Vastu Plants for the Home: Which to Keep and Where

Plants are a gentle, natural way to enhance the energy of a home in Vastu, and they double as genuine improvements to air quality and mood. But Vastu is specific about which plants suit which directions, and which plants are better kept outdoors than inside living spaces.

Used thoughtfully, plants brighten beneficial zones and soften defective ones — a remedy that is easy, affordable and reversible.

Auspicious plants and where they go

The Tulsi (holy basil) plant is highly auspicious and is traditionally placed in the north, north-east or east, ideally where it gets morning light. Money plants are popular for the south-east and do well indoors. Bamboo (lucky bamboo) is associated with growth and suits the east.

In general, keep smaller, lighter and greener plants towards the north and east, and any larger, heavier plants or trees towards the south and west. Flowering plants add positive energy near the entrance and in living areas.

Plants Vastu advises keeping outdoors

Vastu traditionally recommends keeping thorny plants such as cacti indoors to a minimum, favouring them outdoors if kept at all — the exception being roses, whose flowers are considered auspicious. Large trees are best planted in the south and west of a plot, not the north-east, where they would block beneficial light and energy.

Avoid placing tall or heavy trees directly in front of the main entrance, and keep the north-east open rather than shading it with large plants.

Using plants as remedies

A healthy green plant in a defective or heavy zone can lift its energy, while a cluster of greenery in the north-east or by the entrance reinforces already-beneficial areas. The key is to keep plants healthy — dry, dying or diseased plants have the opposite effect and should be removed or revived promptly.