Glowing plants could replace street lamps in future cities

From glowing mushrooms on forest floors to plankton that light up the sea, nature has long revealed beauty through bioluminescence. These natural spectacles capture human imagination, inspiring ideas of glowing gardens and self-lit cities.

Scientists are now moving closer to that vision, crafting houseplants that radiate their own soft light.

Scientists create glowing plants

In a recent study published in the journal Matter, researchers described glowing succulents that recharge in sunlight and emit colorful afterglows.

By injecting the leaves with special light-storing particles, the plants become capable of radiating light bright enough to rival small night lamps.

“Picture the world of Avatar, where glowing plants light up an entire ecosystem,” said first author Shuting Liu of South China Agricultural University. “We wanted to make that vision possible using materials we already work with in the lab. Imagine glowing trees replacing streetlights.”

Moving past genetic engineering

Earlier attempts at creating luminescent plants relied on genetic engineering. These methods typically produced faint green light and came with challenges: high costs, complex techniques, and risks such as gene drift.

The new approach sidesteps these issues by using inorganic afterglow particles, materials already known for their roles in glowing toys and safety signs. These particles are inexpensive, widely available, and capable of storing light energy efficiently, making them an ideal choice for transforming plants into living light sources.

Unlike genetic methods, which require lengthy cultivation and complex engineering, this strategy allows for quick preparation, reproducibility, and scalability. It opens the door to practical applications in sustainable lighting and everyday decorative uses.

Why micron particles work

The team worked with micron-sized afterglow phosphors. While nanoparticles move more easily through leaves, the larger particles shine with greater brightness.

Traditionally, their size limited plant absorption, but the succulent Echeveria “Mebina” provided the right internal structure to carry them. Its dense but evenly spaced tissue channels enabled rapid diffusion, producing uniform and strong luminescence.

“Smaller, nano-sized particles move easily within the plant but are dimmer,” said Liu. “Larger particles glowed brighter but couldn’t travel far inside the plant.”

Succulents glow better than leafy plants

Unexpectedly, succulents outperformed non-succulents like golden pothos and bok choy. Despite having fewer air pockets than leafy plants, their compact, uniform tissue allowed particles to spread smoothly without clumping.

This created evenly glowing leaves after just minutes of exposure to sunlight or LED light, with brightness lasting for nearly two hours.

“It was really unexpected,” said Liu. “The particles diffused in just seconds, and the entire succulent leaf glowed.”

Stable and safe glow

The particles used were specially coated with phosphate to improve water resistance and ensure biocompatibility inside plant tissues.

Tests showed that plants maintained normal chlorophyll, sugar, and protein levels even after several days, suggesting they can handle the modification without losing vitality.

This stability highlights the protective role of the phosphate layer, ensuring that luminescence persists without harmful side effects.

The results also show that material-engineered plants can retain their natural functions and growth patterns under experimental conditions.

Plants glow in many colors

By mixing different phosphors, researchers created plants that glowed not just green, but also red, blue, and even warm white. The team demonstrated a wall of 56 succulents glowing brightly enough to illuminate books and nearby objects.

Patterns, such as letters or images, could be temporarily written on plant leaves with UV light, hinting at potential uses in decoration and information storage.

“Each plant takes about 10 minutes to prepare and costs a little over 10 yuan (about $1.4), not including labor,” said Liu.

Eco-friendly lighting and architecture

The glow fades over time, but repeated exposure to light recharges it. This low-cost, reproducible method could pave the way for eco-friendly lighting in gardens, pathways, or interior design.

Expanding beyond succulents remains a challenge, but the study shows a path forward. The research offers possibilities for future urban planning, sustainable architecture, and even artistic applications where living plants provide both decoration and functional illumination.

“I just find it incredible that an entirely human-made, micro-scale material can come together so seamlessly with the natural structure of a plant,” said Liu. “The way they integrate is almost magical. It creates a special kind of functionality.”

The study is published in the journal Matter.

Image Credit: Liu et al., Matter

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