International Plant Appreciation Day Date in the current year: April 13, 2024

Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that make up the kingdom Plantae. There are about 380,000 known plant species on the planet. Most plants use photosynthesis to convert the energy of sunlight into chemical energy they need to survive. The by-product of photosynthesis is oxygen, which makes plants crucial to maintaining the normal level of oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere. In other words, without plants, we wouldn’t be able to survive.

The ability of plants to photosynthesize and produce oxygen isn’t the only reason they are so important. Humanity has long depended on plants for food, and the development of agriculture changed the way humans lived and played a key role in the history of many civilizations. The major staple plants include cereals, starchy tubers and roots, legumes, oil crops, fruit and vegetables.

Non-food crops, also known as industrial crops, are the source of a wide range of products: wood, fibers, paper and cardboard, natural dyes and pigments, essential oils, resins, waxes, tannins, cork, amber, latex, and more. Fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil) were formed from dead organic matter, including plants; plants are also the source of renewable fuels such as biodiesel, firewood, and peat.

Certain plants, commonly referred to as medicinal plants, have been used in traditional medicine for millennia, and many modern medicines are formulated with substances that were originally derived from plants. They include, for example, aspirin, morphine, and quinine. Plants are also used as model organisms in biological research. Finally, thousands of plant species are cultivated as ornamental plants to provide shade and privacy, protect from wind and noise, reduce soil erosion, and for decorative purposes.

The origins of International Plant Appreciation Day are unclear, but there is no doubt that plants deserve to be celebrated. There are many ways to observe International Plant Appreciation Day; here are just a few ideas for you to choose from:

• Learn more about different plants, their benefits and uses.
• Buy a houseplant to liven up your home or office.
• Gift someone a potted plant to cheer them up (but only if you’re sure they will appreciate the gift and take good care of it).
• Plant some flowers in your front yard or back yard.
• Start an herb or vegetable garden (you can grow herbs and some vegetables indoors on your windowsill, so you can do it even if you live in an apartment).
• Learn a new vegetarian or vegan recipe and cook it for your family or friends.
• Walk through your neighborhood or take a hike and try to name all the plants you encounter. If you don’t know a plant, you can use a plant identifier app.
• Play Plants vs. Zombies (the game may be old, but it’s still amazing).

And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #InternationalPlantAppreciationDay and #PlantAppreciationDay.