Research into whether the human voice helps plants isn't conclusive. Even so, there are convincing reasons that chatting with your houseplants is good for them—and you.
In a 2022 survey by trees.com, 50 percent of the 1250 respondents reported talking to their plants. When asked why, 65 percent said they believe it helps them grow. The research, however, isn't definitive about this point. While studies have found that vibrations (震动) caused by sound do affect plants, the jury is still out on whether the human voice offers any specific benefit.
For many plant owners, though, the science is beside the point. Marquis Matson, co-founder of the blog the Indoor Nursery, says she talks to her plants every day because "it feels nice and I think plants get a sense of community from my talking to them and that keeps them going". On the plant side, a study in a 2003 issue of the journal Ultrasonics investigated the effects of the classical music and the sounds of birds, insects and water on the growth of Chinese cabbage and cucumber. Both forms of sound exposure increased the vegetables' growth. In a 2015 study, researchers exposed marigold (金盏花) and chickpea (鹰嘴豆) plants to light Indian music as well as to traffic noise. They found that both types of plants grew and developed better after being exposed to the music for four hours per day, but not to the traffic sounds. "Plants definitely respond to vibrations in their environment—which can cause plants to grow differently and become more resistant to falling over," says Heidi Appel, leader of the study. She points out, "While sound absolutely matters to plants, we don't know if talking to them makes them grow differently."
Despite the lack of studies and evidence about the benefits of talking to your plants, there is at least one theoretical bonus, "If we identify with a living organism that we're taking care of, we're going to take better care of it and help them thrive," Appel says.
