THE ART OF PLANT PLACEMENT: FENG SHUI MEETS HOUSE PLANTZ
Do you believe in Feng Shui? The practice of Feng Shui also referred to as Chinese Geomancy, originated in ancient China, but it has since trickled into many other parts of the world, including becoming very popular in the United States of America.
Taking control of your spaces and placing each item in your living space with a clear purpose can manifest positive energy and great successes into your life! Lucky for us, Feng Shui and indoor plants go hand in hand with one another. When you practice the art by putting intention into your home and Feng Shui plant placement, you harvest energy forces that allow you to harmonize with your environment for peace, success, family prosperity, wealth, and so much more. Literally translating to “wind-water,” the Feng Shui meaning goes more in-depth. In Chinese thought, this system of laws is considered to govern spatial arrangement and orientation related to the flow of energy, and whose favorable or unfavorable effects are taken into account when sitting and designing buildings (Oxford Languages).
The Art of Feng Shui
There are several aspects to take into account when a believer, or beginner, needs to balance areas of their life. It is overwhelming even to know where to begin this journey of peace and clean energy. For starters, areas of energy are broken down into the elements. Among the five elements of Feng Shui, we have Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, and Wood, which work together as one system to make up the energy in your home and life. The wood element is a strong symbol of growth, family, and wealth. Experts often suggest indoor plants to help with the aspect of Feng Shui. When you bring bright and healthy plants into your environment, it can preserve the good Chi (life energy) and generate amazing new opportunities for your future. Strongly associated with colors, each element can be improved by simply incorporating them into your home design. Increasing the amount of greens and blues, representing expansive growth and upward development, can improve the wood element in your home.
Fun Fact: Indoor house plants are one of the few ways to transform the Feng Shui energy in your home immediately… It is actually considered a science! According to the NASA Clean Air Study, house plants are much more beneficial than their looks alone. In fact, NASA’s study found that plants play a massive part in purifying indoor air by removing organic chemicals from the air we breathe. House plants that improve air quality will also enhance the residents’ quality of life, so let us take a look at some of the best Feng Shui indoor plants that PLANTZ has to offer!
ZZZENNNN with ZZ Plants
One of our top picks is the Zamioculcas zamiifolia, also known as the ZZ Plant. This low maintenance plant is a great pick for beginners and busy bees; it can liven up any corner while improving the Feng Shui of your home. Barely needing water, light, or attention, the ZZ makes it so easy to appreciate their energy, waxy leaves, and thick branches in any living space. ZZ plant placement Feng Shui-wise is essential in order to create harmony between the individual and their home. Also nicknamed the “Eternity Plant” and the “Fortune Tree,” the ZZ brings growth and assistance wherever it lives.
With their reputation for growing fast and maintaining a strong foundation with their thick branches, ZZ’s are said to block Sha chi, the most well-known form of negative energy.
As we know, there are five elements of Feng Shui, each associated with a color scheme. But there is way more. From there, we have eight areas of life organized by a Bagua map, and how they align will ultimately create the energy for the space. This is why Bagua energy maps typically correlate to the interior design of a living space. After you are finished outlining your Bagua, it will be easier to place your plants with intention.
House plants have different impacts in each Bagua area, most of which positively shift the energy in these sectors when mapped correctly. What does this have to do with a ZZ Plant? Because the robust plant grows quickly, steadily, and upwards, this baby was meant to hold luck and prosperity properties. Feng Shui principles, including Bagua and the five elements, can be found within the energy of the ZZ, strong and stout; it is often associated with more than one Bagua area, like Zhen, which represents Family and New Beginnings, and Xu, wealth and abundance.
Try placing the Zamioculcas in a long hallway or in the energy map’s wealth area to facilitate the positive powers that the ZZ can offer you in your home.
The Fan Favorite
Next up, we have our fan favorite, but this plant can also serve as a learning lesson on plant parenthood… You guessed it, the Fiddle Leaf Fig. As easy-going as plants can be, they will still need attention and love every now and again. That is especially true when you bring a Fiddle Leaf Fig into your life! Also known as a Ficus Lyrata, her massive, bright green leaves attract many; she creates her own aura, so this plant’s personality will transform any space.
The patience and tender love and care that you show your Fiddle Leaf Fig will expand your wisdom beyond measure and, in turn, activate the Gen area of the energy map when placed thoughtfully. If you are looking for good Feng Shui plants for front of house placement, a Fiddle Leaf Fig would be the perfect plant for the job.
Personal growth and development expand into your ability to nurture and care for beings out of selflessness and kindness. Practice makes perfect, so start by finding a big window for plenty of filtered, bright light for your Ficus in the front left part of your house for the most ideal positioning. Learning the requirements of your Ficus Lyrata (another name for the Fiddle Leaf Fig) allows you to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation for the earth and yourself. Since the upper left corner is typically the Knowledge and Self Cultivation area on your energy map, your Fiddle Leaf Fig will thrive here.
Feel at Home
Protection and safety are also very important components a home needs in order to maintain positive energy and good Feng Shui, and you know… feel like a home. Like always, we know the perfect plant to keep good energy in and bad energy out.
I know what you are thinking, how can a plant protect me? However, you have not have met the Mother-In-Law’s Tongue. Also known as the Snake Plant, these guys do more for you than you do for them.
Where to place snake plants in Feng Shui? Your bedroom. Like the ZZ plant, the leaves on snake plants grow straight up, which, coupled with their pointy tips on these long sword-like leaves, create the ultimate protective energy for your personal space. These properties are sometimes mistaken for “bad Feng Shui plants,” however they are just the opposite – these pokey protectors shield your energy from harm and negativity.
Like your child or pet, you do not want to let your plant around just anyone; it is harmful to you and your Sansevieria when they pick up on so many individuals’ energy, which is another reason your snake plant benefits in bedroom settings. Snake plants do best in dry soil and can survive in any light; there is no need to worry if your bedroom is not the sunniest spot in your house! That being said, here is your reminder that you want to allow this guy to dry out in-between watering sessions. They are native to the South Asian and African regions, so they are pretty used to dry atmospheres, which is why we only recommend wetting your snake plant approximately once a month.
This plant is also one of the best plants for bedroom oxygen; the Mother-In-Law’s Tongue is hard at work throughout the night, too, continually releasing oxygen and filtering toxins out of the air you breathe. Going back to the NASA Clean Air Study we touched on earlier; Sansevieria was one of the few indoor plants studied that removed four out of the five organic pollutants that were introduced in a controlled environment.
This sleek, stiff bodyguard is sure to protect your energy, your home, and even cleanse the air around you, as long as you place this plant with intention in a low traffic area of your home.
The MARVELOUS Monstera
Fame and Fortune, what more could you want? The Monstera deliciosa radiates a powerful vibe that is healthy for the energy of your home. A jack of all trades, this monster can purify, protect, and charge your living space with positive Chi (don’t forget, that means Life Energy). The Funky Foliage Monstera’s showcase is an indicator of Good Fortune, and a big reason is that she is linked to Li, the Fame, and the Recognition Bagua area. Her massive round leaves grow upward, which attracts favorable energies to your space and keeps them there, all while warding off evil. On top of all of that, the Split Leaf Philodendron is another natural air filter with several air purifying properties. Monstera’s do best in medium to bright light; sunlight from south and east and west-facing windows are recommended, but for the sake of its fundamental properties, try to keep it facing south or east.
Also known as the Swiss Cheese Plant, Monstera leaves have holes that allow them to go with the flow and stay in control of the vibe of the room it resides in! This plant is said to go hand and hand with the wood element for its growth. Placement and positioning of your Monstera are going to impact the gifts she is going to bring you!
Generally, the wood element aligns with the Bagua energy map best when placed in the most southern-eastern part of the home. However, first, think about the area of your life you are seeking balance in. Do you simply want to protect the energy of your home? Are you hoping for money? Maybe you are looking to heal, neutralize, or purify the existing energy. Our Magic Monstera friend can help with all of these!
If your Monstera stays at the entrance of your home, Feng Shui experts believe this will allow you to bring only good energy sources in. If you have a lot of company, you might want to consider moving her to the living room, where she can purify the glob of negative energy that could pile up in this high traffic space and ward off future evil. For a more personal connection to the powerful philodendron properties, try the bedroom; she is known to charge up smaller spaces to relieve fatigue and absorb the bad Chi that may have tried to sneak in while you were asleep.
Bamboo Bagua
Last, but definitely NOT least, we have the Bamboo Palm. The quintessential indoor plant for Feng Shui’s success, this cousin to outdoor Bamboo, can shift your home Feng Shui in more ways than one. Also known as a Chamaedorea, this is yet another air-purifying plant that can vastly improve the resilience and energy your home radiates! The Bamboo Palm is known to remove the top three air pollutants found in most indoor spaces, all while adding the perfect tropical touch.
As you may have been able to guess, the Bamboo palm, like most plants, is associated with the wood element. Feng Shui is just like anything else; moderation is key.. so make sure to identify the place in need of more wood. We know that the east, southeast, and south are spaces that appreciate this element most. Additionally, placing lucky plants like the Bamboo palm in the southeast corner of your house can help you manifest wealth and abundance, so I think that settles it.
This palm stands tall like a tree, which will stabilize the energy in your home. The height of Bamboo palm, coupled with its flexible, deep green leaves, can combat negative energy and represent confidence, peace, wisdom, and overall improve energy balance in your living space.
The vibe of your home can truly impact the success you feel and see! Simply adjusting your rooms’ color schemes, rearranging your place’s interior design, and intentionally mapping your belongings will act as a catalyst for great Fortune in your life. Examine the Bagua of your home, identify missing elements, make the necessary adjustments and watch how practicing Feng Shui can improve your lifestyle.
