How Growing Houseplants Can Benefit Your Health

How Growing Houseplants Can Benefit Your Health
Besides looking beautiful and giving a natural elegance to your home, growing houseplants has many physical and psychological health benefits. From removing harmful toxins from the air, reducing stress, and giving you a sense of purpose and satisfaction, having plants in your home is a great way to improve your quality of life. Numerous scientific studies have shown the holistic benefits of keeping houseplants.

Benefits

  • Improves air quality
  • Reduces Stress
  • Increases productivity
  • Improves mood
  • Reduces indoor allergies
  • Adds humidity to the air
  • Increases immune function
  • Promotes healing
  • Gives a sense of purpose & accomplishment
  • Encourages creativity
  • Improves cognition and memory
Studies compiled by the University of Technology, Sydney show that having indoor plants in business offices and workspaces increased productivity and reduced negative mood and stress among employees, and decreased the number of illnesses and absences from work. Research from Texas A&M University published in The Journal of Environmental Horticulture found that people who lived in or near green spaces and surrounded themselves with plants, both indoors and out, experienced emotional and mental health benefits such as stress reduction, reduced symptoms of depression, stronger memory retention, fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress, improved symptoms of attention-deficit disorders (ADD/ADHD), higher productivity and improved concentration in schools and workplaces, higher levels of creativity, fewer symptoms of dementia, higher intellect, better self-esteem, and greater quality of life overall. What’s more, is many indoor plants have air-purifying properties that increase oxygen and remove toxins and pollutants from the air. According to healthline.com, indoor air pollution can increase your risk of stroke, ischemic heart disease, COPD, lung cancer, and respiratory infection in children. It’s recommended to place at least one potted plant per 100 feet for maximum benefits. One study showed that indoor plants can improve air quality and reduce carbon dioxide by 10% or more. Here are some of the best types of plants for improving the air quality of your home.

Air-purifying Plants

  • Peace Lily
  • Spider Plant
  • English Ivy
  • Snake Plant
  • Aloe Vera
  • Chinese Evergreen
  • Weeping Fig Tree
  • Bamboo Palm
  • Dragon Tree
There are numerous books and websites with information on different types of houseplants and how to care for them. For a beginner’s guide to basic care and durable plants, check out the Houseplant Primer at gardenerspath.com. Some plants require more care than others. The following are some low maintenance plants that are easy to keep alive:
  • Pathos (Devil’s Ivy)
  • Peace Lily
  • Spider Plant
  • Ponytail Palm
  • Chinese Evergreen
  • Aloe Vera
  • Cast-iron Plant
  • Prayer Plant
  • Parlour Palm
  • English Ivy
  • Barrel Head Cactus
  • Air Plants (Tillandsia)
  • Parlor Palm
Note: Some of the previously mentioned houseplants are toxic to dogs and cats. Please do your research before purchasing a houseplant if you have pets in your home. With the aesthetic appeal of greenery in the home and the array of scientifically proven mental, physical, and emotional health benefits associated with being around plants, there is no downside to bringing a little nature inside and creating a green home environment with houseplants.
Back to Blog