years. It has a very good effect in absorbing formaldehyde, and it also has a strong absorption effect on sulfur dioxide, which can effectively purify indoor air. I wonder if flower lovers have raised it?

Maintenance points:

Now is the dormant period of cyclamen, and the leaves on the ground have fallen. At this time, you must control watering to avoid bulb rot and keep the soil dry.

NO.5 Iron Cross Begonia

The leaf shape and color of the Iron Cross Begonia are very distinctive. It can be placed on windowsills, coffee tables, and low cabinets, and the decorative effect is very good. It is also very good at absorbing formaldehyde, second only to calla lily. But calla lilies are somewhat toxic, so I won’t recommend them to you here.

Maintenance points:

Iron Cross Begonia likes a warm and humid environment and can tolerate partial shade. The soil in the pot should be kept moist during the growth period, but there should be no stagnant water, otherwise the roots and leaves will rot in minutes.

NO.6 Dieffenbachia

The variegated dieffenbachia is graceful and elegant, with yellow-green or white-green spots on its leaves, sometimes with green borders, sometimes with golden borders, and the colors are very beautiful. It is also very good at absorbing formaldehyde. When decorating a new house, you can put a few pots of it.

Maintenance points:

Variegated Dieffenbachia is very shade-tolerant and only requires bright, scattered light. Too much shade will cause its beautiful colors to fade. Water more frequently in summer, maintain sufficiently high air humidity and increase ventilation.

NO.7 Miniature Coconut

The miniature coconut is a small coconut plant that can be placed on a desk or coffee table, and it looks very beautiful. The miniature coconut palm’s ability to absorb formaldehyde should not be underestimated. It can also absorb benzene and trichloroethylene in the air very well, and it also has a certain bactericidal effect.

Maintenance points:

The miniature coconut palm prefers a semi-shaded environment and cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. It needs to be watered more frequently in summer to keep the soil moist.

NO.8 Orchid

Aspidistra has a certain effect in absorbing formaldehyde, and it also has a good absorption effect on hydrogen fluoride. In addition, Aspidistra is particularly shade-tolerant and can survive without light. It has excellent adaptability.

Maintenance points:

Summer is the growing season of Aspidistra, and it needs sufficient watering. Keep the soil in the pot moist, frequently sprinkle water around the plant and on the leaves to increase the humidity, ventilate frequently, and clean up dead and yellow leaves in time.

NO.9 Brazilian Iron

The leaves and roots of the Brazilian iron plant can absorb formaldehyde, toluene, trichloroethylene and various harmful substances. Its shade tolerance is comparable to that of the Aspidistra. Huahua has a pot of it in her office, and it grows well with almost no care.

Maintenance points:

Brazilian iron is highly drought-resistant and there should not be any accumulation of water in the soil. The pot in Huahua's office is watered once a week and does not get enough light, but it has been growing well. If you want to grow a plant that absorbs formaldehyde but you are not very good at growing flowers, then a pot of Brazilian iron is definitely the best choice.

NO.10 White Palm

The harmful substances that white calla lily can remove include formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, benzene, and trichloroethylene. It can effectively purify the air and protect the health of your family.

Maintenance points:

Anthurium likes a warm and humid environment. The soil can be a mixture of leaf mold, peat soil and perlite. During the high temperatures in summer, in addition to keeping the soil moist, you should also spray more water on the ground and around it. Also, be careful to avoid strong sunlight in summer.

Below is a ranking of plants’ formaldehyde absorption performance. Don’t think that only Chlorophytum comosum is the best at absorbing formaldehyde.

Image source (Nanjing Greening and Gardening Bureau)

Flower lovers, these plants

Do you have any at home?