The Benefits of Houseplants
In recent years, the indoor plant market has become largely popular (Pollock, 2023). According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2020), caring for houseplants falls under the occupation of Home Establishment and Management, which involves “obtaining and maintaining personal and household possessions and environments (p.31).”
Caring for houseplants benefits individuals of all ages. As we lead more sedentary lifestyles and continue living in urbanization, we have become more disconnected from nature (Hassan & Deshun, 2023; Pollock, 2023). Sedentary behavior is associated with negative health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and more (Hassan & Deshun, 2023). Engaging in activities related to gardening and nature, including caring for houseplants, may promote physical movement, enhance mental and physical well-being, improve cognition and self-esteem, and increase our appreciation for the natural world (Hassan & Deshun, 2023).
Having indoor plants can impact us in many ways, including promoting sensory exploration, enhanced mental well-being, increased job satisfaction, and more! Keep reading to learn more about the benefits and find a beginner-friendly plant to start your houseplant journey today!
Sensory Input and Exploration
Caring for houseplants provides opportunities for sensory exploration and input (Pangborn, n.d.; Slugg, 2022). This may include:
Tactile (Touch) Input
Plants offer a variety of different textured leaves, roots, and more, such as smooth, bumpy, or velvety leaves
Manipulating potting soil provides sensory input
Olfactory (Smell) Input
Herb plants, like mint or lemongrass, provide sensory input through fragrant smells
Various flowers provide other fragrant smells, such as lavender
Potting soil provides an earthy smell for additional sensory input
Gustatory (Taste) Input
Growing herbs or microgreens to use while cooking
Visual
Plants come in a variety of colors, patterns, shapes, or sizes to offer a variety of sensory input
Vestibular
Repotting, watering, or general care for houseplants may offer vestibular input as gardeners bend, squat, sit, and stand
Proprioception
Carrying plants, dirt, or water provides deep pressure to the muscles and joints, leading to proprioceptive input
(Pangborn, n.d.; Slugg, 2022)
Mental Health and Well-Being
Research on the benefits of seeing and caring for houseplants on our mental health has shown many benefits, including:
Stress and Anxiety Reduction
Studies tasking participants to repot or water houseplants show a reduction in stress responses, including lower blood pressure and heart rate (Hassan & Deshun, 2023; Pollock, 2023; Stanborough, 2020)
Improved Mood
One study conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown found that individuals caring for houseplants or gardening at home had reduced anxiety and depression symptoms (Pollock, 2023). More specifically, having a garden and houseplants were associated with lower depressive symptoms and lower anxiety symptoms, respectively (Dzhambov et al., 2021)
Other studies found caring for houseplants left participants happier and with higher self-esteem (Hassan & Deshun, 2023; Stanborough, 2020). For example, watering houseplants was associated with deceased blood pressure and participants reported feeling less stressed following the task (Hassan & Deshun, 2023)
Physical Health and Well-Being
Caring for indoor plants encourages physical activity (Hassan & Deshun, 2023; OT Dude, 2020). While each plant has different needs, general care may benefit physical health and well-being in the following ways:
Improved Physical Health
Having a connection with nature is associated with positive health outcomes, including reduced cholesterol levels, body weight, and blood pressure (Hassan & Deshun, 2023)
Coordination, Balance, Strength
Caring for houseplants requires fine motor strength and coordination as gardeners may need to manipulate tools, grasp small plants or soil, or trim plants (OT Dude, 2020; Pangborn, n.d.). For individuals with fine motor strength or manipulation difficulties, consider adaptive gardening tools!
Caring for houseplants promotes gross motor coordination, balance, and strength through tasks like carrying heavy plants or soil or moving from squatting to standing (Hassan & Deshun, 2023; OT Dude, 2020; Pangborn, n.d.)
Cognition
Viewing and caring for indoor plants can enhance our cognition in various ways, including:
Sequencing, Following Directions, and Routines
Learning to care for houseplants involves the ability to sequence tasks and follow directions, including knowing what steps to follow and their order (i.e., when repotting, gardeners place the plant in a pot, add soil, water the plant, and place the plant in proper lighting) (Pangborn, n.d.)
Caring for indoor plants requires gardeners to maintain a care and watering routine to ensure they survive (OT Dude, 2020)
For individuals with difficulties maintaining routines or requiring directions, consider using an app to track your plant care, such as the Planta app!
Improved Executive Functioning
Caring for houseplants requires many executive functioning skills, including attention, problem-solving, memory, judgment, and dual-tasking (OT Dude, 2020)
Memory and Recall: Gardeners must recall when the last time their plants were watered, and remember to continue watering them on a schedule (i.e., watering) (OT Dude, 2020; Pangborn, n.d.)
One study found that students studying in a classroom containing live plants were more attentive and had better concentration in comparison to those in a room without plants or with fake plants (Stanborough, 2020)
For individuals with executive functioning or memory challenges, consider tracking plant care using an app or written calendar, along with caring for low-maintenance plants, such as a Golden Pothos or ZZ Plant!
Safety Awareness
Gardeners must practice safety awareness to avoid falls or injury while caring for plants, including while carrying heavy tools or bending to water without falling (OT Dude, 2020)
For individuals with limited safety awareness, consider placing visual reminders near their houseplants, such as a visual chart, and place houseplants on an elevated surface to reduce the need for bending
Productivity and Job Satisfcation
The presence of indoor plants in the workplace may benefit employees in various ways:
Increased Productivity and Creativity
Various studies have found that having indoor plants in the workplace environment is associated with increased productivity and creativity (Stanborough, 2020)
Enhanced Job Satisfaction
One study found that employees exposed to natural elements, including indoor plants, reported greater job satisfaction and felt more committed to their work (Stanborough, 2020)
Leisure and Social Participation
Caring for indoor plants can be a therapeutic activity that promotes leisure and social participation:
Horticultural Therapy
Horticultural therapy, defined as “the use of plants and plant-based activity for the purpose of human healing and rehabilitation” increases feelings of well-being for individuals with dementia, depression, or anxiety (Horticulture Therapy Program, 2024; Stanborough, 2020)
Social and Community Engagement
An initiative conducted by Healthier Manchester involved prescribing indoor plants, such as herbs, to patients experiencing depression, anxiety, or loneliness. After caring for plants at home, patients were tasked to transfer their plants to a communal garden, enhancing their social and community participation (Healthier Manchester, 2019)
Caring for plants with children can promote social interaction and engagement, including learning to ask for help (OT Dude, 2020; Pangborn, n.d.)
Beginner-Friendly and Pet-Safe Houseplants
Are you interested in starting your houseplant journey? Some suggested beginner-friendly plants include (Vanzile, 2022):
Golden pothos
Spider plant
Snake plant
Dragon tree
Philodendron
It is important to note that many houseplants are toxic to pets (Beck, 2023). Some non-toxic plant options include:
Lipstick Plant
Parlor Palm
Watermelon Plant
Spider Plant
Prayer Plant
Check out our blog post “How to Tune Your Senses Into Nature” to find more activities to connect with nature and promote sensory regulation!
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Supp. 2), 1-87. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001
Beck, A. (2023, March 16). 15 non-toxic plants for dogs and cats for greenery without worry. Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/15-pet-friendly-houseplants-that-add-green-without-the-worry-281474979610304/
Dzhambov, A. M., Lercher, P., Browning, M. H. E. M., Stoyanov, D., Petrova, N., Novakov, S., & Dimitrova, D. D. (2021). Does greenery experienced indoors and outdoors provide an escape and support mental health during the COVID-19 quarantine?. Environmental research, 196, 110420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110420
Hassan, A., & Deshun, Z. (2023). Promoting adult health: The neurophysiological benefits of watering plants and engaging in mental tasks within designed environments. BMC psychology, 11(1), 310. https://doi-org.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/10.1186/s40359-023-01362-5
Healthier Manchester. (2019, August 27). Ey up petal: How docs are prescribing plants to keep Mancs (k)ale and hearty. https://healthiermanchester.org/ey-up-petal-how-docs-are-prescribing-plants-to-keep-mancs-kale-and-hearty/
Horticulture Therapy Program. (2024). What is horticultural therapy? Rutgers University. https://plantbiology.rutgers.edu/hort-therapy/whatis.html#:~:text=Horticultural%20Therapy%20(HT)%20is%20an,early%2019th%20century%20by%20Dr.
OT Dude. (2020, December 23). Occupational therapy gardening ideas for adults (& kids). https://www.otdude.com/ot-practice/occupational-therapy-gardening-ideas-for-adults/
Pangborn, L. (n.d.). An occupational therapist explains the benefits of gardening with kids. Bloomscape. https://bloomscape.com/green-living/an-occupational-therapist-explains-the-benefits-of-gardening-with-kids/
Pollock, M. (2023, September 27). Planting, watering and healing: Surprising health benefits of indoor plants. Morning AgClips. https://www.morningagclips.com/planting-watering-and-healing-surprising-health-benefits-of-indoor-plants/
Slugg. (2022, September 29). Sensory houseplants for your indoor garden. https://slugg.com.au/blogs/news/sensory-houseplants-for-your-indoor-garden
Stanborough, J. (2020, September 18). A hobby for all seasons: 7 science-backed benefits of indoor plants. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/benefits-of-indoor-plants
Vanzile, J. (2022, December 19). 30 best houseplants for beginners. The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/the-best-houseplants-for-beginners-4767423
Photos:
https://www.thespruce.com/the-best-houseplants-for-beginners-4767423