Plants have so many awesome benefits for our life and wellbeing. Money plants are Chinese plants that are loved by people all over the world. The money plant’s scientific name is Epipremnum aureum. Well, that’s a bit of a mouthful! Fortunately, we can use the name money plant, which has been given due to its round, flat leaves that look a bit like coins. According to Feng Shui, money plants also have another relation to money, which we will elaborate on below!
We’ve put together a list of 10 advantages of money plants for your home. Some of these are factual and based on science, and some are based on symbolism and beliefs, such as Feng Shui. Money plants are one of the most popular houseplants in India, and it’s easy to see why. Read on to learn more about the advantages of money plants!
The Top 10 Advantages of Money Plants at Home
1. Low Maintenance
How much you should water your money plant depends upon the temperature of its location. In winter, if it’s cold in your home, you only need to water your money plant every 2-3 weeks, with some light misting in between. In summer (or in a warmer environment) you’ll want to water it more often, around 7-10 days. You’ll get to know your plant and how much it likes to drink - just try to avoid overwatering as issues with the roots can occur.
2. Air Purifying
Like all houseplants, money plants have the capacity to help purify the air. Plants help remove benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde from the air. This can help improve the oxygen flow in your home. Money plants even continue to produce oxygen at night, unlike most other plants which produce carbon dioxide at night. Some experts are unsure as to whether we can support statements such as this without more research. However, the NASA Clean Air Study led in 1989 found that certain indoor plants - including the money plant - can potentially provide a natural way of removing pollutants. More research might need to be done to reach any solid conclusions, but we like the sound of it!
3. Cleans Aquarium Water
Money plants can easily be grown in aquariums and glass bowls, though they are not aquatic plants. The roots of the money plant must be placed below water and the leaves above water. If the leaves are placed in the water, the plant will die. It's recommended to leave one thumb length of normal plant out to avoid rotting. When grown in this way, the money plant can absorb nitrates from the water. This can help improve the quality of the water, giving your fish a nicer environment to live in. However, you will still need to use a filter to help with purifying your aquarium water. One downside is that fish sometimes like to nibble on the stems! But overall, we think this is a great advantage of money plants at home.
4. Reduces Anxiety And Stress
Studies have found that viewing and interacting with plants indoors on a daily basis can help reduce anxiety and stress. For this research, a group of study subjects’ responses in relation to computer-based tasks and plant-based tasks were monitored. It was found that interaction with plants can reduce stress when compared with mental work. In the majority of subjects, the plants promoted comfortable and soothing feelings.
Another study found that viewing a money plant could have beneficial effects on older adults. This was determined based on monitoring blood pressure and brainwaves, which pointed toward lower anxiety scores. Their conclusion was that viewing a money plant for 5 minutes can potentially encourage psychological and physiological relaxation amongst older adults.
5. Improves Vastu
According to Vastu, money plants can attract good luck and wealth. Vastu is a Sanskrit word and a practice that is distinct from Feng shui. Vastu is an ancient Indian science of architecture that is said to help generate positive energy within a particular building. Vastu takes advantage of nature to construct congenial places to live and work. According to Vastu, money plants should be positioned in a South-East facing direction to ensure blessings.
The vines of a money plant should not touch the ground, and the plant should not be allowed to dry out. A dried money plant is a symbol of misfortune, so if any leaves dry out you should remove them. Money plants do not need much light and should be kept indoors. Planting a money plant outdoors, where it may dry out in the sun, is said to lead to financial scarcity. Whilst this may not be scientifically proven, it’s a money plant benefit we’d obviously love to believe!
6. Brings Prosperity to the Household - Feng Shui
From Vastu to Feng Shui! Whether you believe in these guiding principles or not, many people have followed them since ancient times. Sure, we can’t prove this, but according to Feng Shui, money trees in the home can help attract financial stability and wealth. It is thought that placing a money plant in a workspace can encourage financial abundance and positive career prospects. By placing it on your desk, you can remind yourself of the wealth you are opening the door to. That should keep you smiling at work!
You can also choose to locate the “wealth corner” in your house. To determine the wealth corner, imagine your house with a 3-by-3 grid laid on top of it. Stand at your front door facing into the house and locate the corner of the grid that is farthest away on your left-hand side. That’s your wealth corner! You can also use this method to find the wealth corner in your bedroom or office. Simply stand at the door looking inwards, and find the far left corner. Now show us the money!
7. Anti-Radiator?
Well, all plants absorb radiation. And so do our bodies! Some believe that keeping a money plant near a device such as a WiFi router or computer will allow it to absorb harmful radiations that are released by these electronic appliances. However, there is no definitive scientific proof to suggest that money plants can protect us from the radiation from such devices.
To return to the rules of Feng Shui, they dictate that money plants do benefit from being placed next to these electronic appliances. So really it’s another question of Feng Shui, and whether you buy into its guiding principles, but we love the idea! And what we do know is that plants in the household can soothe the stress caused by our always-on, tech-heavy lifestyles! So we reckon you should put down your phone and give it a go.
8. Strengthens Relationships
OK, another fun benefit with no proof, but according to Feng Shui, money plants can help strengthen the relationships of those living in the house! It is thought that the positive environment a money plant can support will have beneficial effects on marriages and others within the household. Not convinced? Well, you’ll just have to try and see!
9. Cheap and Cheerful
We sell money plants at an affordable price so they’re a great choice if you’re watching the bank balance but desperately need a bit of nature in the house. We have a range of different sizes to suit different budgets and spaces, as we think everyone should be able to enjoy the amazing advantages of the money plant. Also, they are super easy to propagate because they constantly produce little babies from the mother stem. These little babies make a perfect birthday gift for a friend or a loved one!
10. They’re Beautiful!
Money plants are adaptable plants that will look lovely in your home or office. Like any houseplants, they will bring some natural cheer and life to the space. You can place a potted money plant on a table or shelf, or get a beautiful hanging basket to add some greenery at a height. There are so many ways to use money plants to enhance the look of your home. We sell an abundance of gorgeous pots to help get you started. Whether you like your plants big or small, the money tree’s beautifully bright and shiny green leaves will add a burst of natural colour to any room.
Conclusion
We think money plants are a great houseplant choice for almost anyone, if not everyone! Money plants can live for many, many years, so can dwell alongside you for much of your life - a true companion! And as we’ve outlined above, there are loads of potential money plant benefits - some more scientifically backed up than others.
If you’ve never tried Feng Shui, give it a try and see how it affects your life. We love the idea that we can order things toward harmonising human life with its surrounding environment. What have you got to lose? For all you know, you could be rolling in cash in no time (and if not at least your house will look lovely)!
Want to check out our gorgeous money plants in an eco-friendly pot? Check out our Chinese Money Plant & Eco Coconut Pot for the home. It'll brighten up your space anywhere you place it!