5 health benefits of houseplants

Collecting and caring for houseplants boomed in popularity during the pandemic, especially among younger adults without abundant outdoor space.

- By Angela Haupt

Americans spent $8.5 billion more on gardening-related items in 2020 than in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Vibrant communities blossomed on social media, like the #PlantTok corner of TikTok, uniting plant parents and making it easy to swap tips (and mail one another cuttings). The consensus among these enthusiasts: plants are an accessible, interesting way to make an otherwise drab space more inviting, and there's a unique thrill to watching them grow.

Plus, there's a robust body of research indicating they make us happier and healthier. "I tell people, 'Let them bring you life, the way you do to them," says Libby Bolles, who opened Fancy Leaf Plant Co. in Parrish, Fla., in 2021.

1. They're soothing