In the New Year, we’re manifesting good health, wealth and good luck. One way to welcome that positive energy into your space is through feng shui. All spaces need living energy, says feng shui expert Susan Chan, and feng shui plants are an easy, natural way to bring in vibrant chi, or vital energy. Placing these plants with set intentions can help invite certain energy inside your home, whether that’s attracting love by finding a plant with heart-shaped leaves or tapping good luck and fortune by placing an upward growing money tree.
With all the time spent at home, it’s critical to prioritize comfort in your living room and office space, says Bloomscape gardening expert Lindsay Pangborn. Plants act as living decor that adds not only dimension and color to a space but also a touch of the natural world. “Plants have been proven to show increases in creativity, productivity and a positive outlook,” she says. In a post-pandemic world, Pangborn doesn’t see this trend slowing down. “People will continue to improve their living spaces and will do so with plants!”
Below we spoke to feng shui experts Anjie Cho and Susan Chanabout how to choose the best feng shui plants for wealth, love, health and more. Here are eight feng shui plants that are all about bringing good energy into your space, from affordable indoor plants to ones that thrive in office spaces (even if they’re sometimes neglected):
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Money Tree Plant
The money tree’s name actually derives from feng shui practices, encouraging the belief that it will bring positive energy and good luck to the plant owner and space, says Pangborn. This plant can thrive in indirect light, needs only infrequent watering and works perfectly for smaller living spaces. According to Pangborn, its presence has also been said to reduce stress and anxiety.
Philodendron Green
With quick-growing vines and low-maintenance care, the classic philodendron plant makes a well-suited feng shui plant for channeling love. Its soft, heart-shaped leaves can help activate the marriage and relationships area of your space, according to Cho. For added effect, you may want to own two! “A pair of complementary plants can emphasize an equal, balanced partnership you’d like to invite in,” she says.
Pothos
Pothos plants are excellent air purifiers, perfect for the neglected corners of your household like atop a kitchen cupboard or in the bathroom. They tend to have long, leafy vines that make them optimal indoor hanging plants. For forgetful green thumbs, these plants are incredibly low maintenance, even earning the nickname of Devil’s Ivy for being near impossible to kill. According to Cho, these are great for beginners. They’re one of the easiest feng shui plants to care for, and their soft, rounded leaves promote softness and harmony throughout your space.
Jade Plant
In feng shui practices, jade plants represent good luck and fortune due to the plant’s round leaves. Pangborn recommends jade plants because they thrive in a sunny area and have lowmaintenance watering needs.
Calathea Plant
Thanks to their colorful, detailed striped leaves, these potted plants sit pretty on any windowsill and bring vibrance to your space. The calathea requires a little bit more maintenance than other houseplants, however. They walk a fine line of needing to be moist, but not saturated, and they cannot tolerate periods of dryness. Wilting or dying plants can invite negative chi, so be sure to properly care for your calathea. But if you’re up to the challenge, itis known to be a great indoor air purifier and will reward you with stunning leaf coloration.
Lucky Bamboo Plant
Encourage personal growth and positive energy with this quick-growing lucky bamboo plant. Its gathered stalks can reach heights of about 16 inches, while ones potted in pebbles nurture root growth. Only bright-to-medium light is needed for bamboo to thrive, making it a great choice for office decor. As it effortlessly sprouts, it will inspire you to do the same.
Snake Plant
This potted plant’s a real charmer: its two-toned design adds vibrant color to a space while its upward growth encourages good chi. A member of the succulent family, the snake plant is super easygoing — it can tolerate low light and drought!
Rubber Tree Plant
If a small feng shui tree is on your radar, the rubber tree plant’s thick, glossy leaves and purple stripes may fit the bill. Its gently curving leaves can soften harsh areas of your home. This tropical plant gets super thirsty, so water often to keep the soil moist at all times. It isn’t very apartment-friendly, though, as it won’t do well in low-light spaces.
What is feng shui?
Feng shui, an ancient Chinese art of arranging buildings, objects and space, looks to nature as a cue to find harmony and balance in an environment: Feng means wind and shui means water, according to Chan. It considers the layout and energy of your home along with your relationship to it in order to achieve ultimate harmony.
The bagua map
Feng shui plants can be used in any area of your home, regardless of the bagua, says Cho. But if you would like to improve the energy in a certain part of your life, find that area in your home using the bagua map, then place an upward growing plant there. Set your intention that the plant’s energy will help with growth and revitalize any potential “stuck” energy.
Pretend you’re looking in at your space from the front doorway: the wealth and prosperity area is the far upper left of your home while the marriage and relationship area is the far upper right. Bonus points for adding a plant with heart-shaped leaves in the marriage and relationships space or a money tree in wealth and prosperity. Or, look for a plant or a pot that matches the color of that bagua area, says Cho. It will resonate even more within the space.
How to choose the best feng shui plants
Keep a space’s energy soft and harmonious by choosing a plant with healthy, rounded leaves, not dry or spiky ones. Chan recommends plants that grow upward, promoting the positive movement of energy. For example, bamboo grows quickly and easily, which translates to growth and prosperity in that area of your life, she says.
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Jacqueline Saguin joins the Good Housekeeping Institute as the associate editor of products and reviews, covering all things home, lifestyle, style, beauty and beyond. Before GH, she worked on Insider’s style and beauty reviews vertical where she tested skincare, makeup, travel accessories, social media trends and more. With a journalism degree from the University of Florida, she flexes her research, interviewing and reporting skills in the reviews space.
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