My Home Is My Rainforest

You’ve got your couch, your glass of wine, and your TV. Your faithful human and animal companions come to greet you when you arrive home every day. That’s what’s called a man’s castle. Excuse me--a woman’s castle too. What you find at home every day should be your sanctuary: the most private place in the world. A place where all troubles end, at least for the day.

No one thinks of coming home to the embrace of a warm Parlor Palm or a kiss from a hot Philodendron, but they should. There is nothing like a plant to make your life a little better and a lot sweeter. Forget the castle, make the rainforest.


Most folks know that plants are wonderful for producing oxygen in the indoors and for the zen-like feeling they surround us with. However, most don’t know the more subtle benefits that plants provide. Sure, they are pretty and make our house and yard look nice. But there’s a method to their madness. Tropical plants in the house are sublime and extraordinarily useful.

A Philodendron

Some years back, a NASA study confirmed the good news. They found that common houseplants (which are tropicals), were able to remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours. The recommendation was to use 15 to 18 “decent-sized” houseplants in 6-8” diameter containers for about a 1,800 square ft. house.

Who could imagine that a pretty plant sitting in a corner could do such amazing things? Who could have imagined that there are traces of ammonia, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, benzene, xylene, and trichloroethytene floating around our homes? These toxins come from man-made flooring, electrical appliances, wall coverings, ceiling tiles, and carpets. The crazy thing is that plants know and they can clean our air of them!


As for happiness—plants make that too. A Chicago cardiologist by the name of Dr. Bruno Cortis has said that studies have shown that patients in hospitals who face a window with a garden view recovered faster than those who had to look at a wall while recuperating. Just the art of tending and caring for plants in our homes gives us something to look forward to-- new blooms, new leaves, and new life. Curing a simple plant disease can give us a sense of accomplishment. The homebound, the elderly and those suffering from mental illness get a lift when nurturing plants and other living things. Marjolein Elings (from the Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands) conducted research on the role of plants in human lives. Her book Farming for Health says that “plants and an active interaction with plants improve health, self-esteem, concentration, pride and a sense of accomplishment.” If you can’t have a pet in the house, get a plant which can lift your mood and give you a simple purpose in life.

A Parlor Palm

Do you work for a living? If you’re like most of us, you might not be in the best of moods every single day during your 9 to 5 constitutional. The experts have an answer for that as well. According to one study published in a Rehabilitation journal, office and manufacturing workers had better morale, creativity, and productivity if they were seated within 45 feet of greenery. Wishful thinking? Maybe. But, it’s a good start.


You don’t have to plant 5 acres of farmland to feel happy, you can just plant a virtual rainforest in your home. Tend it, care for it, clip it, admire it, and water it. The blooms and greenery of a simple but good life start little, and grow big. Just like acorns.


The Top Ten Air Purifying Plants


*Madagasgar Dragon Tree (Dracaena)
*Ivies
*Ficus (Decorative Fig)
*Spider Plants
*Peace Lilies (Spathipyllum)
* Ferns
*Chrysanthemums
*Gerbera Daisy
*Philodendron (Pothos)
*Palms