When summer arrives and / or temperatures rise a lot, we usually react by putting the air conditioning or fan, and even opening the windows. The latter is undoubtedly the most sensible thing to do, not only because it is free but also because it manages to renew the air inside the house; And if you are also in an area where the humidity is high, you prevent the walls from blackening. Now, did you know that plants can also help you keep your house cool?
They carry out a process daily which reduces the temperature around them, so when you get closer to one, especially if it is large, you notice that pleasant freshness. So if you want to know how to refresh the house with plants and make it show, follow our advice.
Put these indoor plants to beat the heat
The first thing is to know which plants are the ideal ones to have at home. It must be borne in mind that there are many that cannot adapt to the conditions that exist inside the house, and others that, on the other hand, do grow very well. The latter tend to be native to tropical or subtropical regions that inhabit those places where the sun does not reach the ground directly. The varieties that we are going to recommend are also easy to care for . Enjoy them:
Ribbon ( Chlorophytum comosum )
Image – Wikimedia / Mokkie
The tape is a fantastic plant that receives several names: Malamadre, bond of love, or in addition to tape spider course. It is a herbaceous plant with green or variegated tapered leaves, which grows 30 centimeters in height at most . It tends to produce stolons, that is, stems from the end of which sprout seedlings that will be identical to the mother. These can be cut as soon as they have roots and planted in other pots. The good thing is that it needs little watering and attention, and that last but not least it looks great in hanging pots
Sword fern ( Nephrolepis exaltata )
Image – Wikimedia / David J. Stang
The sword fern or Boston fern as it is also known, is a plant with leaves that can measure up to 1 meter long. It does not have flowers, but that does not matter: it adapts very well to living indoors , it is possible to have it in hanging pots and as if that were not enough, you only have to water it a couple of times a week during the summer and a little less the rest. of the year.
Tiger’s Tongue ( Sansevieria trifasciata )
Image – Wikimedia / Mokkie
The plant known as tiger’s tongue , whose scientific name since 2017 is Dracaena trifasciata but was previously Sansevieria trifasciata , is one of the most interesting. According to NASA it cleans the air of impurities . Its height is about 20 to 70 centimeters depending on the variety or cultivar , and you only have to water it when the soil is dry.
Monstera ( Monstera deliciosa )
Image – Flickr / Hornbeam Arts
The monstera is an evergreen plant climbing habit that has very large leaves up to 90 centimeters long and green. It grows to 20 meters long, although it can be pruned to control its growth. Sometimes it is thought that it is very delicate, but really if you put it in a room where there is a lot of light, away from drafts, and you water it from time to time it will be very good
Potos ( Epipremnum aureum )
Image – Wikimedia / Joydeep
The pothos is a climbing evergreen and fast – growing great to have in the house. These leaves are heart-shaped, and are green or variegated in color. It can be 10 meters long, but it tolerates pruning well, so you can keep it in a pot throughout its life. It does not require much maintenance since it only has to be watered from time to time.
Where do you put the plants?
If we want to combat the heat with indoor plants, it is important that they put them in places where we spend more time . But these rooms are the ones that usually have drafts (fan, air conditioner, open windows), and that damages the leaves, since it dries the tips and, if the exposure is prolonged, they eventually turn brown and die. .
Therefore, it is crucial that they stay away from these currents . For example, you may be interested in having a beautiful green corner with potted plants in a room where a lot of light enters. If so, you should put them away from the window or windows, always putting the larger ones behind the smaller ones. You can even play with colors, as long as the size of your crops allows. For example, I like to put many green plants and, in the middle of some, put another one of another color to make it stand out.
Those that are hanging or can be used as such, can be very good if the pot is hooked to the ceiling, or in an arch. The same as the climbing plants. Can you imagine having a potos that grows on an arch, or on a door frame? The truth is that it would be interesting, don’t you think?
But how do they lower temperatures?
It is a process known as perspiration . To live, plants need to breathe 24 hours a day, and they do so by absorbing oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. But to do so it is inevitable to lose water. The roots are in charge of looking for the precious liquid and, once they find it, they absorb it so that it is transported to the rest of the plant through the conducting vessels (which would be the equivalent of our veins).
What happens is that only a small part of that water is used for photosynthesis. What happens with the rest? Well, it comes out of the pores of the leaves in the form of water vapor. And it is this water vapor that cools the plant, but also reduces the temperature around it.
For this reason, it is highly recommended to have plants at home.
