Plants with Benefits!

Did you know many of the plants that you own may have something to offer you medicinally? You may have some beautiful plants at home but might be completely unaware of the medicinal and therapeutic benefits they have to offer! Here are five houseplants/herbs that have amazing medicinal properties!

     1. Aloe Vera: 

Aloe Vera! Who doesn’t love this plant? Also known as ‘Gheeu-Kumari’ in Nepali, this plant is a must-have in any household. Everybody loves this plant because of its immense therapeutic properties like- healing wounds with its soothing and cooling properties, helping with digestion, helping with skincare, hair growth, etc. I didn’t have it in my home when I first learned about it. So I used to ask my friends/relatives to lend me the leaves so that I can use them on my skin and hair. Luckily, I don’t have to roam around and ask for this plant anymore as I have grown tons of it in my house. The best thing about this plant is, when you cut the leaves close to the stem, it will seal the cut leaves and will grow a new one in the center of the plant to replace that. If you are careful while cutting them, you will never run out of aloe leaves! 

Tip: Mix aloe vera gel with any carrier oil and apply to the hair to get smoother hair. You can also apply the gel on the face for smooth and soft skin.   

     

      2. Hibiscus:

Hibiscus is another must-have plant in your household. As I was going through Youtube videos to learn about natural remedies for hair growth, I came across a video about Hibiscus. Funny thing is, I have Hibiscus at home which I didn't care about initially, but now has become my favorite plant for hair care. The flowers and the leaves both have nutritional properties that are good for hair. To enjoy continuous blooms, feed the plant once a month with the skin of cucumber and banana peel that is soaked overnight in water.

Tip: Heat up the petals and the leaves in any carrier oil and massage on the scalp for better results!

   

     3. Rosemary:

Rosemary is a great plant with great medicinal properties! If you are new to the world of plants, we recommend you to grow one because it is beginner-friendly and easy to care for. Rosemary is loved for its rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that are known for boosting the immune system and improving blood circulation. Keep it in your room and see how its aroma will help you improve your memory, improve mood, relieve stress, improve focus, and boost alertness. Moreover, you may also use its petals or its essential oil to prevent baldness, witness hair growth, and treat dandruff and dry scalp. You can also add rosemary to your food for enhanced flavor!

Tip: If you want to enjoy the healthiest rosemary, let them enjoy enough direct light of 6-8 hours and 4-6 hours of indirect light. Also while watering, keep the soil soggy but not moist. Allow the soil to dry out partially between the waterings.

    4. Lavender:

Lavender is another charismatic plant with immense medicinal benefits. It is loved for its heavenly scent, medicinal properties, and beautiful purple color- the color of royalty. You can enjoy many benefits if you plan to keep it indoors. The aroma or the fragrance of this plant will help you stay calm under distress. Likewise, it also helps to purify the air and may help you fall asleep. Lavender plants also serve as a natural bug repellent. So, keep it in your room to get rid of bugs and insects. Besides this, Lavender in its petal or the essential oil form may also help in promoting hair growth, reducing pain, combating fungus, reducing blemishes in the skin, etc. Add this to your collection, to feel royal and make your home smell heavenly.

Tip: If you keep them indoors, place them in a place where they can enjoy a minimum of three to four hours of direct sunlight and rotate the pot weekly for uniform growth and beautiful blooms. 

     

   5. Spider Plant:

One of the common houseplants, the Spider plant has a lot to offer! It’s amazing how this plant got its name in the first place. During the blooming seasons, it produces tiny white flowers and offsets known as 'pups' which look like tiny spiders hanging in the web. Well, if you are wondering what Spider Plant has to offer you, then it has to be clean and fresh air! You don’t have to look around for fancy air-purifying plants because our Spider Plant is there to do that for you! NASA in their tests approved that Spider Plants were the champions in removing 90% of the toxic substances like formaldehyde from the air. Add this plant to your collection to enjoy the fresh air!

Tip: To witness the healthiest Spider Plants, keep them in bright indirect light, and make sure the soil is dry before the next watering. Also, watch out for brown leaves to indicate water and sunlight problems.

Were you already aware of the medicinal benefits of plants like Aloe Vera, Hibiscus, Rosemary, Lavender, and Spider Plant?  If not, I hope this blog helped you be aware now! 

 

About the writer:

Chadani Satyal is a Digital Marketing Executive at I Am The Gardener. She loves to sing and has recently started learning to play Ukulele. She’s probably the most entertaining person you’ll come across!