The Power of Plants
Our guide to the myriad benefits of living with houseplants, plus tips and tools for starting a collection of your own
Think of the last time you walked into a greenhouse or hiked through a dense forest. Did you take a deep breath in, luxuriating in how the air felt in your lungs? Did you notice how a sense of calm washed over you?
You can reap some of the same benefits from houseplants. A recent meta-analysis conducted by researchers at the Department of Landscape Architecture at the National Chin-Yi University of Technology found that houseplants positively impact basic human functions, “particularly those of relaxed physiology and enhanced cognition,” to include a reduction in diastolic blood pressure. This is bolstered by findings (published in a 2015 issue of the Journal of Physiological Anthropology) that plant-related tasks can potentially reduce stress by suppressing the autonomic nervous system. Other studies and reviews have identified additional ways in which living with plants may support physical, mental, and emotional health, such as a speedier recovery from illness, decreased fatigue, increased feelings of happiness, and improved attention span.
Houseplants also do wonders for their caretaker’s environment. Plants oxygenate the space around them, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen during photosynthesis. Furthermore, they humidify the air during transpiration (the process of a plant releasing water vapor from its leaves as a byproduct of absorbing water from soil), which has been shown to alleviate dry skin, soothe sinuses, and reduce allergies. Clustering plants together increases these effects.
If navigating the wild world of healthy houseplants is daunting, this guide to which ones to start with, how to nurture them, and more will help plant the seeds. It’s a jungle out there. Let’s explore.
Photos by stock.adobe.com: Kulbir (Philodendron Brasil), Gulsina (Anthurium),onyachny (Dieffenbachia) and Justyna (Rhipsalis)
Photos by istockphoto.com: c12 (1) and emer1940 / Manfred Ruckszio (2)
Photos by stock.adobe.com: Sunshine (background), DimaBerlin (3), Idijatullina Veronika (4), Alexey Meandrov (5)
