How Many Potted House Plants does the Average Person Have?

Human beings, by their nature, are nurturers who get a dopamine boost every time they care for someone or something.

Whether a child, a pet, or a plant, being there for their needs and watching them grow is always a satisfying feeling for most of us.

For someone living by themselves at a university dorm or those who have moved away from family and friends for work, a couple of potted house plants can be an excellent company.

Although a cat or a dog are said to be a person’s true companion, in today’s world, potted house plants have also managed to make a space for themselves on that list.

Many people and writers go as far as to call potted house plants the new pets of our times.

Although a potted house plant will not run around or jump on you for affection, they are still a highly sensitive living beings that need dedicated care and attention.

The moment you stop being attentive to your potted house plant’s needs, signs of the plant’s distress will become evident in just a few days. Eventually, if this continues, the potted house plant will die.

However, despite the high plant death rate, people around the globe are extremely enthusiastic about buying potted house plants and becoming house plant parents.

Continue reading to learn how many potted house plants an average person has, why people love investing in potted house plants, and why some people aren’t able to take care of their house plants.

Moreover, the article also ends with some additional bonus tips for readers planning on getting their first-ever potted house plant.

Let’s get started!

How Many Potted House Plants Does the Average Person Have?

You are not alone if you love spending all your savings on buying and caring for potted house plants. As a matter of fact, a majority of the people around you are already well-established potted house plant parents.

This will be especially common if you are a millennial, as the house plant parent trend seems to be most popular among this generation.

As a matter of fact, any person who does not care to buy potted house plants might be shocked after looking at the most recently studied statistics. 

According to 2022’s house plant statistics, seven out of ten American millennials like to be referred to as potted house plant parents. 

This means that most university-going students or newly employed young adults have already begun spending their savings and earnings on buying potted houseplants. 

Moreover, according to the same research, almost 66% of all American households have at least one potted house plant.

Furthermore, studies suggest that the demand for different potted house plant species in the United States of America seems to be growing ever since the global Covid’19 pandemic hit.

Apart from the USA, the rest of the world shares the passion and hobby of buying and caring for potted house plants. 

People living in countries like the Netherlands are not only extremely enthusiastic potted house plant parents but also indulged in growing different house plant species for commercial reasons.

As a matter of fact, according to research, in the year 2016, the Netherland potted house plant export industry grew from 6 billion to 9 billion USD.

In Britain, research suggests that an average Brit spends more than 300 pounds on potted house plants yearly. As a result, these people usually have five to seven different house plant species in their homes. 

These species are mostly not that expensive or rare and usually include potted house plants like money plants, snake plants, aloe vera, succulents, peace lilies, etc. 

However, since millennials and generation Z seem more hands-on and passionate about this green hobby, they usually have up to ten potted houseplants in their home. 

Moreover, the same research suggests that while an average Brit buys two potted house plants every month, the younger generation between 18 and 24 tends to buy almost double the number of potted house plants. 

Furthermore, buying and caring for potted house plants is extremely common in many Asian countries such as China. 

A homegrown indoor garden is nothing new in countries like China, as this practice has been common for centuries. 

According to 2020’s studies, almost every household in China has at least one to three potted house plants. 

People living in China do not only buy these plants to improve the aesthetics of their homes but also do it to channel their inner chi in order to stay positive and healthy. 

No matter where you look in this world, people across the globe are passionate and committed to caring for their potted house plant species. 

Hence, a significant majority of households, and especially millennials, have at least one to three potted house plants in their home. 

Now that you know how many house plants an average person tends to have at home, continue reading to understand why they invest in potted house plants in the first place.

Read Is Epsom Salt Good for Houseplants?

Why Do People Love Investing in Different Potted House Plant Species? 

A potted house plant may not bark or play with you, but it surely lets you know when you are doing a good job caring for it.

Unlike outdoor plants that can grow on their own without too much work, a potted house plant will always be fully dependent on how you treat it.

Hence, to many people, a potted house plant is similar to a child that they are responsible for.

Moreover, apart from caring for a plant out of your humanly nurturing nature, there are many other reasons people across the globe love investing in house plants.

Some of these reasons are as follows:

To Improve a Home’s Visual Aesthetics

One of the main reasons most people invest in potted house plants is that they want to improve the visual aesthetics of their living or working space.

These small planters are easily available and budget-friendly additions that have the potential to enhance any space’s visual outlook.

The lush green leaves and small colorful pots give the living or working space a tidier, calming, sophisticated, breathable, and modern look.

Due to the Influence of People on Social Media

In today’s world, what we wear, what we eat, and how we perceive the world around us are heavily influenced by social media.

According to 2022’s most recent statistics, there are almost 4.62 billion active accounts on different social media platforms. Hence, it is safe to say that barely anyone is shielded from the virtual influence of such websites.

Decorating a living space or an office setting using different indoor potted plants has been heavily marketed by thousands of different social media influencers and lifestyle bloggers.

Since these people have millions of followers who try to observe and copy their every move, people across the globe have also been convinced to buy indoor plants for their own spaces.

Read How to Get Rid of Black Bugs from My Potted House Plant?

Due to The Covid’19 Global Pandemic

Ever since the global Covid’19 pandemic hit and locked us in our homes, the sale of different potted house plant species boomed. Sales were especially high during quarantine.

The main reason for this is that for the first time ever, people around the world had a lot of time on their hands to learn new skills or develop new hobbies.

Since offices and schools were shut down, people had the opportunity to purchase potted house plants and dedicate all their attention and time to them.

To Purify and Improve the Quality of the Air in Their Homes

Like all plants, potted indoor plants also carry out photosynthesis to make plant food and release oxygen into the air.

When a living space has several potted house plants, the oxygen they produce makes the breathable air cleaner and fresher.

Moreover, many plant parents also claim that these plants are able to purify the air and improve its overall quality.

For Cooking Purposes

Many vegetables and edible indoor plants are grown inside the kitchen or living space in small pots.

For instance, people tend to grow spring onions, cherry tomatoes, several herbs, hot peppers, etc., indoors to use them for cooking purposes.

Not only do the vegetables you grow give you a lot of satisfaction, but their organic and homegrown nature also make them a healthier alternative to processed market ones.

To Improve Their Mental Health

Perhaps one of the greatest reasons people keep buying more potted house plants, despite their challenging maintenance, is that caring for these plants helps improve a person’s mental health.

According to a recent study, interacting with potted house plants for just 15 minutes can help reduce a person’s stress levels.

Moreover, spending time caring for potted house plants can help improve productivity by 15%, which also decreases employee absenteeism significantly.

This is why many modern offices now have several potted indoor plants placed around the office space, so that their employees remain productive and present.

Furthermore, house plant parents claim that caring for the plants helps reduce their anxiety and allows them to experience calmness, tranquility, positivity, and happiness the entire day.

To Fight Certain Physical Diseases

According to a study, potted house plants are able to remove almost 87% of airborne toxins within just a day. 

Hence, due to better air quality, people with asthma and respiratory diseases are able to heal and breathe better.

Moreover, since potted house plants are proven to be responsible for improving mental health, at times, the positivity also helps fight physical disease.

For instance, if a person is dealing with issues that affect their physical health, living around potted houseplants may encourage the person to work out and live a healthier lifestyle.

As a Hobby

Some people simply enjoy caring for a potted house plant and find watering them a relaxing and therapeutic at-home hobby.

For Companionship

People who live away from their families due to school or work and do not wish to or cannot afford to keep a pet usually find great companionship in potted house plants.

This helps them feel less lonely and allows them to stay positive and social most of the time.

Read How to Use Neem Oil on Houseplants?

Why is a Potted House Plant’s Premature Death so Common?

Although the world is obsessed with becoming potted house plant parents, a lot of people, unfortunately, don’t take care of their plants and allow them to die without the proper care.

This is because potted house plants are extremely sensitive living beings that can die within days if their needs (like watering and fertilizer) are not met.

Some of the reasons potted house plants die a premature death are as follows:

• Overwatering
• Underwatering
• Lack of proper knowledge regarding the indoor plant specie’s specific needs
• Excessive sunlight
• Dark and gloomy conditions
• Excess humidity
• Lack of moisture in the air
• Fungal and gnat infection
• Old age

Bonus Points for First-Time House Plant Parents

If, after reading this article, you to want to become a potted house plant parent and buy your first ever indoor planter, you need to pay attention to the bonus tips mentioned below:

• Always do your research on the potted house plant species you wish to purchase.
  • This will allow you to be well-informed regarding the plant’s unique and specific needs.
  • As a result, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a potted house plant for a long time.
• If you live in a region that does not get an adequate amount of sunlight, invest in a solar lamp to ensure your potted plants get the heat and light they need.
• If you have a pet cat, invest in chicken wires and wooden fences to keep your potted plants safe.
  • This tip is extremely important as pet cats are notorious for damaging indoor plants and pooping in the planter’s soil.
• Always use a spray bottle to water your indoor house plants to avoid overwatering.
• Invest in exhaust fans to regulate your house’s indoor conditions.

Final Thoughts

If you are a millennial who spends hours on different social media platforms, chances are you have either already purchased a potted house plant or at least thinking about it.

If so, do not worry as you are certainly not alone. As a matter of fact, 66% of the American population has at least one potted house plant in their homes.

Hence, feel free to dive right into this global trend and invest in as many potted house plants as you can as they will help enhance your house’s outlook, help purify your breathing air, and will make sure you stay happy and stress-free.

You may like the following houseplant articles:

• How to Get Rid of Thrips on Houseplants
• House Plants With Pink and Green Leaves
• Best Potting Soil for Houseplants
• Why Your House Plant is Sticky
• What to do if a House Plant Gets Frozen?