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Since the pandemic began, more homeowners have been adding plants inside their homes—a closer tie to the outdoors after being cooped up indoors more. Studies have suggested that the extra houseplants are making people better at their jobs and happier too.
A recent study conducted by Cinch Home Services, a home warranty firm, found that people with five or more houseplants are more likely to indicate feeling satisfied with their jobs, productivity, happiness, and creativity.
“Bolstered by the pandemic—and being stuck inside more than they were used to—many people reported buying even more houseplants in the last 18 months, possibly to the point of having to hide their purchases from their significant others,” researchers note in the Cinch Home Services study. “Still, people we polled reported being happier and more creative and content with their jobs when they had five or more houseplants, so it’s possible the more green you have in your home the better.”
The average person owns about five houseplants, according to the survey of about 1,000 respondents. Highly extroverted people tend to own more—6.8 houseplants, on average.
The most popular reasons to add plants: to have greenery (56%), for aesthetics and decor (51%), as a hobby (43%), to boost their mood (43%), to reduce stress and increase relaxation (35%), and to improve air quality (35%).
In fact, certain houseplants tend to be linked to certain personality traits, the survey found. For example, people who scored higher in neuroticism were the most likely to be associated with the fiddle leaf fig plant. The plant has the reputation of being one of the most difficult plants to keep alive indoors.
On the other hand, people who tended to score higher in agreeableness and conscientiousness were more likely to have English ivy. Those who tend to score higher on openness within their personalities tend to gravitate toward succulents, cacti, and spider plants, the survey found.
