Safe to keep plants in bedroom?

Someone told me that some plants shouldn't be kept in the bedroom because they release something in the air during the night. Is this true?

 

Good evening Sidney and welcome to the site. That is an old wives tale, don`t worry about it.:gnthb:

 

Hello Sidney, Just out of interest, what are you thinking of putting in the bedroom?

 

Thanks!

A calathea and an aloe vera and probably later some of the plants from that NASA study on air purification.

 

I've kept plants in my bedroom for most of my life and still do. As others said it's an old wives tales and on a positive, they smell nice when you first wake up and the sun hits them!

 

Hi Sidney & welcome to gardeners corner,

Just had a look around, it seems like paranoia,

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/houseplt/msg1116303526487.html

 

Remember this from my student nurse days.

We were told that during daylight the plants, through photosynthesis absorbed carbon dioxide and gave off oxygen but that at night - because of lack of light the process was reversed.

I've never found out if it is true or not but even if it is the amount are so minimal there cannot be any harm to it.

 

I'm with Hec on this one.
When I trained with Florence in the Crimea we always removed the plants from the sleeping areas at night because they give off CO2 - although during the day they absorb CO2 and give off Oxygen.
I think this is true but none of it happens at a level that will make any difference at the level of an individual plant in your home.
Keep any plant you like in your bedroom.
Have you ever read a report of anyone who died because of the plant in their bedroom

 

It is a fact, and during cloudy days the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide released are about the same. The amounts of CO2 released during darkness when photosynthesis isn't possible are insignificant in relation to human health.

It's worth remembering that 'human beans' also take in oxygen and exhale CO2.:lollol:

 

You mean that during cloudy days because there isn't much light the plant releases equal amounts of oxygen and CO2?

 

As far as I've been led to believe -yes, more or less. The amount of CO2 taken up by a plant depends on sunlight which supports a photo-chemical reaction resulting in the production of glucose and oxygen.

Here's an easy to follow link that may help explain the process >
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/biology/respiration/aerobic-respiration-in-plants.html

 

It's fine but they can increase unwanted humidity in the house and of course small flies from eggs in the compost. Bringing plants in from the garden can be troublesome but not for the reasons you mention. The hardest part is meeting the conditions they require in a centrally heated home

 

Look at it this way Sidney (and welcome by the way), if it were true that sleeping in close proximity to plants was harmful, camping under canvas would be pretty high on the list of things not to do! :hehe:

 

There's a story about a bloke who succumbed to cyanide gas poisoning when he took a load of Cherry Laurel prunings to the tip in his car.

Not sure whether it's true or not. But nothing to worry about anyway, unless you're planning on storing a huge amount of cherry laurel prunings in your bedroom!

 

Hi Sidney

I would agree with Dave W. A growing plant carries out two operations that are seperate.

Operation 1, is where it creates plant food (sugars and starches). It does this mainly in the leaves, by photosynthesis during the day, absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen.

And operation 2 is where the sugars are transported to the appropriate part of the plant and then burnt to produce energy that is used for growing. Like all burning, is uses oxygen and gives off carbon dioxide. So if a plant has created enough plant food during the day, it will carry on growing all night as well. In fact Dahlias (and I am sure a number of other plants) grow more at night than during the day.

But the amounts of carbon dioxide released at night will be tiny. Its much more dangerous to share your room with another person - especially if he is your driver. :D