According to Google Trends indoor plant searches are blooming!

We moved to the Netherlands just before the European borders closed. I left a life behind with family, friends and all my 24 plants. I was only allowed to bring 2 of them with me – so, when we checked out apartments, I immediately fell in love with the one including jade plants and a 1.5 meter weeping fig (Ficus Benjamina) as well.

We are lucky with a south-facing living room, where succulents are happy in the window, and indoor plants can enjoy the benefits of indirect light during the day. In the first month we didn’t want to commit to new creatures, at least not until we settle in and have a sense of the new atmosphere. But then the pandemic came and even if I enjoy hanging in that living room, I did not expect to spend 16 hours a day there.

In the last couple of days, I realized why I still enjoy being in home office – beside sparing 2 hours of commuting every day. Because of PLANTS! Today we have 25 different species in the flat, eyeing with me all day long.

I watch them growing up, checking every day the progress of new sprouts and I know I’m not the only one thanks to my favorite fb group. There are 6000+ members in this group and I like data viz, so I figured, I’m gonna create a dashboard for us to compare indoor plants and recommend pet- or beginner-friendly species. To collect some data, I started to google what are the popular ones. Surprisingly, ALL OF THEM!


I found that since the end of March, the interest rate for almost all the plants increased. That means basically, they were googled twice as much, as before the pandemic. Why?

I have two assumptions: people are looking for new plants to make their home greener and more comfortable or realized they barely know their plants and found some concerning spots and leaf tips now when taking a closer look.

Why should you get your first plant?

In case, you’re not sure whether plants are for you, be assured that plants are for everyone! They’ll lift the vibe of yours and your home, which is great if you’re working from home. What do they offer you?

  1. They absorb toxins and pollutants from the air
  2. They act as natural humidifier and produce oxygen during the day
  3. They bring color and life in any environment (even a radiator plant haha)
  4. Green spaces boost mental health and productivity and reduce stress level
  5. You can talk to them while your colleagues are not around (I think that’s still ok)

This article collects a few studies for back up, if that’s not enough. And here you find 29 plants you can start with as a beginner.

What’s your opinion? Share it here: