Bedroom must-have plant: Mother-in-law plant or Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

As part of natural therapy and incorporating simple ideas into our daily lives, I began to look for plants that improves our environment.  For me, hands-down, this is the plant to have in every bedroom and not just one, tiny plant but several if you have the room.  The Sansevieria trifasciata has 2 main varieties that most of us are familiar with: the one with the yellow stripe along the leave outer edge is also known as the Mother-in-law plant and the one without the stripe is knows as the Snake plant.  Both have geometric patterns that look like scales all over the leave except for the edges.

This plant is very easy to care for as it requires minimal sunlight as well as can withstand long periods without watering.  What this means is if you place the plant near a window that gets minimal sunlight, you are set.  If you place it in a space that receives no sunlight, just let it sunbathe once in a while.  If you are one of those who always forget to water the plants, this plant can tolerate weeks of not watering.  so, when you remember, you water it.  I know of no other plant that is so resilient and easy to care for.

For barely caring for this plant, you reap tremendous benefits.  It is one of the best natural air purifiers and has had numerous studies done including by NASA which has ranked it as the top plant for air purifying as it purifies over 100 different toxins including formaldehyde, xylene, benzene and nitrogen oxide.   The main source of xylene is the automotive exhaust and various solvents.  It is also released in petroleum processing such as refineries.  So, if you have an office at a refinery, you should have this plant in your office.  You can read more on the toxicology report published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).  Formaldehyde is also commonly emitted from furnishings such as wood or plywood furniture, carpets as well as from automotive combustions.    A more detailed report on emissions can be found in an article from the U.S. National Institute of Health as well as other regulatory bodies.  Formaldehyde affects your respiratory system and is also classified as a carcinogen.  With new furniture, it may emit for several months.  So, if you just move into a new home, an easy way to detoxify the air is by having this plant throughout your house.  Formaldehyde can also be emitted from candle burning, incense burning and cooking - activities which seem harmless.  You can research more into the other toxins but you can be assured, there is nothing good about them.  Just by having this plant in your home or office space, you can improve your air quality substantially and it is a painless method that requires very little effort on your part but delivers tremendous benefits.

Unlike most other plants which use oxygen at night, this plant releases oxygen.  So while your body is doing its repair work while you sleep at night, you are also getting "oxygen therapy".  The leaves are not toxic so the plant is safe around children and pets unlike the money plant, which has toxic leaves.

As a result, over the last month, I have been seriously cultivating the plant and placing it all over my home, especially in the bedrooms.  I also place it in the bathrooms.  This is one plant that I think is wonderful as a air purifies and providing additional oxygen at night whilst requiring very little effort on the owners part.  I can think of no reason not to have this plant in our homes.  Can you?