Houseplants have the power to reconnect us with nature and breathe life into any living space. According to the principles of feng shui, plants can influence the energy (qi) indoors, both positively and negatively. To harness the potential power of houseplants, it's essential to understand the fundamental principles of feng shui. In this guide, we will explore the 16 best feng shui plants and learn how to position them for positive energy in your interior spaces.
The Basic Principles of Plants and Feng Shui
The principles of feng shui are based on balancing the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) in a space to harness the natural energy, or qi, in a positive or auspicious way. Plants are associated with the wood element, which brings healing energy and vitality into a space. Wood also feeds the fire element, promoting growth and change.
How Plants Are Used in Feng Shui
Plants are linked to the color green, symbolizing healing energy. They represent the wood element, which brings vitality, flexibility, and kindness into a space. Additionally, wood feeds the fire element, which fuels growth and change.
How to Avoid Bad Energy With Plants and Feng Shui
In feng shui, there are no inherently "bad" plants. However, when used incorrectly or placed poorly, plants can generate negative energy. Some plants with spiky profiles or unhealthy conditions can disrupt the balance of the five elements, creating undesirable energy flows in your space.
How to Position Plants in the Home Based on Feng Shui Practices
Merely placing plants in your home or office won't necessarily harness positive qi. Mindful selection and placement of plants are crucial for their energy-drawing properties. Feng shui practitioners use a bagua map to determine the auspicious areas for plants. The bagua map outlines eight life aspirations associated with cardinal directions, elements, and colors.
By aligning your houseplants with the bagua areas related to growth and vitality, you can create a harmonious energy flow. For example, wood feeds fire, so placing plants in areas associated with fire (such as fame or reputation) encourages growth in those aspects of your life. However, it is generally not recommended to place plants or wood element objects in areas associated with water, earth, and metal forces, as wood weakens these elements.
Grouping plants together in the lucky number of each bagua area further enhances their energy. For example, if the number 4 represents wealth and prosperity, arrange plants in groups of four in the corresponding bagua area.
16 Best Plants for Positive Feng Shui
To incorporate positive feng shui energy into your home, consider these 16 popular houseplant options:
Lucky Bamboo
About: Lucky bamboo is popular for generating positive feng shui energy. The number of stalks displayed is connected to the trigrams of the bagua map.
Feng Shui Benefits: Upward mobility, nobility, peace, wisdom, adaptability, and openness.
Where to Position: Place lucky bamboo in the wealth and relationship areas of the bagua map, as well as in offices, entryways, and living rooms.
General Care: Requires moderate, indirect light and slightly damp soil.
Orchid Plants
About: Orchid plants are visually stunning and have various uses in feng shui practices. Choose the color and number of stems mindfully for proper placement.
Feng Shui Benefits: Fertility and creativity.
Where to Position: Place white orchids in the family and children baguas, yellow orchids in the center or health bagua, purple orchids in the wealth bagua, and pink orchids with two stems in the relationship bagua.
General Care: Requires bright, indirect sunlight, moderate temperatures, and moderate humidity.
Air Plants
About: Air plants absorb nutrients and water through their leaves, representing the water and wind elements in feng shui.
Feng Shui Benefits: Balancing, calming, refreshing, and uplifting.
Where to Position: Ideal for bathrooms and laundry rooms, where they can balance the energy in highly watery environments.
General Care: Requires bright to medium indirect sunlight, occasional misting, and soaking in filtered water every 1 to 2 weeks.
Money Tree
About: Money tree plants bring positive energy and growth to a home's wealth and health sections.
Feng Shui Benefits: Enhances and attracts wealth, abundance, and prosperity.
Where to Position: Place money trees in the southeast part of your home or office for prosperity and wealth. The east portion of your home is also a good spot for a money tree.
General Care: Needs bright, indirect sunlight and well-draining soil. Water when the soil is almost dry and allow excess moisture to drain completely.
Snake Plants
About: Snake plants represent upward flowing energy and neutralize negativity in a space.
Feng Shui Benefits: Neutralizes negativity and restores flow to stagnant energy.
Where to Position: Ideal for placement beneath beams, entryways, and living rooms.
General Care: Requires bright, indirect light and well-draining soil. Water every 1 to 2 weeks when the soil has dried completely.
Jade Plants
About: Jade plants symbolize wealth and prosperity, resembling coins.
Feng Shui Benefits: Wealth and prosperity.
Where to Position: Place jade plants in the southeast corner of your home or office, associated with wealth.
General Care: Prefers partial shade, sandy potting mix, and watering when the soil has dried completely.
Rubber Plants
About: The broad leaves of rubber plants enhance positive energy flow and abundance.
Feng Shui Benefits: Happiness, abundance, wealth, and positive energy.
Where to Position: Rubber plants are most effective in the wealth section of your home and dining rooms.
General Care: Requires bright, indirect sunlight, well-draining soil, regular watering, and fertilization.
Ficus Ginseng Plant
About: Ficus ginseng, also known as the Chinese banyan, is suitable for smaller rooms or offices due to its small container adaptability.
Feng Shui Benefits: Good luck, wealth, and prosperity.
Where to Position: Perfect for darker rooms and offices with artificial lights.
General Care: Prefers shade or artificial light, well-draining soil, infrequent watering, warm, humid conditions, and regular pest control.
Calathea Plants
About: Calathea plants feature lush foliage with striking stripes, patterns, and colors.
Feng Shui Benefits: Calms, harmonizes, and neutralizes negative energy.
Where to Position: Place calatheas in the south of your home or office to improve energy flow to the fame and reputation area. Purple calatheas belong in the east or wealth bagua.
General Care: Prefers low to medium sunlight and evenly moist soil.
Banana Plants
About: Banana plants have large, broad leaves associated with positive energy in feng shui.
Feng Shui Benefits: Peace, prosperity, and positive energy.
Where to Position: Place banana plants in the southeast of your home or office, or in large dining rooms.
General Care: Requires full sun, frequent watering, warm temperatures, and regular fertilization.
Peace Lily Plants
About: Peace lilies purify the air and symbolize peace and harmony.
Feng Shui Benefits: Calms, harmonizes, and neutralizes negative energy.
Where to Position: Highly recommended for offices and home offices.
General Care: Needs medium, indirect sunlight and well-draining soil. Keep the soil moist with frequent watering.
Aloe Vera Plants
About: Aloe vera plants offer protective energy and combat negative energy and bad luck.
Feng Shui Benefits: Protective energy, combats negative energy and bad luck.
Where to Position: Choose small aloe vera plants and place them in the healing center of your home.
General Care: Prefers bright, indirect light and infrequent watering.
Areca Palm
About: Areca palms have soft, pinnate palm leaves that draw positive energy into a space.
Feng Shui Benefits: Brings peace, prosperity, and wealth while attracting positive energy.
Where to Position: Versatile placement options include the north, east, southeast, or south areas of your home.
General Care: Requires full, bright sunlight indoors, even moisture in well-draining soil, and fertilization during the growing season.
Golden Pothos
About: Golden pothos thrive in challenging locations and neutralize negative energy.
Feng Shui Benefits: Protection and neutralization of negative energy.
Where to Position: Ideal for revitalizing dead or negative spaces in the home, such as bathrooms and above cupboards.
General Care: Can thrive in various light conditions, water every 1 to 2 weeks, and allow the soil to dry out completely.
Peony Plants
About: Peony plants symbolize good fortune, prosperity, and healing relationships.
Feng Shui Benefits: Prosperity, love, marriage, romance, and healing relationships.
Where to Position: Place peonies in the marriage and relationships section of the bagua map. Cut flowers can be placed in the northeast of the bedroom or a living plant in the northeast of the home.
General Care: Requires full sunlight and evenly moist soil.
Philodendron Plants
About: Philodendrons are easy to grow and feature large, heart-shaped leaves that draw positive energy.
Feng Shui Benefits: Calming energy, abundance, and enhanced energy flow.
Where to Position: Place philodendrons in dark, low-energy spots indoors, focusing on the east or southeast sections.
General Care: Prefers medium to low indirect sunlight, water every 1 to 2 weeks, and adjust watering frequency based on available light.
Plants That Create Negative Feng Shui Energy
In feng shui, cacti, spiny succulents, spiky plants, fake plants, and unhealthy plants are considered to generate negative energy. These plants disrupt the balance and harmony within a space, hindering positive energy flow.
Choosing the Right Rooms and Parts of Your Home for Your Plants
To maximize the positive energy flow in your home, consider placing plants in the following areas:
- Southeast and East areas for growth and vitality
- South area for reputation and fame
- Entryways and living rooms for welcoming energy
- Dining areas for prosperity and wealth
- Home offices for business success
- Beneath beams to balance energy flow
However, there are rooms and locations where plant placement is not recommended. Avoid placing plants in the center of your house, northeast, southwest, kitchen, bedroom, and northwest areas, as they can disrupt energy balance in those spaces.
Consider the size, shape, color, and texture of your plants, as they affect their energy in feng shui. Larger plants draw more energy, rounded leaves bring positive energy, and different-colored foliage may have specific associations.
Remember to care for your plants to maintain positive energy. Unhealthy plants diminish the energy in a space, so prioritize their needs and promptly address any issues.
By incorporating feng shui plants into your home, you can cultivate positive energy and create a healthy, harmonious environment. Whether you follow feng shui principles or simply enjoy the beauty of indoor greenery, these plants offer numerous benefits for your well-being.