To provide a plant cultivating apparatus and a plant cultivating method which are used for a light source, a plant factory, a vegetable factory, a nursery apparatus and the like, as an LED lighting device.SOLUTION: This plant comprises a cultivating rack 3 having a placing portion 4 for placing a cultivating tank 2 planted with plants and an LED illuminating device 5 arranged on the cultivating rack with a space above the placing portion 4, A plant cultivating method of growing plants by the LED lighting device 5 includes a step of irradiating light from the LED lighting device of the LED lighting device 5 toward the plant and a step of irradiating the light from the LED lighting device with a reflecting plate 12 , And irradiating the plant with the light.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION【課題】LED照明装置を光源として使用し、かつ植物工場、野菜工場、育苗装置などで用いられる植物栽培装置および植物栽培方法を提供する。【解決手段】植物が植えられた栽培槽2を載せる載置部4を有する栽培ラック3と、載置部4の上方に間隔をおいて栽培ラックに配置されたLED照明装置5とを備え、LED照明装置5により植物を生長させる植物栽培方法は、LED照明装置5のLED灯具から光を植物に向けて照射する工程と、LED灯具からの光を少なくとも1つの側面に設置された反射板12で拡散反射させて植物に照射する工程とを含んでいる。【選択図】図1