Everyone experiences stress to some degree in their life. Stress will cause a myriad of health problems unless it’s reduced. Growing flowers that help with stress is a great way to relax and add beauty to your living space at the same time.
Many different things are touted to help with stress, such as reducing caffeine, essential oil diffusers, talking toys, bendy sticks, coloring books, journaling, exercise, acupuncture, and burning candles. Some of these stress-busters may work. However, before you invest money in something that may not help, consider buying a pack of seeds from some of these 5 flowers that help with stress and grow your own stress-busters.
Jasmine
Jasmine (Jasminum) is a fragrant flower that has been proven to reduce stress and promote relaxation. The sight and scent of the jasmine blooms lower the heart rate to help encourage a good night’s sleep.
Jasmine is an ideal plant to grow indoors in a bedroom or outdoors near a bedroom window that can be opened to allow the fragrance to waft into the room during the night. The plant will thrive in full sun or partial shade and will produce a multitude of small fragrant white blooms during the summer.
Winter jasmine is one of the earliest blooming flowers that help with stress. Tiny yellow, fragrant blooms will appear on the winter jasmine shrub in mid-winter and last through late spring.
Lisianthus
Commonly known as prairie gentian, lisianthus (Eustoma) is a member of the carnation family and native to the southern part of the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It’s an annual (perennial in warm climates) flower that is often used as a floral expression of gratitude and used in weddings to represent the joining of two people.
Lisianthus is a happy occasion flower that can help with stress by reminding you of a joyous occasion in your life. The bloom size and shape resemble roses and they come in several bloom colors like white, cream, purple, red, yellow, and bi-color. The fluffy, layered blooms are produced on top of long stems that are covered with dark green foliage.
Most varieties of lisianthus will begin to bloom in early spring and bloom throughout the summer. These stress-reducing flowers grow equally well when planted in a container, in-ground, or indoors. Provide the plants with plenty of sunlight and consistent moisture.
Lavender
Everyone is familiar with the aroma of lavender (Lavandula). The essential oil from the flowers that helps with stress is used in health and beauty products like baby baths and lotion, and creams that will help calm and soothe irritated skin.
Lavender grows best in hot climates and locations that provide a little shade in the afternoon. Lavender is a short-lived perennial plant that will return for 3-5 years. The plant will not spread and produce foliage that remains 1-foot (30 cm) tall. Tall spikes of fragrant purple flowers will appear in early summer and last for weeks. The plants can be grown in containers, in-ground, indoors, or outdoors.
Lavender makes long-lasting cut flowers and the flower stems can be dried for use to make fragrant sachets, soap, or dried floral arrangements. The blooms are edible and are often used in culinary applications.
Peonies
This fragrant spring beauty will help with stress anytime you inhale its sweet, heady fragrance. Peonies (Paeona) are often associated with romance, love, and weddings. The large multi-petaled blooms come in a wide range of colors that include white, pink, blush, red, coral, yellow, and purple.
Peonies are native to China and white peony roots have long been used as part of traditional Chinese medicine. White peony root is used to treat anxiety and depression, plus it has analgesic properties that reduce pain.
They are easy to grow and thrive in partial sun and moist soil. The plant only blooms in the early spring but the foliage remains green throughout the summer. The interesting foliage on the 2-feet (60 cm) tall plants make ideal backdrops for low-growing summer plants like phlox and sedum.
Peonies make long-lasting cut flowers and will fill a room with the fragrance to help reduce stress.
Peonies spread slowly via underground rhizomes but despite their slow growth, the plants will need to be divided every 3-5 years to prevent overcrowding. One very important thing to remember when planting or transplanting peony rhizomes is not to plant them too deeply. Plant them 2-inches (5 cm) deep with ‘eyes’ facing upwards. If the peony rhizome is planted deeper than 2-inches (5 cm) a lovely plant will grow but it will never bloom.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers (Helianthus) make everyone happy. The large flowerheads born atop the tall stalks make people smile all over the world. What is inside of those flowerheads is the key to help reduce stress.
Sunflower seeds contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid that causes the brain to release serotonin. Serotonin is a natural chemical produced by the body that helps regulate mood naturally. Eating a handful of sunflowers seeds will help you feel calmer, happier, and relaxed.
Sunflower oil is another stress-reducer that is derived from the seeds. It’s rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, and E. The oil can be used for cooking and is low in saturated fat so it’s considered to be heart-healthy cooking oil. Sunflower oil is also used for skincare to hydrate the skin for a younger-looking appearance. The antioxidants reduce the signs of aging and promote fast healing of minor skin irritations.
They can range in height from 1-foot (30 cm) to 6-feet (180 cm) and have various blooms sizes and colors. Plant the seeds in any sunny location and give the plants plenty of water. Dwarf varieties can be grown in containers but the taller growing varieties should be plant in-ground.
Harvest the flower heads when the petals have fallen from the flowers and the seeds are ripe. Allow flower heads to dry then harvest the seeds by rubbing your hand over them. Eat the seeds as-is or sprinkle your favorite spices on them and roast for 15 minutes.
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