Survey: The States With the Biggest Houseplant Obsessions

America loves houseplants and for a good reason. Indoor plants are an excellent way to brighten up a home’s interior design and studies have provided evidence that they may give us ample physical and mental health benefits, including improved air quality and reduced stress. But plant care is not always easy, and some people are better plant parents than others. We wanted to know which states are home to the biggest plant lovers in the U.S. and which state’s residents take the best—and worst—care of their plants. To find out, we surveyed over 2,200 Americans and asked them about their houseplant obsession.

Key Findings

• Colorado, Arizona, and Oregon have the most houseplants, with an average of 15, 10, and 10 plants, respectively, per household.
• Arkansas and Mississippi have the most residents with green thumbs, but Nebraska and California residents are the most likely to kill their plants.
• Of Americans surveyed, 1 in 4 prefer plants to pets.
• The most overrated trendy houseplants are succulents (29%), ferns (17%), and palms (10%).

The States With the Largest Plant Obsessions

According to our survey, a love for houseplants is nearly universal in the United States—members of each generation and gender own and care for plants.

We asked respondents to enter the number of houseplants they own, and then we calculated the average by state. States that did not have an adequate number of responses are not included in this breakdown and are seen in gray on the chart above. Colorado tops the list of houseplant hoarders, averaging 15 plants per household. Arizona and Oregon tie for second place with 10. Here is the average number of plants per household by state:

1. Alabama: 4
2. Alaska: Not available
3. Arizona: 10
4. Arkansas: 5
5. California: 6
6. Colorado: 15
7. Connecticut: 7
8. Delaware: Not available
9. Florida: 5
10. Georgia: 6
11. Hawaii: Not available
12. Idaho: Not available
13. Illinois: 8
14. Indiana: 3
15. Iowa: 7
16. Kansas: 6
17. Kentucky: 7
18. Louisiana: 6
19. Maine: 6
20. Maryland: 5
21. Massachusetts: 6
22. Michigan: 6
23. Minnesota: 6
24. Mississippi: 6
25. Missouri: 8
26. Montana: Not available
27. Nebraska: 8
28. Nevada: 6
29. New Hampshire: Not available
30. New Jersey: 5
31. New Mexico: 7
32. New York: 6
33. North Carolina: 8
34. North Dakota: Not available
35. Ohio: 7
36. Oklahoma: 4
37. Oregon: 10
38. Pennsylvania: 6
39. Rhode Island: 6
40. South Carolina: 6
41. South Dakota: Not available
42. Tennessee: 9
43. Texas: 4
44. Utah: 6
45. Vermont: Not available
46. Virginia: 9
47. Washington: 6
48. West Virginia: 5
49. Wisconsin: 5
50. Wyoming: Not available

The national average number of plants per household is six. Organized by generation, baby boomers and Gen X actually have more plants on average (7) than millennials (6) and Gen Z (5).

The Best and Worst Plant Parents in the U.S.

Next, we gauged the quality of local plant care by asking respondents two questions: does taking care of plants come naturally to you (otherwise known as having a “green thumb”), and have you killed a plant in the last year? Based on their responses, we compiled a list of the best and worst plant parents in the U.S.

Tied at 68% of their respective populations, Mississippi and Arkansas have the country’s highest concentrations of green thumbs. You can definitely find some gorgeous, healthy plant collections in both of those states. New York (67%), Illinois (65%), and New Mexico (64%) also have plenty of plant whisperers. Now, just because we have many plants doesn’t mean we always know how to care for them. When asked if a plant has died under their care in the last year, 58% of Nebraskans said yes. Tied for second place at 53% are California, Colorado, and Utah.

Houseplants and Current Lifestyle Trends

Why buy houseplants in the first place? On top of the aforementioned benefits, our survey respondents just simply love them. In fact, 87% say houseplants are important to a cozy home environment. They can also improve feelings of overall well-being, according to 83% of respondents. Houseplants as a decor choice have been popular for decades but have seen an explosion in recent years. Some are even opting for plants over pets. In fact, one in four of our respondents indicated that they prefer plants to pets.

That’s not the only lifestyle trend surrounding houseplants at the moment. On social media, there are influencers known as “plantfluencers” who focus specifically on plants, gardening and plant care.

Nearly one in five Americans follow “plantfluencers,” which may be driving them to purchase more plants, or perhaps, the plant collections of friends and family are enough of an influence. When asked if they have felt jealous of someone else’s plant collection, 46% said yes.

Houseplant enthusiasts even consider some species of indoor plants as “trendy” at the moment. From monsteras and pothos to fiddle-leaf figs, 45% of Americans own some form of a “trendy” houseplant. But not all are created equal: The most overrated trendy houseplants are succulents (29%), ferns (17%), and palms (10%), according to respondents.

America’s Plant Care Habits

Plant care takes patience, dedication and financial investment. So we asked respondents about their maintenance habits for their houseplant collections, and we sliced the data by state.

On average, Americans spend $43 on houseplant and plant care annually: millennials spend the most at $48. The states that spend the most on their plants annually include Oregon ($62), Illinois ($55), and Mississippi ($54).

The average time spent caring for plants amounts to 28 minutes per week or 24 hours per year. Some states spend nearly twice that amount of time, particularly those in warmer climates. For example, Floridians spend 48 minutes on plant care a week, which amounts to nearly 42 hours a year!

Houseplants are probably the one decor item that can require daily maintenance. As it turns out, 25% of Americans take care of their houseplants daily. Such dedicated plant owners are most frequently located in Louisiana (40%), Kansas (38%), and North Carolina (38%).

Plant collections are an important part of so many homes across the country. Ready to expand your collection to an outdoor space or want help from an expert? You can reach out to local gardeners to help bring your green space to its highest potential.

Methodology

From July 18 to July 25, 2022, we surveyed 2,241 Americans on their houseplant collections and care. Our respondents were 40% men, 57% women, and 3% nonbinary or preferred not to say. The generational breakdown includes 11% baby boomers, 22% Gen X, 48% millennials, and 19% Gen Z.

Due to insufficient survey responses, local results do not include the following states: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.

No Comments Yet