Houseplants as emotional anchors: New study shows deep bonds

For many people, houseplants are more than just decoration: They are emotional anchors in everyday life. A recentstudy from the University of South Australia demonstrates just how close this connection is. The researchers investigated how strongly people identify with their plants – and what this reveals about the relationship between humans and nature.

The results showed that for some, houseplants are as close companions as a pet or a child. "Many of us develop deep, meaningful relationships with our green roommates," writes Brianna Le Busque, a senior lecturer in environmental sciences at the Australian university, in an accompanying article . Some even consider their plants part of the family, worry about their health, and grieve when a plant dies.

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Houseplants have been booming for years – and not just in Australia. The global market for indoor plants is forecast to grow to over $28 billion by 2031. The need for nature in one's own home has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to parks and gardens was restricted in many places.

Keeping houseplants is by no means new: The ancient Egyptians brought plants into their homes as early as the 3rd century BC. Similar traces can be found in Pompeii, and in medieval England, indoor plants also served medicinal and culinary purposes.

For her study, Le Busque and her team surveyed 115 Australians aged 18 to 69. The participants owned an average of 15 houseplants—one person even owned 500. A total of 51 plant species were mentioned, with succulents, monstera, and ivy being particularly common.

The plants were usually found in the living room, kitchen, or bedroom—places where people spend a lot of time and are consciously aware of the atmosphere. Respondents cited a total of eleven benefits of houseplants. Half emphasized the visual effect: plants "soften" rooms and "add color." Others reported improved air quality and a calming effect. Less frequently mentioned aspects included helping to establish routines, providing distraction, or even improving physical health.

What's particularly interesting is how the intensity of the emotional attachment to plants varies. About 14 percent of the participants who gave a valid answer demonstrated a particularly close relationship with their houseplants. They spoke of treating their plants like children, shared their grief when a leaf broke off, and even reported burying dead plants in the garden.

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About 42 percent of respondents described a committed, but not quite as deep, relationship: They stated that they enjoyed spending time with their plants, took pleasure in caring for them, and felt pride when they thrived. However, the emotional component was not as pronounced as in the first group.

Around a quarter of the participants, however, had only a limited relationship with the plants. While they found the presence of greenery in the room pleasant, the maintenance effort and emotional attachment remained low. For them, plants were merely pleasant companions in everyday life – but nothing more.

Finally, there was a smaller group of about 12 percent who had little or no relationship with their houseplants. Some said they had been given the plants as gifts and never cared for them much. Others believed succulents didn't need water anyway—so they simply neglected them.

Le Busque emphasizes that houseplants are far more than decorative elements: "Our research suggests that houseplants can enrich our lives in ways we are only beginning to understand." Previous studies have shown that houseplants can promote positive emotions, increase productivity, reduce stress, and even relieve physical ailments.

The studies were conducted in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. This is important to note, Le Busque emphasizes, because during this time, many people had less access to nature, which may have further strengthened the emotional connection to houseplants. Therefore, it is necessary to further research these connections in the post-pandemic context. "By understanding the relationship between humans and plants, we can help unlock nature's potential to improve our health and well-being," says the researcher.