Money in your palm: Sharp shaped vegetation in the surroundings increase the subjective value of houses

• Sharp, relative to round, leaf plants increase perceived value of neighboring houses.
• Sharp, relative to round, leaf plants increase perceived safety of neighboring houses.
• Palms increase the perceived safety and value of a house more than sharp leaf plants.
• These effects occur in participants of different cultures and regions.

Preference for round over sharp shaped objects, is attributed to the potential damage of sharpness. We tested if leaf sharpness of vegetation surrounding a house, affects the evaluation of the house and its owner. We demonstrated that houses surrounded by sharp leaf vegetation (SLV) were evaluated as more expensive than houses surrounded by round leaf vegetation (RLV). Among the SLV surrounded houses, those surrounded only by palms were rated highest while SLV houses were evaluated as safer. In a final experiment, the perceptions of individual leaves differing in shape, were consistent with the protective function of sharp leaves. Our findings are explained by theorizing that SLV confer protective value on neighboring houses. The perceived higher values and safety of houses surrounded by palms is attributed to the association of palms with suitable and stable living environments. Furthermore, preference for palm habitats may have deep roots of human evolution in African savannas.