We all know that nothing pretties up a space like plants, but did you know they also lower your blood pressure and boost productivity? A cute infographic says so, so it must be true!
DesignTAXI recently featured this infographic on The Benefits of Greenery in the Home. Now, the bottom third of the graphic is where it loses me — unfortunately this part is all about the benefits of artificial plants. I am skeptical. The top two-thirds, however, are fascinating. Click on the detail on DesignTAXI to see the full infographic and learn that "reaction time in offices with plants was 12% faster than in an absence of plants". What with the lowered blood pressure and improved air quality they bring, houseplants start to seem like a necessity rather than a luxury or hobby.
What do you think of these stats? Do your own experiences reflect the wonder-power of plants? Or do you question the correlations — perhaps an office with plants also fosters creativity and sharp-thinking in many other ways, so the plants shouldn't get all the credit?
(Image: Artificial Plants and Trees via DesignTAXI)
DIY Idea: Concrete Pendant Lamp
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
On Saying No to Paleo: Why Eating Isn't One Size Fits All
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
I wish I could have an herb garden outside my kitchen, but alas... my kitchen doesn't even have any windows, and I have the blackest thumb in history. I'm amazed the lucky bamboo in my cube has lasted as long as it has.
These ideas were a cornerstone of my Environmental Psychology course. I would love to have had this infographic back then.
Love plants but I'm not sure about this. A lot of the info are just correlation. e.g. Hospital patients with a window view to the garden are probably also getting more expensive care, have better insurance and caring families who would demand such perks.
Strongly oppose to artificial plants. People who are too lazy to take care of plants are too lazy to clean. Artificial plants often ended up being dust collectors, which is pretty much the opposite of what plants do. It does cause dust allergy.
The poster is pretty, but doesn't make it true.
The infographic mentions studies; all you have to do is track them down and, you know, READ the study. It's not hard to figure out. We already know plants filter indoor air (I can post the research link if anyone's interested).
I know that I function much much better when I am in touch with nature in some way. Hearing seagulls or smelling a bit of ocean brine in the breeze cheers me up even in the middle of a concrete & asphalt city jungle. At home hearing birdsong and smelling rain and seeing greenery outside re-energizes me.
So, I bet they'd have the same results with any view of something natural - a park, a tree, a river etc. Or even just sunshine. In decorating terms, I think some real wood, or baskets or stone or even the color green can add warmth to a space and the quality of light in a room is crucial.
It would be interesting to know if they'd have similar results with environmental sounds of some kind. Especially in hospitals, which are so noisy.
Why I'm SO glad you asked!
There's extensive research about plants/ trees and health, productivity, crime (violent and property), domestic abuse (yes, that's crime, but it was studied separately), healing after surgery, self-esteem in young girls, neighbor associations, willingness-to-pay, property values, traffic speeds, and many more. See some research from 3 of the rock-stars of urban tree benefits research below:
Dr. Kathy Wolf: http://www.naturewithin.info/
Dr. Ming "Frances" Kuo: http://nres.illinois.edu/directory/Frances_E_Kuo
Dr. Lynn Westphal: http://nrs.fs.fed.us/people/Westphal
http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/
A better link for Frances Kuo: http://lhhl.illinois.edu/
LOL @urbantree123 - Bring it!
I love growing plants of all kinds indoors and out! Then you have my neighbors, who decided that maintaining all those trees and flowers in their yard was too much work so they chainsawed everything, which is currently a weed patch.
Anything that inspires pleasant thoughts lower the blood pressure. My doctor says to me when she takes my blood pressure, "Think pleasant thoughts" -- and we watch the mercury fall before our eyes. The reverse is also true, of course.
That said, I have two plant lights and a lot of houseplants that spend the summer in our back yard.
I see comments here but ZERO links to studies, sadly. Read the Atlantic's great article called Ending the Infographic Plague. I actually like infographics; it's just that they need to link to published studies. Does anyone actually know what those are? (By the way sorry the Atlantic article is hard to load; this is the cached version).
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:wXpHmhdL8SsJ:www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/12/ending-the-infographic-plague/250474/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
@adora, I resent that! ;^) (I don't have houseplants, but not because I'm "too lazy" to take care of them -- more because my pets try to eat them. I DO have some "silk" ivy and other plants in places that look nice but where the light levels would kill live plants. (Live plants can collect as much dust as silk, by the way -- how often do people dust them?)
I compensate for my lack of houseplants by trying to grow things on my balcony (recent extreme temperatures coupled with being away from home for a funeral led to their demise, sadly, but I pruned them to the soil, and I'm hoping they will revive...) I also can look out my windows and see my landscaping. THAT gives me all those positive feelings without having the greenery inside. (Except for the realization I need to do some weeding again. sigh.)
The benefits of houseplants only works on those who like and have an interest in them... there's nothing more depressing than walking into someone's house and being greeted by a languishing or dying plant. For those people, I do advocate silk plants/flowers, although in my personal opinion I think they're really tacky-looking (and ridic expensive for what they are), especially after a few years when they're faded and dusty.
I guess the best compromise is to have a significant other or house/roommate who IS a gardener! Neither my husband or housemate would do any sort of gardening at all on their own but they've both expressed appreciation for the improved ambiance having lush, growing plants around adds to the home. (Although my husband does complain about 'clutter' on my dining room table b/c recently I discovered my violets had baby offshoots and what was once three violets turned into nine...)
@urbantree123 Some of those links I'd been looking for for ages! Thank you so much for them!
After killing lots of pots of plants before, I've discovered the best way is to just keep trying. I figure a small potted plant costs as much as cut flowers (depending on the plant or flowers, of course) but last longer, and I like when they have new shoots that can also be planted to make more pots. It helps (if that person's schedule allows) to have only ONE person taking charge of the plants consistently so that they're not overwatered or underwatered, and it helps to know how plants communicate their needs as well. After years of books and experience, I like that I now have at least 2 beautiful pots of plants in all the common rooms, and I'm the "gardening consultant" for my parents! I'm so addicted to gardening right now that my biggest motivation for de-cluttering is so I can fit in more plants.
Hmm, maybe the psychological benefits would still be there with silk plants, but you're certainly not going to get the oxygen production or air cleaning that real plants provide. As long as hungry pets or rambunctious/curious children aren't an impediment, anyone can grow at least a few houseplants - set your online calender to remind you to water once a week and you're set!
Just FYI the only plants on this that are safe for cats are the spider plant and only some types of bamboo. Some "bamboos" are in the lily family which are highly toxic to cats. So be careful cat lovers! :)
Aw - I got the warm fuzzies! Thanks AT friends :) Keep planting shade trees! (or cactus, or whatever you can in your natural habitat)