UGA study shows flowers helped improve mood, reduced stress and heightened morale post pandemic

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During the COVID-19 pandemic many people turned to fresh flowers as a form of self-care.

Credit: Russell Rain Eldridge/GPB

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people turned to fresh flowers as a form of self-care.

A new study from University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences said that decision likely helped during a challenging time.

Of the more than 8,500 people surveyed, those who bought flowers in the past year felt better, said Julie Campbell, assistant professor in marketing consumer behavior in the Department of Horticulture at University of Georgia

Sprucing up a home with plants is similar to interior decor, Campbell said. Both can make people feel better — not always, but often.

One of the survey questions asked whether people liked flowers in the workplace.

"Some people had negative connotations to it, where others had positive," said Campbell, who is also the lead author on the study. "The majority were positive."

Improved mood, reduced stress and heightened morale accompanied the return to normalcy post-pandemic, and many people bought freshly cut flowers. 

"People were stuck in their houses and they started to think, 'Hey, wow, this is kind of bleak,'" Campbell said. "People started getting into flowers. They started getting in to potted plants."

People in the United States are more "holiday" buyers, spending the most on roses for Mother's and Valentine's days.

"In Europe, it's a different mindset," she said. "It's a different cultural thing where people buy because it's a Tuesday — because, you know, your flowers died."

The psychological benefits were especially strong for those who regularly purchased flowers and helped spark growth for local farmers growing them, Campbell said.