Plants are the cheapest feng shui adjustment available and the one most people get wrong, usually by buying something that dies within a month. A dead plant is worse than no plant, so this guide covers which ones survive neglect as much as which ones are traditionally associated with prosperity.
Where a plant goes matters more than what it is. The traditional wealth area is the far-left corner of a room as you stand in the doorway, or the far-left corner of the home from the main entrance. A healthy plant there is the standard adjustment.
Avoid placing plants directly in a main walkway, in front of a door, or somewhere they will be knocked repeatedly. A plant that is constantly in the way becomes a nuisance, not an enhancement.
Money plant (Pothos / Epipremnum): the default for a reason. Tolerates low light and irregular watering. Good on a shelf or hanging.
Jade plant (Crassula ovata): the classic prosperity plant with round, coin-shaped leaves. Needs bright light and infrequent watering - overwatering is what kills it.
Snake plant (Sansevieria): nearly indestructible, tolerates low light, and filters air. Better near an entrance than in the wealth corner.
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana): usually grown in water. Keep it out of direct sun and change the water every couple of weeks.
Dried flowers and permanently wilting plants. In feng shui terms they represent decline; practically, they just look neglected. Replace rather than nurse them back.
Sharp or spiky plants in bedrooms and seating areas. Cacti are fine on a desk near a window, less so somewhere you relax.
Overcrowding. Three healthy plants do more than nine struggling ones.
Most houseplants die from overwatering, not neglect. Check the top few centimetres of soil before watering rather than following a fixed schedule.
Match the plant to the light you actually have, not the light in the shop photo. A low-light corner will kill a jade plant no matter how carefully you water it.
Wipe the leaves occasionally. Dusty leaves reduce the plant's ability to photosynthesise and look tired.
No. A healthy plant you will actually keep alive beats a traditional species that dies in three weeks.
Stand in the main doorway looking in. The far-left corner of the room is the traditional wealth area. For the whole home, use the front door as the reference point.
They are better than dead ones, but real plants are preferred. If you use artificial ones, keep them clean and in good condition.