Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, September 10, 1995                   TAG: 9509110002
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: D-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder Newspapers
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BEST PLANTS FOR CLEANING THE AIR

Bill Wolverton, a Mississippi scientist who has spent more than a decade researching how plants battle pollution, suggests the following:

Lady Palm. Best suited for use in partial shade, where the leaves remain dark and shiny green. One of the easiest plants to grow even if you don't have a green thumb. Grows to about 7 feet.

Ficus allii. This narrow-leaf plant is not as fussy as ficus benjamina and grows to 12 to 15 feet. Prefers low to medium light.

Peace lily. A member of the spathiphyllum family, this plant has white showy flowers and grows to 2 feet. Prefers low to medium light.

Golden pothos. A plant with attractive green and gold leaves that is often displayed in hanging baskets. Prefers low to medium light.