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House plants: The gift that keeps on giving

January 10, 2024, 11:00 a.m. (EST)

January 10 is House Plant Day, the day we celebrate the beauty and benefits of indoor plants. 

Having a house plant (or a whole family of house plants!) is a beautiful way to bring life into our homes. Through photosynthesis, plants convert CO2 (carbon dioxide) to oxygen, which in turn helps improve the air quality in our homes and reduce pollutants in the air through photosynthesis. 

There are so many unique varieties of plants to choose from that picking the one most suitable for you and your home can sometimes be tricky. Luckily, many indoor plants, such as cacti, will thrive with minimal care and still provide air cleansing benefits—even if you don’t have a green thumb. 

On the other hand, some plants, such as orchids or monsteras, can require a little more attention in order to thrive. They may present a challenge, but with time and proper care, you will be rewarded with their beauty. 

From cacti to orchids, potted plants have found homes across the country. In 2022, there were over 1.1 billion dollars in sales of potted plants in Canada

Spring may not have sprung yet but while we wait for our outdoor gardens to bloom, the smell of fresh cut flowers in our homes can help ignite the essence of spring. In 2022, total sales of cut flowers in Canada were 178 million dollars. 

Although most of our gardens may be covered in a bed of snow, if you’ve got a green thumb, it’s never too early to start dreaming about your spring blossoms or summer vegetable harvest. Despite the harsh winter conditions, caring for plants is something many of us continue to do year-round. Of course, planting indoors isn’t the same, but there are a variety of plants, flowers and herbs that can thrive both outdoors and indoors. 

For example, during the winter months, growing herbs indoors is a handy way to continue bringing fresh flavours to the table. In 2021, 21% of people in Canada said they grew fruit, herbs, vegetables or flowers indoors for personal use in the past 12 months

Indoor plants, flowers and herbs can provide a variety of benefits to all of us. They help to clean the air that we breathe, to connect us with nature and in many cases, they may simply help spark joy. 

Whether you’re a house plant lover or a one-plant wonder, we hope that you and your plant(s) continue to flourish. 

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Contact information

For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).