Magic of Houseplants for Wellbeing and Creativity

I’m sure most witches and pagans have long known the benefits of havng plants around our homes. It seems others are catching up with us. New study shows more than half of Britain use houseplants to improve wellbeing. 

In fact, it’s such a growing trend that a luxury bedroom retailer, Feather and Black, did a study via OnePoll to find out how people like indoor greenery. It found that on average people have 6.5 houseplants in their home, with over a third of the population owning between three and five. One person in 20 has more than 20 plants indoors.

What’s even more interesting is that the survey data also revealed that more than half of us have houseplants to promote wellbeing and relaxation. Houseplant therapy is especially popular among Gen Z with 36 per cent claiming to use houseplants for mindfulness. Forty-seven percent of people feel the desire to incorporate nature into their home, while 38 per cent of respondents said they incorporate houseplants into their decor for aesthetic purposes only. Air purification (29 per cent) and mood boosting (25 percent) rounded out the top five main reasons for having houseplants.

The poll also indicated that one in ten men use plants to boost creativity. Apparently fewer women get plants to boost creativity with only 5 per cent claiming to do so. Millennials and Gen Z are the age groups are more likely to do so.

The Magic of our Favourite Houseplants

The orchid was voted the UK’s favourite plant, followed by cactus, peace lily, spider plant and aloe vera. So, I thought I’d check what magical properties they have:

• Orchid: Spirituality, love, abundance.
• Cactus: Courage, enduring adversity, protection.
• Peace lily: Peace, sympathy, cleansing energy. (Please note that most lilies are toxic to cats)
• Spider plant: Fertility, creativity, prosperity.
• Aloe vera: Healing, protection, boosts psychic work.

The poll showed that 13 percent of adults talk to their plants, and younger people do so more than older generations. One in 10 value their houseplants the same way they would a pet. As a witch and animist, I would say that’s a good way of building a relationship with the spirt of your houseplants. Talk to them and ask them to help you with your life, goals and overcoming problems.

Feather and Black credit for the research: https://www.featherandblack.com/inspiration/the-houseplant-aesthetic

You can find seasonal flower and plant lore in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year.

To read more posts like this visit A Bad Witch’s Blog at www.badwitch.co.uk