After a disaster you might want to consider using this organic help to help you clear chemical vapours and other toxins from the air you are breathing.
DRACEAENA JANET CRAIG – This member of the Agave family thrives in the Canary Islands, Africa, Asia and Madagascar. It has dark green leaves that shoot up from a central palm stalk. The mature plant can grow to be as high as ten feet but you can buy a smaller variety called the Compact that only grows about three feet tall. It grows well in an all-purpose commercial potting soil.
The amazing thing about a Draceanena is that it can be maintained by even the poorest of gardeners. The plant tolerates neglect and dim lights better than most.
It removes all kinds of chemical toxins from the air and can survive in temperatures as low as fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Its leaves may turn yellow but that does not mean the plant will die. It is a pest resistant plant but mostly vulnerable to mealy bugs and spiders if the air is too dry.
Ideally the soil of this plant should be kept evenly moist and the root ball should not be allowed to dry. It should be nourished with liquid fertilizer every two weeks in the summer and every three weeks in the fall and winter. The leaves should be wiped with a damp cloth to keep them moist.
DWARF DATE PALM – This plant, which is native to Africa and Asia, is a slow grower that usually reaches a height of five to six and half feet. It has a netted burly main trunk that sprouts graceful green fronds. The fronds can grow three feet across horizontally. It originally grew in dense forests so it can tolerate lower light. It is one of the best palms for removal of indoor pollutants but especially the removal of xylene.
FICUS ALII – This is a ficus that originates in Thailand with slender dark shiny leaves. It has only been available commercially since the eighties. It comes in three main varieties – the bush, braided or tree. It is effective at removing all toxins from the air.
If you are in a shelter you can move these houseplants into it so that the quality of air you are breathing is a little bit better. Many of these plants are also good for mitigating the effects of radioactivity and can also help to keep the air moist and cool. The extra oxygen emitted by these air purifying plants can also help you sleep better at night.