You’ve probably seen it, or done it yourself. A droopy plant sits beside a bin, a pot lies abandoned on the pavement, and something inside you says, “I can’t just leave it.” According to research published on PubMed Central, the US National Institutes of Health’s free archive of biomedical studies, there are real psychological reasons why tending plants feels so rewarding, from a sense of purpose to a feeling of control. None of the studies looks at rescuing plants from roadsides specifically, but together they help explain why so many of us feel that pull. Here are five ideas worth knowing.
We like feeling needed
A neglected plant is a living thing that clearly needs help, and helping it is satisfying. In a PubMed Central study of how people relate to their indoor plants, participants owned 15 plants on average, and one of the most frequently mentioned benefits was a sense of fulfilment or purpose. Many described an engaged relationship, in which they were emotionally attached to their plants and spent time caring for them. A roadside rescue gives that urge a perfect target, because the need is obvious and you’re the one who happened to walk past.
A kind of caring without heavy commitment
A university study of indoor plants and wellbeing found that students liked feeling needed by their plants, without the level of commitment required to look after animals or children. That’s a useful clue. A plant won’t wake you at 3 am or need a vet appointment, but it still responds to attention. For people who want something to nurture, rescuing a plant can offer the emotional reward of caregiving at a scale that fits into a busy life.
Nature pulls us in
Psychologists often talk about biophilia, the idea that humans have an inborn tendency to seek out contact with living things. Research on stress backs that up. A study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that actively interacting with indoor plants reduced physiological and psychological stress compared with doing mental work on a computer. A review of horticultural therapy likewise links plant care with lower stress, anxiety and depression. Seeing a plant thrown away can feel jarring, and saving it may be partly a way to put right something that feels wrong.
A small way to feel in control
Watering a plant brings a quick result, and watching it perk up gives a sense of accomplishment. A PubMed Central study that asked people to tend an indoor plant for one month after a stressful life event found that participants described a sense of empowerment and agency, and the intervention was associated with less rumination and more resilience. Some even saw the plant as a symbol of renewal. When life feels out of our hands, bringing a wilting plant back to health is something we can actually do.
Before you rescue that plant
A good instinct deserves a few precautions. Ask first if the plant was left on private property, and don’t dig up wild or protected plants, which may be illegal. Check for pests like aphids or mealybugs, and keep newly rescued plants apart from your others for a couple of weeks. Repot in fresh soil, wash your hands afterwards, and be careful with unknown plants, since some are toxic to pets and people. With a little care, your rescue may repay you with years of green.
