“No more houseplants,” I emphatically declared when I relocated a couple years ago. I didn’t want to be bothered with their maintenance. I was moving to a place with considerably lush landscaping compared to where I had lived in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is despite the fact that the Valley of the Sun (encompassing Scottsdale, Phoenix and multiple-city environs) usually surprises people with its amount of trees and plantings. Still, after the move I was surrounded by “green” and hoped to be relieved of self-imposed indoor watering duties. Additionally, moving to a place where you know few people depletes your list of friends to share favors with; hence you wonder “who will water my plants if I go away?”
I assume it is no real surprise that my emphatic rebellion didn’t last. I own houseplants. Yes, my fears about ownership are all realized and accurate. So what’s the payback?
Admittedly, it’s fun to purchase plants or receive a special sprout from a friend. For me that may be the end of the actual fun part. Decoratively, plants are an easy answer for filling a void – space where nothing else fits or where multi-directional leaves add interest. Houseplants are a bit like indoor landscaping. They are a significant part of the decorating plan when the goal is to “bring the outdoors inside.” Also, I can undoubtedly attest to their value therapeutically. An hour of puttering such as re-potting or clipping dead growth can induce a more congenital attitude or relaxed sense of being. That may sound strictly like a personal impression. But, is it?
While I am unsure if there is research specifically restricted to the focus of houseplants, I think we might extrapolate from a 2016 study published on Greenery and Aging, especially on increased life span. The question? Does greenness affect human mortality?
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) funded the study in conjunction with the famous Nurses’ Health Study (out of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital), a longitudinal effort since 1976 including more than 100,000 women. The 2016 study was controlled for age, ethnicity, smoking, socioeconomic status and other mortality risk factors, allowing for the analysis of the one variable in question – greenery in our environment.
This particular project did not evaluate houseplants, but vegetation surrounding the home (at 250 and 1250 meter radiuses). Details of 108,630 women were tracked from 2000-2008. Quizzically, I first wondered ‘how did they determine greenness?’ One might rightfully ponder this since descriptions of personal milieus are apt to be quite subjective, either suffering from desensitization or overly emotional connectedness.
Resourcefully, the researchers (from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) used data from satellite imagery. It let them measure the levels of visible light absorbed by plants’ chlorophyll, as well as the near-infrared light which is reflected by plants. This data makes up the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) which is an impartial determination of the home’s greenness. The higher the number the more vegetation. This is a significantly different approach from prior efforts. Bonnie Joubert, program director for NIEHS, overseeing the research stated: “[M]any previous studies have used zip code level data; some others have been ecological studies. These authors [of the 2016 study] provided greater detail or more granularity to the measurement of greenness.” Overall translation? Neither participants nor zip codes were allowed to define the level of green. Instead they used a consistent and objective measurement.
Results of High NDVI Numbers?
Understandably, I wouldn’t mention the study or its results if they were not impressive. They are. The biggest take-away might be this: there was a 12% lower death rate of women living in higher green areas compared to those in the least. What a great argument for spending more community resources on parks or green areas. Frankly, I have no conclusive information as to whether those living in low-green areas can boost these NDVI-type numbers in more intimate, indoor space by using potted plants, but it surely couldn’t hurt.
| Comparison of Women in Top 20 Green areas to those in Least 20 Green areas Results of those in the Top 20 * |
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| Overall death rate | 12% less |
| Death rate from Kidney disease | 41% less |
| Death rate from Respiratory disease | 34% less |
| Death rate from Cancer | 13% less |
| * No statistically significant results were identified for death rates from infections, diabetes or coronary heart disease. | |
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Why does this happen?
The authors only speculate to what these connections are and, as is common, call for more research. It appears they are not ready to make any definitive declarations. Nevertheless, they have hypothesized regarding some of the possible links:
- Improved mental health
- Increased social activity
- Increased physical activity (inspired by desire to be outside amongst the greenery)
- Lower exposure to air pollution (in the green areas)
Final Thought
Perhaps I extrapolate too much in making my case. Undoubtedly, exposure to vegetation in the form of shrubs, plants or trees has a positive impact on lives, and according to this study, possibly on longer life. Yet, I admit doubt that houseplants have an equivalent level of extraordinary influence. Considering that, you may ask why is my subject matter houseplants?
Because no matter where you live, or how little landscaping you enjoy immediately around your home/apartment, and no matter how far the nearest pocket-park is, you can always surround yourself with houseplants. You can even maintain your greenery in ‘one-pot stopping’ (as shown here), for easier upkeep and watering.
Your verdant vessels indoors need no drip or irrigation system, nor fire-wise thinning. Further your houseplants won’t die or lose all their leaves in the winter. Instead they provide year-long greenery.
Finally, it’s likely that if we believe plants can help with quality aging, they can. I suspect the following is good advice for all of us. Have some fun; purchase a new plant or ask a friend for a special cutting, and decorate your home with long-lived pizzazz.
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Picture credits: Title pic: Multiple plants Photo by vadim kaipov on Unsplash; One pot planter Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Really interesting info about the nurses’ study finding! We just dug out 3 bushes in our yard yesterday. Yikes! We will be replacing, however. Whew! 🙂
And likely your new plants will be more full, green and lush, so you may get to add another healthy year. Here’s hoping.