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The Wild Truth About Plant Intelligence and Human Connection: Best of Growing Joy Replay

The Wild Truth About Plant Intelligence and Human Connection: Best of Growing Joy Replay

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness May 21, 2026 Duration: 48:08
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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What if your houseplants are doing so much more than just looking pretty on your windowsill? What if they’re actually communicating, sensing their environment, and responding in ways we’re only beginning to understand?

In this Best of Growing Joy replay, I sit down with Paco Calvo and Natalie Lawrence, co-authors of Planta Sapiens, to explore plant intelligence, plant behavior, and the big question: do plants have feelings and some form of plant consciousness?

We talk about how plants sense their surroundings, how they “decide” where to grow, and what our human-plant connection can teach us about slowing down and reconnecting with nature.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your plants notice you, or what’s really going on inside your favorite vining houseplants, this conversation will totally change how you see every plant in your home and garden!

 

In this episode, we learn:

  • [06:32] Who is Professor Paco Palvo?
  • [07:01] Why is MINT Lab in the philosophy department instead of the plant science department?
  • [09:28] Who is Natalie Lawrence? 
  • [10:00] The relationship between animals and plants: biophilia
  • [13:34] What is anthropophilia?
  • [16:26] What role do houseplants play in our relationship with nature?
  • [18:04] How humans have shaped the phenotype, or characteristics, of plants through agriculture
  • [20:09] What special message would you engrave on your wind chime?
  • [22:40] The best way to sleep better and feel calmer naturally in no time!
  • [25:58] Different types of intelligence displayed by plants
  • [26:39] How do we see from a plant’s perspective?
  • [27:27] Tip 1: Observe the plants’ behavior through time-lapse photography
  • [27:45] Tip 2: Monitor the plants’ electrophysiological states
  • [28:14] Tip 3: Observe the plant holistically through naked eyes (the most important!)
  • [32:41] Melatonin synthesis in plants: what we can learn 
  • [34:57] How vines (climbing plants) have evolved to locate host trees through senses like “sniffing”
  • [36:59] Where to get the best quality and variety of seeds for ease of planting experience this year!
  • [38:35] Sourcing a wide variety of high-quality soil, fertilizer, potty mix, and more!
  • [40:24] What are some of the ways vines (climbing plants) can find their host trees?
  • [42:04] Are plants smarter? (Hint: It’s not what you think!)
  • [44:07] What are the limits of technology when it comes to understanding plant intelligence?
  • [46:56] Do plants have feelings? 
  • [50:24] Do plants understand music?
  • [53:35] What is plant blindness?

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

Do you think your houseplants can actually sense what’s happening around them?

Check out the full show notes and blog for a deeper look at plant intelligence and consciousness!

 

Follow Paco:

MINT Lab

Follow Natalie:

Website

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Linkedin

 

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

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There’s a quiet, accessible kind of wellness waiting for you on a windowsill or in a patch of soil. Growing Joy with Plants explores that very idea, moving beyond basic tips to examine how our relationship with the natural world directly nurtures our mental and emotional health. Hosted by Maria Failla, a self-proclaimed Happy Plant Lady and author of "Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness," this podcast feels like a warm conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Maria guides you through the practicalities of keeping your houseplants alive and thriving, but the discussion always circles back to the deeper connection-how the simple acts of watering, repotting, or simply observing growth can become anchors of calm in a hectic day. Each episode digs into how gardening and engaging with nature, even in small urban spaces, offer tangible tools to manage feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This isn't about achieving a perfect indoor jungle; it's about finding moments of peace and genuine happiness through the process of care. The underlying message throughout the podcast is a powerful and gentle reminder: tending to your plants is fundamentally an act of tending to yourself. You’ll come away with not just better plant care knowledge, but a refreshed perspective on cultivating joy in your daily routine, learning that the serenity you might seek on vacation can be rooted right in your own home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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