What Do Your Indoor House Plants Say About You?

Have you been trying for years to attain that ever-illusive green thumb that some people just innately possess? Caring for house plants can be daunting if you don’t have the suitable greenery that fits your personality and lifestyle.

In 2020, Article and OnePoll surveyed 2,000 Millennials and found that 47% of participants didn’t own plants because they were unsure about care. Some of the challenges of plant care, participants admitted, included the amount of sunlight, when to prune, how much water was needed, and how easy it is to kill plants accidentally.

While these challenges can be easily amended with a little research on the particular plant in your home, you also want to choose plants that fit into your already busy life. Fortunately, Merry Maids® is here to recommend indoor plants based on your traits, so you can finally be known as the caring “plant parent” you always knew you could be.

The Benefits of Indoor Plants

There’s no denying the visual appeal of house plants to spruce up a space and give it an airy feel. However, cultivating a greenspace also has several physical, emotional, and mental benefits, including:

• Teaches problem-solving and responsibility – The University of Michigan’s blog asserts that cognitive development in children can be assisted by gardening and caring for plants. Figuring out what plants need to survive and how much water to administer can teach children to solve any potential complications during the gardening/growing process.
• Reduces stress – A 2015 study examined the psychological and physiological benefits of interactions with indoor plants. Results showed that participants felt more comfortable and soothed, and blood pressure was significantly lower.
• Sharpens attention – In 2019, researchers at Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea, conducted a small study involving 23 elementary students. They found a significant decrease in theta waves of the frontal lobe, indicating that living plants prompted improvements in attention and concentration.

What House Plants Tell Others About Your Personality

Lucky Bamboo

Personality: You’re superstitious/cautious

Are you “a little stitious” like Michael Scott from The Office or superstitious? Lucky bamboo, by name alone, will tell others that you may be slightly eccentric. Friends and family won’t find you walking under ladders or stepping on cracks. According to the philosophy of Feng Shui, this plant symbolizes good fortune and prosperity. So, to have one in your home means that you want to soak up all the positive, lucky vibes you can. Be careful, though. Bamboo is toxic to dogs and cats, so keep out of reach of your curious canine or keen kitten.

Care Instructions

You can grow lucky bamboo in soil or water, but it has a longer lifespan in soil. To help it thrive long-term, you should:

• Place your bamboo in moderate to direct sunlight.
• If growing it in water, add enough water to your container to cover the roots.
• If growing in soil, make sure the soil isn’t too dry or wet.
• Keep your bamboo in temperatures ranging from 65-95 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Replenish your water every 7-10 days.

Snake Plants

Personality: You’re on the go

Sitting beautifully in your living room, looking as though it’s been recently watered, is your snake plant. However, people probably don’t know that you haven’t touched this house plant in a couple of weeks. Your busy life likely keeps you away from home during the day and possibly in the evenings if your children have an equally extensive schedule. Fortunately, snake plants don’t require much of anything and can survive without water or sunlight for several days and maintain a pristine appearance.

Care Instructions

While snake plants are relatively low maintenance, they tend to rot if you don’t use free-draining soil. Snake plants are easily propagated by cutting off a leaf or two and potting it in the right soil. Additionally, your plant will survive for a long time if you:

• Avoid watering it too much.
• Put snake plants in indirect sunlight.
• Let the plant dry out a bit before watering again.
• Use a general-purpose fertilizer.

Aloe Vera

Personality: You’re low maintenance

Succulents like aloe vera, by nature, are very low maintenance, probably just like you. You don’t like a lot of fuss and don’t bother with flashy things. You much prefer straightforwardness to beating around the bush. You may also be someone who cares about the well-being of others, as aloe vera has medicinal purposes and can be used to soothe irritated skin.

Care Instructions:

Aloe vera thrives in dry conditions, surviving on a limited water supply. To grow healthy aloe vera plants:

• Use cactus potting soil or standard potting soil with additional perlite.
• The pot itself should have adequate drainage as these plants don’t do well with standing water. In fact, one of the main reasons aloe vera plants die is from overwatering.
• Your soil needs a chance to dry out slightly before the next watering.
• Place your aloe vera in front of a window that gets bright light.

Air Plants or Tillandsia

Personality: You like change and creative freedom

If you ask most people, they’ll probably tell you that change makes them nervous and induces bouts of anxiety. But not you. You thrive on change and prefer when things are in flux. These times of constant change are when you are most creative, navigating your way through it all. Your personality is perfect for an air plant or Tillandsia, as it signifies creativity and freedom.

Care Instructions:

Air plants give off an otherworldly vibe as they grow unusually: Literally in the air. No soil is required. However, these small indoor house plants still need some TLC for longevity. Unlike traditional plants, air plants don’t have long roots, only short ones meant to attach to virtually any surface. You’ll need to water your plant at least once a week (sometimes once every two weeks for specific varieties). To water your air plant:

• Fill a jar or bowl with water and submerge it for an hour to an hour and a half.
• Remove your plant from the water after the allotted time and gently shake off the excess water before turning it over on a towel to dry out some more.
• After a couple of hours, place your plant back in its original resting spot.

As you care for your air plant, let it be a reminder to express yourself creatively and keep your free spirit alive.

While you’re filling your home with stunning greenery, we’re managing the cleaning and ensuring your home is ready to house new plant life. Our team members understand how to clean around your indoor house plants to avoid adverse effects. We’re standing by with eco-friendly products and state-of-the-art equipment to help preserve your plant babies.

For more information about our cleaning services, find your local Merry Maids® or call us at (888) 490-4227 today.