Feng shui
Plants and Feng Shui
In feng shui, healthy plants with rounded leaves bring Wood energy into a room. Place them by Bagua area and compass direction: the east and south-east carry Wood, so a money tree or lucky bamboo does best there.
Example
Wealth and abundance · South-east
Plants: Money tree, jade plant, lucky bamboo
The south-east is Wood and the Wealth area. Healthy upright growth with rounded leaves matches both the element and the theme.
Element: Wood. Colours: green, purple.
Plants for each of the nine Bagua areas
Wood plants feed Fire, are fed by Water and are cut by Metal. That one sentence decides most of the table: put plants freely in the Wood and Water sides, with care in the Metal sides, and keep the centre open.
| Area | Direction and element | Plants |
|---|---|---|
| Wealth and abundance | South-east · Wood | Money tree, jade plant, lucky bamboo |
| Fame and reputation | South · Fire | Anthurium, red-flowered kalanchoe, a small palm |
| Love and relationships | South-west · Earth | A matched pair of peace lilies or orchids |
| Family and health | East · Wood | Ferns, pothos, lucky bamboo, a tall leafy plant |
| Centre and balance | Centre · Earth | A low, broad plant in an earth-toned pot, or none |
| Children and creativity | West · Metal | White orchid, jade plant in a metal or white pot |
| Knowledge and self-cultivation | North-east · Earth | Peace lily, small herbs, a bonsai |
| Career and life path | North · Water | Lucky bamboo in water, pothos in a glass vase |
| Helpful people and travel | North-west · Metal | Money tree, jade plant, a round-leaved plant in a metal pot |
Money tree, lucky bamboo and other favourites
Money tree (Pachira aquatica)
A braided trunk carries leaves in clusters of five, which feng shui links to the five elements, and the plant is a standard choice for the Wealth area in the south-east or for the entrance of a shop. Keep it healthy; a yellowing plant works against the purpose.
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
Not a true bamboo, it grows in water or soil and carries Wood and Water together. Stalk numbers matter in practice: three stalks for happiness, wealth and long life, five for the five elements, eight for wealth and nine for lasting good fortune. Four is avoided because its sound is close to the Chinese word for death.
Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Thick, round coin-like leaves make it the usual plant for wealth near an entrance or office door. It is slow growing and long lived, which suits a plant that stands for steady gain.
Peace lily, pothos and rubber plant
Soft, rounded or trailing leaves are preferred to sharp ones. They suit living rooms, offices and the east and north-east sides of a home.
Orchid
A flowering orchid in pairs suits the south-west for relationships, and a white orchid suits the west. Remove spent flowers promptly.
Plants to keep out of sleeping and sitting areas
Cactus and other thorny plants, and plants with sharp pointed leaves such as yucca and many agaves, are read as cutting energy. Use them, if at all, near the outside of the home. Dead, dried or artificial plants are avoided because they stand for stagnation.
Care is part of the practice
A plant works in feng shui only while it thrives. Give it the light it needs, remove yellow or dead leaves at once and replace a plant that fails. Keep pots clean and the right size, with no standing water under them in a bedroom.
Common questions
Where should a money tree go?
In the south-east of a room or home, the Wealth area, or near the entrance of an office. A living room corner that gets bright, indirect light is a good fit.
How many lucky bamboo stalks should I have?
Three, five, eight or nine. Three stands for happiness, wealth and long life; five for the five elements; eight for wealth; nine for lasting luck. Avoid four.
Are plants good in the bedroom?
A small number of soft-leaved plants are acceptable. Many feng shui schools prefer none, or only one or two, in the bedroom, since the room is for rest and plants carry growing Yang energy.
Keep reading
Related
Room layout
Find the Bagua areas of your plan.
Bagua map
Trigrams, elements and directions.
Wood element
The element plants carry.
Feng shui
All feng shui tools and guides.