Growing Healthy Habits
Story by Josie Donohue
Photos by Jacob Durbin
The Athens community embraces plants and the health benefits in caring for them.
There are many eye-catching plants for sale in Hyacinth Bean spread throughout the store
Houseplants have overtaken the home decor market, and it’s easy to buy fake succulents at your local Marshall’s, HomeGoods or Target. Real houseplants, however, not only provide an aesthetic, but a unique hobby and health benefits.
In 2020, there was a spike in gardening and houseplant owning to relieve stress and create a pastime. In an April 2020 study conducted by Civil Science, out of nearly 1,500 responses, Gen Z and Millennials reported reasons they own a houseplant are to take care of a living thing, have something pretty to admire and to improve the look of a space.
Tyra Huxley, a senior studying energy engineering and Spanish, owns houseplants to provide natural benefits as well as upkeeping them as a hobby. Huxley owns a variety of houseplants such as aloe vera, purple kale, a fig tree, a peace lily, a flaming Katie, a prayer plant and more.
Huxley suggests taking care of houseplants as a hobby because it allows owners to give life to something without having a major responsibility.
“You're harboring life, but the life isn't as consequential as having a dog or something,” Huxley says. “Dogs are a lot of work and plants are just like a baby amount of responsibility for another living thing.”
For current plant lovers and those wanting to learn more, Ohio University’s Plant Club provides that opportunity for all majors on campus. The club is very involved in learning more about various genus’ in and outside of the classroom.
The executive board of the Ohio University Plant Club. Left to right: Fiona Davis (Vice President), Sarah Maracz (President), Mekenzie Altman (Treasurer), Cat Tillis (Outreach Coordinator).
Indoors, the club hosts seminars about different plants, sustainable farming and potential career opportunities.
Outdoors, they go on identification hikes and invasive species pulls. These invasive pulls involve traveling to nearby conservation areas such as Strouds Run and ridding of invasive species so native plants can thrive.
Sarah Maracz, a senior studying civil engineering, is the president of Plant Club and has been a member since her first year at OU.
Maracz says owning plants almost seems natural because her family always has. Maracz’s personal passion for becoming a plant owner stems from the time she saw a Venus fly trap at the zoo as a child. Since that day, she fell in love with the idea of owning her own plants.
For those interested in maintaining and growing their own plants, Hyacinth Bean Florist, a flower shop, can fulfill a green thumb’s desire. Located at 540 W. Union St, the shop also provides outdoor plants, houseplants, pottery and vintage items.
A close-up of a drawing of the Hyacinth Bean storefront, a local Athens floral business
Chandler Castle, store manager of Hyacinth Bean, recommends philodendrons and snake plants for beginners because they can survive with little care and light. For those wanting a challenge, she suggests succulents and cacti because the water levels need to be closely monitored.
Castle says she enjoys being a part of the plant buying and owning process.
“Seeing the joy that plants bring other people has spurred our plant journey (and) helping people find that perfect plant for their space,” Castle says. “Knowing they can look at (the plants) and find a sense of calm in their busy day; it brings us great joy here at the store.”
Castle says she enjoys fulfilling orders for special occasions. It’s common for family members to place orders for incoming students to place plants in their dorms to make them feel more welcome and comfortable.
“Being a florist is really rewarding because you get to brighten people’s days,” Castle says. “Every day you get to be a part of a celebration with the person who is ordering.”
Four of the Hyacinth Bean employees are pictured outside the store. Left to right: Rachel Ballinger, Sara Banks, Polly Creech, Jess Bouffioux.
Castle says beautifying spaces with plants is beneficial for people’s mental health. Castle is familiar with greenery as she has managed a perennial plant operation for seven years and has been with Hyacinth Bean for a year.
Plant care has health benefits as well, Maracz says. She suggests that plants can bring humidity to a room, filter out pollutants, increase oxygen and remind owners to open windows daily.
According to a study by the University of Exeter, having houseplants in a workspace can increase productivity by 15 percent.
Huxley enjoys owning houseplants for the greenery and mood they create in a room.
“I’ll put on my Bluetooth speaker and sing and dance with them,” Huxley says. “I think they like that. I think plants are very receptive of their caretakers’ energies.”
During Huxley’s dance sessions, she mostly listens to reggaeton to emanate the feeling of being at a discoteca.
Digging fingers into warm soil, watering a seed and watching it grow into a plant is a rewarding and relaxing feeling for many. If anyone is looking for a new hobby, owning a plant can look however the caretaker wants it to. And they can take advantage of all the benefits that plant ownership has to offer.
“You learn a lot about a plant by taking care of it,” Castle says. “It will help you be intuitive about how to take care of other plants in the future and maybe how to take care of your friends and even yourself.”