The Best Plants For Good Feng Shui

Believe it. Back in 1995, Donald Trump employed a feng shui master. And when Pun Yin stepped into Trump International Hotel & Tower to consult for a renovation, she felt such bad energy that she told Trump, "we're not going to do this project with you unless you follow us completely" (via The Guardian). You can thank her for the building's metal globe (it counteracts the negative energy that Columbus Circle's traffic produces) and its tea-colored, sky-reflecting, negative-energy absorbing exterior. 

The hotel's interior is dotted with plants. That's not likely to be a mistake. To follow feng shui means believing that your living space is a manifestation of both who you are and who you want to be (via My Domaine). The principles of feng shui dictate that you arrange your house according to the "bagua," an energy map helping to harmonize nine parts of your life: wealth and prosperity, fame and reputation, relationships, family and physical health, spiritual health and well-being, children and creativity, knowledge and personal growth, career, and travel and connections (via Bloomscape). 

What can plants contribute? Feng shui expert Marianne Gordon told My Domaine that humans "are wired to feel at ease in the company of nature." Western, modern living spaces are mostly filled with metal elements. Balancing this with wood elements — in this case, houseplants — helps harmonize your home's energy. According to feng shui consultant Karen Rauch Carter, plants can also "revive tired, weak, or lifeless spaces," and promote positive personal change and growth. 

Under the principles of feng shui, what kind of plant you choose for your home and where you decide to place that plant can directly contribute to the kind of energy or positive change that you're trying to nourish. 

If you're looking to encourage passion or to strengthen emotional relationships, opt for jasmine or peonies. When placed at a south-facing window, jasmine, with its soothing scent, can help strengthen romantic feelings (via Clever). Romance-promoting red peonies, on the other hand, symbolize passion and desire (via Fengshuied). White peonies are said to aid with fertility, and pink peonies might do wonders for your romantic luck. 

Feng shui consultant Nitu Patel recommends selecting peonies that are still blossoming. She notes that as buds open, you may find that "the right person reaches out" (via Flower Power Daily). The love corner of your bedroom is to the far right of its entrance, so maybe place your peonies there strategically.

In need of a little bit of money, honey? Or, perhaps, you're looking to foster good health or prosperity? In that case, Bloomscape suggests placing a money tree in the southwest area of your home. That's the "wealth and prosperity" section according to the Bagua. Money trees, Marianne Gordon told My Domaine, can "bring luck into your life, especially during a big milestone such as opening up a new business." 

If you can't get your hands on a money tree, you can opt for jade. Jade's soft, rounded shapes also promote good fortune, according to Clever. Jade's vibrantly green, positive-energy exuding leaves are symbolic of growth, and "ever-expanding energy," something that a business venture can't get enough of (via Rolling Nature). If your jade plant is flowering, on the other hand, that's a sign of strong and healthy friendships.

Bamboo symbolizes good fortune and positive energies, making it your multi-purpose feng shui plant. Choose the number of bamboo stalks to display in your house in accordance with the kind of good fortune you're looking to encourage.  

Two stalks in a vase will go towards strengthening romance. Select three stalks if you want to promote happiness. Five stalks will boost academic excellence and enhance creativity. Seven will reinforces family bonds and good health. Eight is good for inspiring wealth. And nine, finally, will bring you all-around good luck (via The Spruce and My Domaine). Where should you place your bamboo? There's no one place that you absolutely should put bamboo in your home, although Marianne Gordon suggests that the center of your house might be appropriate. 

Looking for a plant that will nourish positive energy, freshen the air, and neutralize the allergens that might be floating around inside your home? My Domaine suggests trying a peace lily. Peace lilies should be placed in low-light, cool environments. They can literally detox the air inside your home, helping to get rid of toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene (via Clever and One Green Planet). 

Where should you put it? Peace lilies may be a perfect plant for you if you're working from home. Love to Know suggests that the elegant plant is a great addition to your home office space, helping to correct energy imbalances. Flower Power Daily, on the other hand, recommends you put them in the bathroom. Needless to say, we can see how a natural air cleanser would be beneficial there, too. 

Finally, if you're seeking out a bit of extra protection, Bloomscape says to get yourself some hedgehog aloe. In addition to contributing vigorous protective energies to your house environment, aloe is a powerful air cleanser and works against bad luck in general, according to Clever. 

Where you choose to place aloe vera inside your home largely depends on the kind of protective energy you want to cultivate. My Domaine recommends that you place an aloe vera plant in your bathroom space. Doing so will strengthen healing energies. Houzz, on the other hand, recommends that you put aloe vera on your windowsills, in such a way that their thorny spines can act as protective barriers.