The Physiological And Psychological Influences Of Landscape Plant Colors On Human

Landscape plant is one of the important elements in urban habitant environment. Plant color has important impacts on human. However, there is no systematic explanation for the specific influences of plant colors on human. In order to scientifically evaluate the influences of landscape plant colors and plantscape colors on human physiological and psychological responses, and provide theoretical basis for indoor and outdoor landscape plants color application, this research took biofeedback measurement and psychology test to survey and analysis the effects of different colors of plant/plantscape, including the same species but different colors cut flowers, the same colors but different species cut flowers, foliage plants, and different colors of group plantscape and autumn-leaf plantscape to college students'psycho-physiological responses. Questionnaire was used to study teachers, office workers, patients, medical workers and elderly people's emotion reactions to different colors of cut flower, bouquet, foliage plant, arbor crown, vertical greening, plant group landscape and autumn-leaf plantscape. Based on the results, plant/plantscape color design principles for campus green space, office environment, hospital indoor environment and outdoor garden, and elderly people activity space were proposed.The main research results are listed as follows:(1) After receiving visual stimuli of plant and plantscape with different colors, the participants showed positive physiological responses, including decreased systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, fingertip pulse, increased a wave and reducedβwave. The physiological changes pre- and post- color stimuli in test groups were more significant than those in the control group. Different colors of plant/plantscape were also beneficial to participants' psychological reactions, such as decreased anxiety, irritability and fatigue level, and increased vigor level. However, visual stimuli of the control group led to the increased anxiety, irritability and fatigue level, and decreased vigor level of participants.(2) Analysis of variance results indicated that flower color is the main factor that led to the psycho-physiological changes, while different species had no significant influences on participants'physiological and psychological responses. Compared with red and yellow flowers, pink, white and blue flowers were more effective in relaxing body and reducing anxiety, irritability and fatigue level. In the foliage plant groups, Hedera nepalensis var. sinensis and Schefflera octophylla could more effectively help people to relax body and alleviate anxiety, anger and fatigue degree, compared to Scindapsus aureun, Coleus blumei and Dicffenbachia picta. In the plantscape groups, participants displayed more positive physiological reactions and had lower levels of negative feelings, including anxiety, irritability and fatigue in green and purple plantscape groups than in red, yellow, white and mixed-color groups. In the autumn-leaf plantscape groups, compared with red and red-yellow plantscapes, yellow autumn-leaf plantscape showed the more obvious effects in body relaxation and negative emotion alleviation.(3) The results of "plant/plantscape color emotion questionnaire" indicated that red had the most effect to evoke respondents'happy and excited feelings, while red also made a part of employees feel nervous. Pink evoked most respondents'feelings of happy and calm, however, more than 40% employees felt sad after viewing pink plan/plantscape pictures. Orange and yellow could bring most respondents happy and calm emotions, but some respondent showed nervous in reacting to orange and yellow plan/plantscape. Green was the most peaceful color; green vine, ground cover and plantscape made most respondents feel calm and happy, however, a part of employees showed sad to green vine, ground cover and plantscape. White made most respondents feel sad or calm. Mixed-color plantscape evoked the majority of respondents'excited and happy feelings.(4) Based on the research results, the following color application principles of landscape plant and plantscape were put forward. Red can be applied in campus environment and the elderly activity area, but is not suggested to be used in the office and hospital environment. Pink is recommended in campus, hospital and the elderly activity area to create delightful atmosphere, while pink should not be used too much in the office environment. It is suggested to use orange and yellow to evoke different populations'positive emotions. Green can be used broadly in different environments to help people relieve stress. White can be applied in office environment to help employees relieve pressure, however, it is not be suggested to be used in the ward and the elderly activity area. Mixed-color can be used to help the elderly improve depression, but it should avoid using white plants in wards and hospital garden.