Indoor plants can do much more than decorating in a home; they can also help lower the EMF levels to a reasonable extent. There are not many studies that show how plants absorb EMF radiation, but one in particular undertaken by NASA demonstrated that this might be the case. Growing indoor plants is healthy anyway, so we might want to add ‘EMF control’ to the long list of benefits.
As a note of caution, you must not consider plants as the primary method of EMF radiation control. You will still need the proper setup of dirty electricity filters, a WiFi router guard, and other EMF shielding methods for complete control of over 95% of EMF radiation at home.
Plants are a great addition to your strategy and a smart way to get rid of the last 5% that is not eliminated by standard shielding methods.
Do Plants Absorb Radiation?
The topic of plants and EMF has been controversial for a while. As EMF-aware people, we have many reasons to believe plants are capable of EMF reduction at home.
Scientists are not entirely certain how plants respond to absorbed radiation. At low dosages, it seems they are able to suppress their internal defense systems. However, at higher dosages, their cellular structures are affected, which causes mutations leading to genetic damage and eventually cancerous growths.
The most significant proof comes from a 2005 NASA experiment on indoor plants in a home-based setup. Scientists noticed a considerable fall in the overall EMF and air pollutants present in the place.
Although the study determined that plants could remove toxins from the air, it also found that EMF levels were reduced from at least five plants commonly planted in-house at home or in offices – and cactus was one of them.
Ever since the study, NASA headquarters have increased the greenery and plants in their NASA offices.
Another factual proof of the plant’s ability to absorb radiation is the use of the sunflower plants after the Chernobyl incident. The planting of sunflowers days after the incident helped lower the radiation.
So, the answer is yes: plants can absorb EMFs. However, plants won’t absorb all the radiation emitted from every device in your home. Radiation travels in straight directions, and bounces or passes through some other materials.
Okay, but there are caveats. While there isn’t really an “antiradiation plant…”, some researches show that certain vegetation absorbs radiation in a way that affects its health. We are not talking of nuclear fallout (though sunflower berries were useful for Chernobyl) but we are more concerned about EMFs around us and how plants can absorb them.
More people are choosing plants that perform double duty: stylish organic decorations and natural air purification. Ultimately we must understand how to plants that absorb radiation work, and how can we benefit from them.
How do Plants Absorb Radiation?
You may have heard that some radioactive materials can be found inside living things. And while some do exist, they’re not a danger to you at the levels typically found in a person’s body. Most of the radiation absorbed by humans comes from naturally occurring particles from space called cosmic rays or from naturally-occurring elements in the soil and rocks called radon.
But what about plants? People may think plants absorb some of their radiation from the soil, but that is not true. Soil does contain radioactive materials, but plant roots are only able to absorb nonradioactive materials through their pores.
Plants absorb radiation through their leaves, stems, roots and through the filtration of water from them. Any conductive material that includes a lot of water absorbs radiation in one way or another.
Indoor plants look great, emitting perfume as well as oxygen. It assists in the detoxification of air and increases metabolic rates.
Radiation in plants comes from two sources. One is cosmic radiation, which they absorb throughout their life cycle because they are eternally bathed in it while they reside on Earth, the same as humans.
The second is man-made radioactive pollutants. These are mostly released into the environment by humans and plants absorb them.
When it comes to radiation, plants have a way of filtering out or ignoring harmful waves by focusing on useful ones such as those used for photosynthesis.
Harmful Radiation and Plants
The most common form of radiation pollution are EMFs that are emitted by power lines, microwaves, radios waves, TV signals, etc.
Plants absorb this kind of radiation mainly by absorbing radioactivity from indoors, up to about half a percent of total indoor radiation at one foot, and release it slowly into the air and soil.
Researchers have found out how plants react to electromagnetic radiation. Scientists at US and Russian space agencies wanted to see if there’s any possibility of growing food in space and how much radiation protection it requires. They have examined ion radiation – ionizing radioactive – ions that directly alter molecules such as DNA – and not-ionizing radiation – the types that you get from a computer that generates heat.
The conclusion is that it is impossible for plants to absorb radioactive materials from the environment without affecting them. It was concluded that the best way to protect your plants from harmful waves is to not put them near appliances and power outlets.
It means that, although it can be detrimental for the plant, protecting ourselves from EMFs and harmful radiation with plants can really save us a lot of pain from radiation exposure.
Other Benefits Indoor Plants Offer
You shouldn’t be getting into indoor gardening just for the sake of EMF radiation control. As we mentioned earlier, plants alone cannot protect you and your family from ambient radiation at home. However, plants can contribute to a healthy environment and have a lot of other health benefits.
One important benefit of plants is air purification. Plants not only convert carbon dioxide into oxygen during photosynthesis but also absorb toxic particles and gases in the air.
Not all plants are capable of air purification, but there are a few that can do a good job. For EMF radiation absorption, succulents have been proven to be very effective in absorbing radiofrequency radiation from any room.
Succulent plants have dense fleshly leaves or stems that are suitable for storage and can grow easily indoors without effort. Most succulents require 4-6 hours of sunshine each day, however, they can also survive in very cold conditions. They can be stored in glass huts, but they can be damaged if exposed too much to the sun and become sunburnt.
10 Indoor Plants That Absorb Radiation at Home
There are lots of plants that absorb radiation at home and they’re ideal to keep in your office or at home. Here are 10 house plants that will help clean your indoor air of EMF radiation.
#1. Cacti
Cacti is a perennial plant, and it’s considered succulent. Cacti are part of the plant family called Cactaceae.
There are many types of cacti, such as the barrel cactus or the prickly pear (however, there is more than one type of each). The only place where they can be found naturally is in America. The most popular cactus, the saguaro is native to Arizona and can reach heights of up to 70 ft (21 m).
Cacti live in a wide variety of climates, such as deserts, mountains, and grasslands. But they can also be placed indoors if you take care of them. They may seem like a bad choice at first, but they’re really not hard to take care of once their needs are met.
Their stems are green and the cacti grow into them, which is very interesting. They aren’t often eaten by animals either because their thorns prick them (which may sound bad, but that’s obviously a defense system).
Even though cacti needs moderate sunlight, they shouldn’t be under the sun for too long because otherwise they’ll get burned.
Built to last in the poorest climatic conditions is also good at EMF absorption and one of the easiest to maintain. Watering once in 2 or 3 weeks can keep them going.
#2. Sansevieria Zeylanica
Also known as ‘Snake Plant’ is well known for its anti-pollutant nature. It is said to absorb more than 100 toxic substances in the air.
The Sansevieria Zeylanica is a perennial plant belonging to the family of Asparagaceae. The genus name comes from the Latin word ‘sanctus‘ which means holy and ‘sebastes‘ which means saint. Most of the members of this genus are often referred to as “Mother-in-Law’s tongue”.
The Snake Plant can grow up to 3 feet. It is best known for its very stiff leaves which are arranged in a fan-like fashion around the upper parts of the stem. The central leaves are often erect, while the outside ones are usually laid downwards. The strap-shaped leaves are dark green or greyish with lighter green cross-banding.
The Sansevieria Zeylanica plant is suitable for both indoor and outdoor purposes. It attracts little ones, so it is often used as a substitute for other poisonous plants in areas where children are around. The Sansevieria Zeylanica requires average care, so place this plant in an area that gets little or indirect sun. Keep it away from too hot of a location as well, so that the leaves do not become wrinkled.
Watering is the most important thing; be sure to let it dry out before watering again. The Sansevieria Zeylanica plant can survive on less water but will grow at a much slower rate. Other nutrition is also required, so fertilize the plant at least once a month during spring and summer.
#3. Spider plant
Another succulent on the list is the Spider Plant or Airplane Plant. Like other plants in its family, it is easy to grow and has excellent EMF absorption capabilities. One distinct way it differs from other succulents is that it spreads very well.
This plant is very easy to take care of as a house plant. It needs medium sunlight, not direct sunlight, and prefers humid air.
To water it, you should pour water up to the top set of leaves, but do not allow excess water to sit in the bottom center of the pot. Spider plants are best if watered with distilled water rather than tap water.
Spider plants do fine in most temperatures, even if there is a draft in the room. They can also handle low-light situations.
If you would like to fertilize your spider plant, fertilizer should be added once every few months during the growing season (spring and summer).
The spider plant has thick leaves which are grouped tightly together. To propagate the spider plant, you can cut off a few of the top sets of leaves and place them in about an inch or two of water on top of some pebbles. New plants will begin to grow where the leaf used to be attached.
#4. Betel Leaf
This plant, also spelled “betal” leaf plant, has been proven to give good results on EMF absorption based on an experiment in India. Betel leaf is a climber, so you need to put it in the right place, to be able to hang and grow. It requires direct sunlight, so it needs to be close to a window to grow healthy.
Typically Betel Leaf is grown in areas that have a tropical climate. In Vietnam, the plant is usually grown in the rural hamlets where there are palm trees and people would otherwise use their own yard to grow different vegetables. However, growing this leaf plant is not as easy as it sounds. It takes a long time for these leaves to mature before they are able to be harvested for consumption. However, if you just want it to absorb your computer radiation, then you don’t have to wait that much.
There are several things you can do to help you with growing Betel Leaf successfully. Place the seed on top of moist (not wet) soil that is also well-drained. You can find several different methods for this type of planting on the internet, but it does not matter which one you choose as long as your seedling thrives and becomes healthy. Before you know it, you will be able to harvest all types of Betel leaves and be able to create a masterpiece of a dish.
#5. Sunflower
The sunflower was the first proven plant that was widely adopted for EMF absorption. Growing it indoors requires some gardening skills. You can give it the light it needs by setting up a LED light if you can’t place it under direct sunlight.
The sunflower is a large annual plant with an average height of 6.6 feet (2 m) when outdoors. The stem of the plant is grooved and can grow up to 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter.
The flowers are bright yellow, 2 – 3 feet across having hundreds of petals that are united together into circles called disks. The foliage is also large and green. The foliage can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) in length and 12 inches (30 cm) wide.
When you bring a sunflower indoors, the first thing to do is make sure it has enough light to grow. You can place your sunflower pot in front of a window or move it under lights. Sunflowers are used to lots of sunlight outdoors, so make sure your sunflower gets 8 hours of strong sunlight every day.
During the winter, the sunflower will most likely stop growing. This is normal! You can keep your sunflower around until summer if you want, but it’s not necessary.
To water your sunflower, make sure that the soil is moist at all times. You will know that the soil is too dry when it starts to turn light brown.
Your sunflower will need a lot of nutrients to grow, so mix in some fertilizer into the soil. You can buy a bag of fertilizer for under $3 at a hardware store and it will last you a while.
#6. Gerbera Daisy
Another flowering plant on the list. It was part of the experiment NASA conducted and has proven to be an effective antipollution plant. It also requires sunlight for indoor growth.
Gerbera daisy is a very lively flower that can add life to your house. Many people choose to keep these flowers around because they have a very unique look about them with their large, petal-like appearance and vibrant colors. There are many reasons why a person would want to keep a Gerbera Daisy around the house, so if you have been wondering how to take care of a Gerbera Daisy, here are some tips.
Make sure that the Gerbera Daisy you are planting has a lot of space around it because they need ample room to grow. They need constant attention because if they are not tended to, then they will wilt and die shortly. Plant them in tilled soil that is at least ten inches deep.
One of the most important things that you need to make sure of when it comes to caring for your Gerbera Daisy is making sure that they are getting the proper amount of water. Give them enough water so that the soil around them is moist, but not soaked with excess water. You should be watering them about once every day or two, depending on how much sunlight they receive and how hot it is outside.
Gerbera Daisies flourishes in sunlight, so make sure that you are giving them enough light when they are inside. If they do not receive much light, then the flower will start to droop and wilt because it is not receiving the right nutrients to grow big and strong. You can place them in a place where they can get a lot of sunlight by a window so that they can grow and flourish.
You should also make sure that you are rotating your Gerbera Daisy every day so that the flower is getting proper access to the light from all angles. This will prevent one side from getting too much light and burning off while the other side has not received any light.
#7. Stone Lotus Flower
You might have heard of the Stone Lotus Flower when talking about herbal oils. The flower has many medical benefits; it also purifies the air and can control radiation. It is a small plant and looks beautiful anywhere, making it an ideal candidate to place on your working desk near your electronic gadgets, absorbing electromagnetic waves.
The Stone Lotus Flower, also known as the Stone Orchid, is a rare plant that originates from Southeast Asia. With large dark green leaves and vibrant pink blooms, this plant makes the perfect houseplant.
Stone lotus flowers are very popular for their look alone but they are prized for their strong fragrance which can last up to six months.
This flower needs to be grown indoors in order to fully develop the beautiful blooms it’s known for.
When watering, submerge the lotus pot halfway into a large bucket or sink filled with room temperature water. Allow it to sit for about an hour so that all of the dirt loosens up. Then, gently pour out the dirty water and repeat until the pot is clean.
This flower needs at least six hours of direct sunlight a day to grow properly. It also prefers dry, warm temperatures with humidity between 40-55%.
In order to keep your stone lotus happy with its ideal temperature, place it in a bright room with plenty of sunlight.
The stone lotus is best grown in soil that is moist but not soggy. When the plant needs to be watered, allow the top few inches of potting mix to dry out before completely submerging the lotus again for an hour.
#8. Aloe Vera
Another succulent, it is has been proven to be effective on EMF reduction, apart from being one of the best plants to treat skin problems and burns. It is very easy to grow and spreads quite well.
Aloe is a tropical plant that belongs to the lily family. In addition, it is also more commonly known as aloe vera. This plant can be grown as a houseplant indoors and some people even grow them outdoors as well. Aloes are mostly from Africa but some varieties do originate from Asia and Australia as well.
In fact, the aloe vera plant prefers bright light, but they can still grow in some shade. However, it is more ideal to place them near a sunny window. Aloes also require moist soil that is well-drained where they won’t be sitting in the excess water. Also, this plant does not like really cold weather so if it gets below freezing in your area, it is best to bring them in during the cold months.
Although they do not need a lot of water, aloe vera plants still require some care and maintenance. You will need to water the soil enough so that it feels moist but not overly wet. Also, another important thing to remember about caring for the aloe vera plant is that it does not like to be overwatered or underwater.
Lastly, if you want your aloe vera plants to grow faster and get healthier, try fertilizing them about once every couple of months with a specific houseplant fertilizer that is used three times each year. Just remember that when using any type of fertilizer you should always read the directions prior to use.
#9. Rubber Plant
Rubber Plant or Ficus Decora looks great anywhere in the house and grows very fast. It has been considered an outdoor plant. However, it is also possible to grow it indoors with minimal effort. Its beautiful leaves look perfect, neat, and tidy. It is considered a great anti-radiation plant.
Rubber plants are common indoor houseplants that can be kept for many years if cared for properly. They prefer bright, indirect sunlight and should be placed about five feet away from a window to ensure adequate light exposure year-round. Indoor temperatures between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal, but rubber plants do not tolerate freezing temperatures or drafts from windows or doors.
Water your rubber plant once per week, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. Decrease watering frequency during the winter months when the rubber plant is dormant. Rubber plants are extremely sensitive to fluoride so use bottled or rainwater for best results. Fertilize every three weeks with a balanced 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 fertilizer, but do not fertilize when the plant is dormant.
Discard yellow leaves that have fallen from the tree or remain on the branches due to senescence. Prune any dead branches with pruning shears and discard them. Cut away diseased portions of stems if necessary using a clean knife or pruners. Avoid pruning in the spring when new growth is emerging.
#10. Maidenhair fern
Also known as ‘Adiantum Raddianum,’ this plant is one of my favorites. It is a common choice for home decoration both indoors and outdoors. Indoors would be best if you placed it in a bright, indirect area of the home. It has a light gray-green and feathery-like foliage.
Maidenhair fern is a group of tropical plants that is native to Africa, Madagascar, and the East Indies. It grows well when planted indoors in most climates as long as it has lots of moisture and indirect sunlight.
Maidenhair ferns grow from rhizomes, which are part underground stem with roots on the end. The rhizomes grow in tight tufts and can be cut apart with a sharp knife to propagate more ferns.
Maidenhair fern is known for its delicately divided fronds that emerge on wiry stems which are often red or pinkish brown. These fronds grow up to 2-3 ft tall.
Caring for maidenhair fern is not difficult but should be done properly to ensure the plant grows well. The following are some tips on taking care of a maidenhair fern:
- Watering – Maidenhair fern should be kept moist at all times, so keep the potting mix moist but not soggy. Water the maidenhair fern with room temperature water, using a watering can often get leaves wet and encourage mildew growth on them.
- Light – Give the plant a shady spot in a room with indirect light. It will grow well under fluorescent lights as long as it is not kept too close to the bulbs as the leaves will be burnt.
- Temperature – Maidenhair fern grows best at temperatures between 16-21°C (60-70°F). It should not have a dormant period so it is important to maintain a consistent temperature for best growth.
- Humidity – Keep the humidity level of your maidenhair fern high by regularly misting with room temperature water or placing the plant on a tray of wet pebbles.
- Soil – A good potting mixture for maidenhair ferns is 4 parts all-purpose compost, 1 part perlite, and 1 part vermiculite. The potting mix should be kept moist but well-draining to prevent soggy soil.
Best plant placement for EMF control
Once you have decided what plants would look better in your home, it’s time to think about where to place them.
As plants absorb EMF radiation when it’s directed to them in a straight line, you will need to place them as close to the source of EMF radiation as possible to block it efficiently.
Identify hotspots of radiation. Usually, your WiFi router, smart meter, microwave oven, and other appliances are the primary sources of EMF radiation. Use an EMF meter to know what devices emit more radiation in the house. Once identified, prepare an EMF map similar to the one below, so you can be clear on where it comes from.
The ideal indoor placement for plants recommended by NASA is one plant per 1,075 sqft. There is no harm in using more of one plant, but you have to place them in the right place to get maximum absorption and make sure the plants receive the light they need.
Place at least two plants on either side of EMF hotspots like your computer desk, mains box, TV, or WiFi router. Remember that EMF passes through walls, so consider placing a plant on the other side of the wall if the source is significant.
The more spread the plant is, the more efficient the EMF absorption will be. So, grow your plants wide or grow them on the wall. A vertical garden is an excellent way to add cacti as they don’t spread much.
If you notice the plants starting to go brown, it means the radiation levels are too high. Then is when you need to introduce physical EMF shields.
Last Thoughts on Plants that Absorb Radiation
So, here you have: another solution to minimize EMF radiation, plants that absorb radiation.
Now you have an even better reason to add indoor plants to your home. Every plant has medical and environmental value. Studies show that interacting with indoor plants may be able also to reduce stress and anxiety. Experiencing nature, in general, can lower blood pressure and improve your mental health.
Indoor plants are one way to improve air quality and EMF radiation at work and at home. Choose plants that will thrive indoors, and ensure they get enough sun and water… and enjoy!