Why are Houseplants Good?

Houseplants can brighten up a space and bring joy. Houseplants can be great teachers and help us connect deeper with nature while stuck indoors. I’ve learned more about myself and my relationships with others through growing houseplants than I ever knew I could.

I often forget to think about the benefits of having houseplants. I focus far too much on the negative impacts and what I can do to lessen them. But I forget to enjoy them. Not always of course. Today I spent quite a bit of time observing and interacting with them. It reminded me that I ought to do it more often.

In a rush to collect as many plants as possible, to fill each available corner with greenery, I cornered myself into a mindset where I forgot to spend time with them. This is partly due to the focus I have been giving to getting my book published and writing blogs each day. More videos are being filmed and edited. While all of this revolved around plants the plants themselves were lost in the chaos.

That’s not too big of a deal. After all the “Leave it the Fuck Alone” method allows for such lengthy absences from plant observation when needed but it’s nice to get back and get in there.

But back to the main question of this post. Why are houseplants good? They don’t clean the air despite what many claim. Keeping them alive requires some environmentally damaging practices. The hobby has led to serious poaching of rare species. And yet, time and again reports come back noting the benefits of growing houseplants. From stress relief and boosting recovery to increasing creativity and productivity, houseplants seem to have serious health benefits for those who participate.

In reality, houseplants aren’t good or bad. Like anything else in this world, it is fraught with conflict and highly situational. But if you derive some joy from the practice, then you don’t need me to tell you why they are good. But if you’re on the fence and want to dip a toe in the water then there isn’t much to lose. But who knows, you might just learn something about yourself along the way.