Your home is your sanctuary, and how you curate your space can dictate its surrounding mood and energetic disposition. To quote Marie Kondo from Netflix’s Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, your home should be filled with only things that “spark joy,” peace and happiness; A beautiful mural, a cozy plush rug, a soothing wind chime–the simplest additions can evoke powerful emotions within you and aid in your quest to create a safe, tranquil sanctuary.
Since people spend most of their time indoors, the indoor environment is very important for their health. Plants offer countless wellness benefits and provide a quick and easy way to establish a harmonious environment, offer eye-pleasing aesthetics and welcome fresh oxygen into any home. Home greenery can also detoxify any room as well as inspire focus, boost your mood and even encourage better sleep through their many versatile scents. Get your house smelling and looking beautiful with the help of these fragrant houseplants.
Find your scent
When searching for the right scented houseplant, keep in mind your atmosphere and the mood you are wanting to manifest. Are you looking to unwind and relax or are you in need of some energy and inspiration?
“Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance,” says Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, in Psychology Today.
Select one or many scented succulents for your home and experience the many natural benefits.
Pick your plant: For Focus + Clarity
Roses aren’t just for romance. These sweet smelling stems possess the power to increase focus and clarity with just one whiff. Stick a few roses on your desk or work space and breath in a fresh fix of concentration and mind-clearing creativity.
Lemon Balm takes the cake when it comes to clarity and focus. This wonder-plant is great at improving memory, elevating task performance, increasing concentration, and cognition. Lemon Balm is also a potent cleaning agent and brings a sense of cleanliness to any room.
Rosemary is more than a common cooking ingredient–this herb packs a potent focus-enhancing punch. In addition to improving brain function, rosemary can also ease stress, increase circulation and alertness.
Pick your plant: For Mood Elevation
Basil satisfies all the senses with its bright green color, strong and slightly spiced scent and mouth-watering flavor. Keep a bushel of basil in your home to help enhance your mood, improve digestion, increase alertness, and even soothe muscle aches.
Plumerias transport you right to paradise with their eye-catching colors and diverse scents. Some plumerias smell of citrus and fresh fruit while others offer a spicy or sweet aroma. Whichever plumeria scent you prefer, you will get an extra helping of mood-boosting properties with each waft.
Scented Geraniums are a stellar indoor plant choice for any season. If the bright colors don’t elevate your mood, the sweet smell of this greenery sure will. A strong sniff of scented geraniums has been known to soften the system, loosen up the mind and body, and incite extra feel-good vibes.
Pick your plant: For Energy Boost
Peppermint tastes incredible and smells even better. Loved for its fast-acting, brain-boosting properties, this houseplant “invigorates the mind, promotes concentration and stimulates clear thinking,” while increasing mind and body energy.
Sage is another beloved kitchen staple that also offers healing scented properties. This leafy green smells of hearty earth and wood adding a mentally grounding component. This special sage is also dried and burned in a ritual, also known as “smudging,” to not only improve energy but also clear negative energy from a space.
Orchids provide more than aesthetic beauty, but also fill your home with warm and inviting tropical scents. This bold and bright-colored flower boosts your energy through its sweet-smelling petals and lush foliage.
Pick your plant: For Calm and Sleep
Lavender may be the most widely known scent to spur rest and relaxation. Adding a bushel of lavender to your bedroom works wonders on your health and quality of sleep. The fragrance from the oils of the lavender plant is believed to help promote calmness and wellness, as well as reduce stress, anxiety, and possibly even mild pain–all great for improving restfulness.
Jasmine is another calm-enhancing plant choice offering much-appreciated sedation effects. Inhaling deep breaths of jasmine can help relax the central nervous system and invoke a deepened sense of peace and serenity.
Eucalyptus possesses many wellness properties, from minimizing mucus and headache relief to calming asthma and bronchial issues. While this potent plant can be sniffed throughout the day, it’s most enjoyed as a soporific scent for rest and recovery.
Valeri Spiwak @westbychance
Los Angeles, CABorn and raised in Southern California, Valeri Spiwak Horn lives and breathes West Coast culture and its surrounding artistic charm. With a journalism career spanning over a decade, Valeri continues to explore the beautiful and obscure, and shares her adventures through captivating wordplay, clever writing and skillful copy. When she's not playing a passionate storyteller, she can be found riding her horse or curled up at home among her many magical houseplants.
