Houseplant Appreciation Day: We need them as much as they need us

Houseplant Appreciation Day. Bet you didn’t know that’s a thing! Well, it is and it’s celebrated annually on January 10. Although it’s easy to chalk it off as just another meaningless holiday (and I agree, it is), this is still a lovely way to think about how plants became our bestfriends.

First, let’s talk about how the holiday came to be. It is the product of the The Gardener’s Network. The celebration of plants began in 2012 with the goal of reminding people to keep plants top of mind through winter.

Today, houseplants have become very common and there are even some really lovely plant influencers who will show off their plant babies with much delight.

But such has not always been the case. We can thank the pandemic for the recent interest in bringing the outdoors in. But what about the days of yore?

Another period in which houseplants thrived was the Victorian era. People started collecting plants inside their homes because the outside world was such a mess. That, however, was caused by smoke and grime from factories that were popping up everywhere.

Bringing a bit of nature inside makes a good bit of sense when you consider the fact that humans and plants have coevolved. Once, our hominid ancestors lived among the lush foliage and vegetation. The plants around them were their food and their shelter. And life remained that way for a very, very, very long time.

As humans evolved, so too did our taste buds and our ability to eat the beautiful world around us. Now, we don’t have a choice. We need those plants to survive. But we don’t need the ones we’re putting around our homes. Or do we?

Some studies have suggested that plants improve the quality of our indoor air. But, more recent studies say that claim is a bit overgrown and the amount of plants required would be far more than one would want. However, they do some good, and honestly, the real benefit of a houseplant is more about what we see rather than what we don’t.

Psychologically, there is something about plants that makes a human feel better. In fact, there are some medical clinics out there actually “prescribing” potted plants to patients with depression or anxiety.

Plants have also been embraced by the medical field for recovery from illness. There was a lovely bit about that on an episode of Gray’s Anatomy several years ago. It all stems from a 2002 review of research that showed people recovering from different kinds of survey needed less medication if they were looking at greenery during their recovery periods.

But none of this should be too surprising. Remember what I said earlier, we coevolved with plants, which means we are very closely connected to them. It only makes sense that things will be better for us by having them around. But what about the pests they attract?

Okay, this is a real issue. I had a bit of an infestation of field mice a year ago. I learned they liked to dig in the dirt of houseplants and hide food. Indeed, they did. I would find little holes in many of my potted plants. There would be small piles of dirt kicked out of the pot. I tried several remedies but then I discovered the most effective one… cats.

I started infrequently feeding the neighborhood stray cats inside my yard, next to my house. They now pretty much live under there. They’ve all been fixed so no kittens will end up in the mix. But seriously, no more mice and now I have some little friends.

Of course, that’s not the only possible problem. There are lots of little critters that will call your plants home. Every year we get big, black flies during summer. They lay eggs in soil, so there’s no telling which plant they have made their breeding ground and I’m not willing to remove them to figure it out. Instead, I just tolerate them and shoo them out the windows until summer ends and they disappear.

Now, there are some houseplants that can cause serious illness to pets, children, or those with allergies or asthma. But, most common houseplants rarely cause problems. The best thing to do is Google before you buy.

The benefits far outweigh the risks. If you’re looking to get started but don’t know where to begin, I suggest a snake plant (in the picture above, the guy is holding one). This beautiful plant is absolutely perfect for beginners because it’s almost impossible to kill. They can go months without water and need very little light. The only way you’re going to kill them is by giving them TOO much water and TOO much sun.

I’d like to close this little lesson on houseplants with a bit of a confession. Before I knew anything about plants, I managed to kill bamboo! Talk about the unkillable plant. One day I was gifted an African violet. I was convinced I would kill it, too. But I learned the best way to water them, found a spot with just enough light, and the beauty thrived. In fact, keeping that plant alive taught me to love plants. Now, I’m hooked for life!

I’d love to hear about your adventures with houseplants. What’s your favorite? Have you killed the unkillable? Or have you had a green thumb from birth? Write your story in the comments or join me on Instagram @growdowntown.