This Is How Many Houseplants the Average Plant Parent Has Killed

Even the most skilled plant parent has killed a houseplant before, but have you wondered if you’re killing more houseplants than the average?

Garden Pals, a community website for gardening enthusiasts, has shared the most recent findings on houseplants and their relation to mental and physical well-being, productivity, and aesthetics. 

One such statistic says that the average millennial plant parent has killed seven indoor plants they brought home. So, if you’ve killed one or two plants, don’t be too hard on yourself. The majority of millennials, though, take these deaths seriously, as 67 percent of them call themselves plant murderers.

“When it comes to a plant dying, the mourning usually is more about self-criticism over one’s ability to do things right,” said psychotherapist Marina Resa to Mashable. “There’s an assumption that caring for a plant should be easy, so the shame can run deep…”

Additionally, about 60 percent of millennials said that what worries them most is ensuring plants get the proper amount of sunlight. Other anxieties include: watering (56 percent of respondents), keeping the plants alive (48 percent), stress during relocation (37 percent), and finding a plant sitter while away on vacation (21 percent).

It’s not all gloom and doom. The statistics say that four in five millennials feel that plant parenting had led them to start taking better care of themselves, while 81 percent said that plants had a positive effect on their mental health. Another study cited revealed that people who had indoor plants at work had fewer sick days, and had a 15 percent increase in attention and productivity. 

Those, along with other benefits of raising plants such as improving your home’s aesthetic, should motivate you to keep trying to become a better plant parent. 

“Plants are an easy way to add color and life to any space,” said Zoe Garred, director of product development at furniture retailer Article. “The survey revealed millennials’ desire to incorporate plants into their home despite the apprehension and challenges associated with plant care.”