Benefits of Plants: 18 Claims Checked Against the Research

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It’s no secret that our modern world is becoming more stressful than ever before. The constant pressure of deadlines, sales targets, and social expectations can quickly take its toll. Thankfully, it turns out that plants might be able to help.

A recent study detailed in BMC’s (BioMed Central) Journal of Physiological Anthropology tested if plants could reduce our stress levels. 24 young men were split into two groups and monitored while performing two tasks – a computer-based project and repotting a peperomia.

The data showed that their stress response was significantly lower when the participants engaged in repotting the plant. Sympathetic nervous activity, measured through heart rate variability, rose over time during the computer task and fell at the end of the transplanting task, and diastolic blood pressure was significantly lower after transplanting. Those who interacted with the plant also felt calmer and more comfortable.

So next time you feel like pulling your hair out with a deadline coming up, spend some time working with your plants instead!

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One of the most famous studies on plant benefits was carried out by NASA in 1989. The study examined whether indoor plants could improve air quality and filter out impurities – a process called ‘phytoremediation’. In 1989, NASA researchers led by Wolverton tested plants in sealed test chambers, and their filter design paired plants with an activated carbon filter. Later reviews found the chamber results do not carry over to ordinary rooms.

A 2012 study by Pegas and colleagues monitored a single primary-school classroom in Aveiro, Portugal, comparing periods without and with six hanging potted plants. In sealed-chamber tests plants did take up some VOCs, but a 2020 review of 12 chamber studies by Cummings and Waring found a median clean air delivery rate of only 0.023 m3/h for a single plant.

To match ordinary air exchange in a building would take 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter of floor space (Cummings and Waring, 2020). The EPA says plant removal is inconsequential compared with ventilation and air exchange.

These days, it’s even easier than ever to get distracted. With so many easy opportunities to procrastinate, our attention spans can feel incredibly limited at times.

This was tested in a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The experiment evaluated 23 elementary school students and their attention spans. The students were exposed separately to a real plant, an artificial plant, a picture of a plant, and no plant at all.

In a study of 23 children aged 11 to 13, EEG showed a significant decrease in frontal-lobe theta waves while they viewed a live plant, which the authors read as better attention and concentration. A 2022 review of 16 pooled records found effects on attention and response time were not significant. These brainwaves are connected to daydreaming and are more common in children than adults. The students also felt calmer and more relaxed.

Are you struggling to concentrate on those critical reports? Pop a plant on your desk!

A 2018 survey of 578 people in Sandwell, UK found access to and quality of neighborhood green space were associated with lower psychological distress, but it was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that greenery lowers the risk of mental distress. The study concerned parks and open areas, not houseplants.

A 2013 Auckland study by Nutsford and colleagues compared anxiety and mood disorder treatment counts with green space measures across areas, not individuals' anxiety, and found no significant association for green space within 300 m. It did not study houseplants.

After suffering an injury or battling an illness, the road to recovery can be long and arduous.

In 2009, a study by Kansas State University researched the presence of potted plants in hospital rooms. In one randomized trial of 90 patients recovering from hemorrhoid surgery, those in rooms with plants had lower systolic blood pressure, lower ratings of pain, anxiety, and fatigue, and rated their rooms more satisfying.

In the modern world, it seems that productivity is king. It can be challenging to keep up with deadlines and meetings while trying to ignore distractions.

This claim has been subject to several studies in recent decades. A 1996 study published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture placed some plants in a workspace without windows. Participants doing a simple timed computer task had a 12% quicker reaction time and systolic blood pressure readings lowered by one to four units when plants were present.

The American Society for Horticultural Science also published a 2007 study evaluating the effects of indoor plants in a workplace.

In a 2007 cross-sectional survey of 385 Norwegian office workers, the number of plants near a desk had small but statistically reliable associations with sick leave and productivity. It’s the perfect excuse for bringing up plants in your Monday meeting.

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It’s easy to get run down by the 9-5 schedule, making you question your career choices while staring at your screen. Office surveys have linked plants with small differences in productivity and, with other natural elements, with higher job satisfaction. These are associations, not proof that plants cause the difference.

A 2016 study by An and colleagues evaluated the impact of natural factors such as office plants in a cross-sectional survey of 444 employees recruited through an online panel in the United States and India. Natural elements at work, including plants, nature images, and window views, were associated with higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment, though plants were not analyzed on their own and the design cannot show cause.

Adding some live plants to your desk could help your workweek become a bit more bearable.

We’ve all seen those interior design posts on Instagram – a stunning city apartment with pothos trailing along the walls. The truth is that plants can be an incredibly unique way to make interior design changes.

Houseplants can give any space a more natural feel by bringing the outside in. They’re also a more cost-effective way of sprucing up a space without breaking the bank for new furniture or furnishings.

You can also find houseplants that fit virtually any interior style, allowing you to customize your look constantly.

Sprawling Boston ferns can transform bland bathrooms. Are you going for a minimalist vibe? A snake plant can add a bit of impact. Want a lush conservatory? Round up some monsteras and philodendrons to create a vibrant jungle atmosphere. The choice is yours.

In an increasingly urban world, it can feel more difficult than ever to connect with nature. Computer screens and smartphones have replaced what was part of our daily rhythm for thousands of years.

Several psychological studies have detailed the positive impacts of feeling connected to nature. A 2014 meta-analysis of 30 samples found a small positive link (r = 0.19) between feeling connected to nature and happiness. It tested nature connectedness, not houseplants.

While modern technology has changed our outlook, we can re-establish our connection to nature by bringing houseplants into our homes. In recent years, houseplants have become increasingly popular with younger generations who’ve grown up with technology.

Cultivating houseplants brings us back to a more hands-on relationship with nature instead of keeping it at arm’s length.

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Few things feel worse than struggling with your sleep. Johns Hopkins Medicine says about one-third of adults experience insomnia symptoms at any given time.

But a 2020 study in a long-duration isolated environment (Zhang and colleagues, Life Sciences in Space Research) reported that exposure to coriander before bedtime might help people go to sleep rapidly. It tested edible plants and light in an isolation setting, not ordinary houseplants in a bedroom.

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Whether you call it positive chi or just good vibes, having the proper feng shui in your home can make a big difference. One of the most natural ways to cultivate good feng shui is through houseplants.

As living organisms, plants are an excellent way to encourage harmony in your home. This also brings nature into the house, connecting with something that humans have lived alongside for millennia.

Some plants can have more impact in terms of feng shui than others. According to feng shui tradition, the jade plant is linked with good fortune and prosperity. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum describes keeping one at home or work to invite prosperity and good luck. No effect has been measured.

Because plants can bring so many benefits to virtually any home, they make excellent gifts. Presenting a friend or family member with a living thing like a plant feels like a more profound, and personal gift.

Plant gifts can represent just about any gesture you want to extend to someone you know or love. You might buy one of your best friends a Spider plant as a housewarming present. Or you might give a peace lily plant to someone who has recently lost a loved one. Because peace lilies are toxic to cats and dogs, check for pets before giving one.

Receiving a plant as a gift can mean a lot to someone. In a way, it’s like sharing the gift of life. For some people who might be receiving their first plant, that gift could open up a whole new world or hobby.

Humans have been fascinated with plants for thousands of years. Continue that tradition by giving a houseplant as a gift.

Humans have always turned to plants to help battle diseases and infections. For centuries, accepted medical knowledge revolved around plants. While this has decreased in the modern day, many people still use plant-based remedies for ailments like the common cold.

As such, there have been several studies on the effectiveness of these remedies. One of the most well-known plants to use against colds is echinacea. The NCCIH notes that echinacea is closely related to sunflowers, daisies, and ragweed, and that some people have allergic reactions to it, which may be severe.

The NCCIH says taking echinacea may slightly reduce your chances of catching a cold, and it is still unclear whether echinacea can shorten the length of a cold. Echinacea is a supplement people take, not a houseplant.

A 2015 meta-analysis by Schapowal and colleagues pooled six clinical studies with 2,458 participants and found echinacea extracts were associated with a reduced risk of recurrent respiratory infections.

When using plant-based treatments for colds and flu, always check with your doctor and follow their instructions.

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The sources checked for this page include no test of houseplants removing odors, and the air-cleaning basis for the idea does not hold at room scale (EPA; Cummings and Waring, 2020).

In enclosed indoor spaces such as your home or office, odors can circulate quite easily. From the strong smell of cleaning products to the musty scent of the laundry basket, these smells can be a distraction.

Remember the old adage about the tree falling in the woods and nobody hearing it? There may be some truth to that after all. It turns out that plants may absorb sound waves, acting as natural soundproofing within your home.

A 2005 conference paper from Hanyang University in Seoul tested a peace lily (Spathiphyllum) and an Araucaria inside a 5 by 5 by 2.5 meter test room. The plants filled 3% of the room's volume and were compared with paper-based structures and an empty room. The plants shortened reverberation time, and their sound absorption (NRC about 0.07 to 0.08) was not significantly different from the paper control.

While we often adjust the temperature of our homes, humidity levels can often be overlooked. But humidity is just as crucial for comfort and the natural working of our bodies.

Thanks to the way they interact with water, houseplants are a brilliant, natural way to increase the humidity in a room. As plants drink water from their soil, excess moisture radiates through their leaves and into the air. This is called transpiration.

Plants add moisture through transpiration and soil evaporation, and Iowa State Extension says this will increase the relative humidity in the vicinity of the houseplants. Penn State Extension notes that the effect on a whole room likely depends on the number of plants and the size of the room. In a University of Reading test of seven popular houseplants, peace lily and ivy performed best at raising relative humidity. Houseplants that have a larger surface area in terms of foliage are also more effective.

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If you suffer from allergies, particularly hay fever, then you might be tempted to give houseplants a wide berth. The EPA warns that over-damp planter soil may promote growth of unhealthy microorganisms. The National Asthma Council Australia advises removing indoor pot plants because they promote mold growth.

Humans have used herbal remedies to treat various health problems for thousands of years. Many of these medicinal plants have been examined by scientific studies to test their effectiveness.

Chamomile is one of the best-known medicinal herbs still in use. Chamomile has traditionally been used for ailments such as hay fever and inflammation, though the NCCIH does not list these uses and says only preliminary studies suggest a chamomile supplement might help generalized anxiety disorder.

The NCCIH says a small amount of research suggests enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules may improve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in adults. For indigestion, the NCCIH says there is no evidence that peppermint oil alone helps. According to the NCCIH, studies have suggested an oral lavender oil product might be beneficial for anxiety, while whether lavender aromatherapy helps anxiety or sleep is unclear. One paper tested lavender oil inhalation in rats, so it is not evidence for people.