How fabulous would you feel if you gave a gift that represented so much more than just material things? Or a gift that brought them peace and happiness? While at the same time wishing them plenty of luck on their journey in life?
Well, consider plants to gift!
And the BEST part of gifting plants is that the receiver will always be reminded of you every time they look at their plant. Isn’t it great knowing that someone is always thinking of you?!
I would feel pretty darn fabulous if my gift could do that for somebody!
If I had known how much love and happiness there was in gifting plants, I would have started this a long time ago. My only struggle is deciding which plants to give and to whom. But that’s a minor issue that’s easily resolved.
Why Plants Make the Best Gift?
Did you know that there is so much more to a plant than meets the eye?
Believe it or not, plants are known to make the world a better place. Whether it be outdoors or indoors, plants tend to make us appreciate life a little more than yesterday.
I find it a lot easier to develop a green thumb with indoor plants than outdoor plants. If you have never been a plant mom before, you’ll discover that planting isn’t so bad once your first plant made it through the one month mark. And that’s enough confidence for you to want to slowly build up your plant collection. Trust me, you will!
I personally believe that plants are a better gift than a bouquet of flowers. Yes, I do agree that flowers are a prettier and easier gift to give, I mean, let’s face it, how else would you hold a dozen roses in one hand versus trying to hold one pot with one hand, let alone trying to take a cute selfie with it without dropping it.
But the real question is, would you rather watch a flower fall slowly to its death in your living room table or watch a plant thrive on a daily basis? Flowers tend to die out a lot quicker than plants. Even if neglected, plants will take a few weeks or even months to die, while flowers take less than 2 weeks to start wilting.
Another reason why plants are better than flowers (in my opinion) is that plants can teach you a lot of life lessons.
- You will need to put in the time and work in order for your plant to thrive.
- Paying attention to your plant and what it needs will help you be more aware of others in your life.
- You don’t need to over-deliver to see progress. Just give it what it needs and you’ll be impressed.
- Even though you may neglect your plant, your plant will forgive you (depending on the plant) over and over when you’re ready to fix the problem (ex. forgetting to water).
- And lastly, my favorite life lesson from plants is that just because life is so simple, there’s no need to overcomplicate things. If your plant wants more sunlight, provide it more sunlight by moving it to another location and it will do its thing. These little differences will make a huge impact on your plant’s lives.
Plants will last as long as you provide proper care for it. And don’t worry, most of the time, plants will require very little care. It’s mostly about placing it in a spot where it will receive enough sunlight and watering the soil when it’s dry.
And you’ll love watching your plant grow as the day goes by as well. That feeling I got when my orchid plant started blossoming was the same feeling as when I passed my board exam! What took 6 years to feel that way, took only a couple of months with my orchid AND with less effort.
In a unique and interesting way, plants are also very therapeutic. They can teach us a lot about ourselves as well as make us realize what else we could improve in our lives. So help others out by choosing a plant to gift to them for their birthdays, holidays, or just because.
Related: 36 Best Indoor Plants for First Time Plant Parents
What’s the best plant to gift?
1. Orchids (Orchidaceae )
An Orchid’s simplicity and elegance are enough to want to gift it to someone you know who is super laid back but yet knows how to keep it classy. A unique quality you may find amongst your best friends or loved ones.
An Orchid’s bloom also tends to last longer than most plants (several weeks) and it’s also a great feature that will not only compliment the living space of the gifted but will also remind them of you every time they admire their beautiful blooms and foliage of this plant. And isn’t that something we want?
This plant will retain its beauty and growth indoor even after blooming ends. It’s a much-needed reminder that life will still continue even after our downfall.
Care Instructions: Orchids are quite simple to care for. All you have to do is position them where there are enough bright lighting and good air circulation. And you will only have to water them once the top inch of the soil is dry.
2. Succulents
Succulents are the best options to gift young gardeners or friends that have a neverending schedule due to their hard to kill nature and low maintenance quality. They are also a great first plant for kids just learning the ropes of gardening.
Succulents come in various sizes, shapes, and styles that would suit anyone’s needs and wants. There are succulents that will grow from a hanging basket, ones that grow like bunny ears, ones that grow spikes, and ones that will even grow flowers! Giving it another reason as to why succulents are amazing plants.
My all-time favorite thing about succulents, especially Echeveria succulents, is that there are so many cute planter options for it! I will literally stock up on succulents just to place in my planters. They’re way too cute to be empty!
Care Instructions: Succulents plants are adapted to withstand extreme conditions with less water. That said, you should water moderately and avoid overwatering.
Allowing the soil to dry a bit on top in between watering will be best for succulents because of their ability to store water in their tissue. This causes them to lose water slowly. Even though they love being placed in an area with plenty of bright lighting, they will thrive just as much in shade.
3. Rattlesnake plant (Calathea Lancifolia)
If you are looking for something a bit different or unique to surprise someone with, then the Rattlesnake plant is the one to gift them with. Even though their name can be quite intimidating, their looks and charm make up for it.
With their wavy leaf patterns and beautiful watercolor markings, it can be very hard to ignore when used as a centerpiece. You will NOT be disappointed with the way a Rattlesnake can complement any open space.
Care Instructions: Position your rattlesnake plant in a spot with plenty of bright light but away from direct sunlight. This plant thrives well in a room with at least 60oF (15oC) and you should water it regularly to maintain the soil’s moist level.
4. Amaryllis Flower (Hippeastrum)
The Amaryllis plant is quite popular during Christmastime and is closely associated with this holiday. That said, it’s an amazing gift for the winter holiday if you want to lighten up someone’s Christmas spirit and warm their home with the striking appeal of this plant’s bloom.
The MOST amazing part of the Amaryllis plant is that their blooms can last anywhere between 7 to 10 weeks long, which is more than enough time to appreciate Amaryllis’s beauty before it retreats to dormancy until the next winter. Additionally, this plant comes in a different variety of colors, some of which include the Pink, Orange, Salmon, and Red shade.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Taking care of Amaryllis is super simple and can be done by anyone. All you have to do is position it in a place with sufficient lighting and maintain a moist soil through watering. After some time, you can apply an appropriate amount of home garden fertilizer to nourish the plant.
5. Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana)
Nope, this plant is not the typical bamboo in any way, shape, or form. This plant is traditionally known as a signature of strength to the Chinese culture. It’s also highly known to bring good fortune to whoever owns it.
Thus it’s a great gift to wish a loved one or friend good luck in whatever they are pursuing. But did you know that the number of stalks in this plant portrays different meanings? Let’s have a look at some that are quite handy when gifting someone:
- Express love and double the luck by gifting two stalk lucky bamboo
- Portray wealth, long life, happiness lucks with three stalks
- Wish someone good health with five stalks in the following areas: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and intuitive.
- Six stalks stand for the advantage and prosperity to attain great wealth.
- And if you simply want to wish someone good health, then consider seven stalks
- With eight stalks, it expresses growth or improves fertility
- When wishing someone great luck, then send them nine stalks
- Ten stalks are for wishing someone good luck in achieving their lives desires.
- And to bestow powerful blessing in general to someone especially enduring health and great wealth, then send them twenty one-stalks.
Lastly, never gift someone four stalks. It’s a wish for bad luck and tends to attract negative energy. According to the Chinese language, the number four stands for death. Therefore, gifting someone this plant is very rude and is seen as an interpretation of death-wish. So pick any of the combinations above for positivity and good wishes except for the four stalks.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Lucky bamboo plant does extremely well in an organic-rich and well-drained soil. Ensure the soil remains moist at all times. Feed the plants at least once a month. Lastly, place this plant in a place that can provide moderate indirect lighting.
6. Lavender Plant (Lavandula)
To keep it simple, what’s not to like about this plant? Lavender is one of those easy to love plants is makes an amazing gift if you’re ever unsure about which plants to gift.
This plant is popular for it’s beautiful and appealing blooms, medicinal properties, and their charming fragrance it comes with. So choose the smaller varieties of the
Lavender plant as they develop into a spectacular bush and are a perfect fit for tabletops.
Care: Lavender does well in a spot with at least eight hours of full sunlight a day. Ensure you water it sparingly but also allow the soil to dry first before watering. This plant loves the heat or warmth; therefore ensure it’s not exposed to chills during winter.
7. Cyclamen Plant (Cyclamen Persicum)
Cyclamen stands out as the most beautiful exotic looking plant to gift someone with. It comes with a striking colored bloom with an exquisite and charming heart-shaped patterned leaves that makes it quite adorable for a perfect plant gift to someone close to you. Choose an exquisite pot to place Cyclamens in or choose a simple pot and allow the color of the plant to be the centerpiece of the room.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: if you want to maintain their beautiful blooms and great patterned leaves of Cyclamen, specific care has to be addressed. This means positioning it in a spot with plenty of bright light but away from direct sunlight.
Also, you have to ensure that its environment will be neither too cold (below 40oF or 4oC) nor too hot (above 68oF or 20oC). Remember that it’s sensitive to being over-watered and under-watered, so ensure you water it sufficiently enough to keep the soil moist.
8. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
While Poinsettia, Christmas tree, and Cyclamen stand out as the best holiday gift, Schlumbergera (Christmas cactus) is another perfect gift that’s perfect for that special friend or gardener during the holidays.
When they are in full bloom, they are a delightful and striking sight to see wherever you place them. Also, they are extremely easy to care for and will look amazing when placed in any corners, tabletop, or even window sill. I really love that Schlumbergera comes in different flower varieties and colors. It makes my life so much easier when it comes to decorating my home because it blends so well with my other indoor decorations.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Schlumbergera is adaptive to low light but does extremely well in bright light. Ensure the soil is organic-rich and well-drained. And considering it’s not a true cactus, tolerance to drought is quite minimal but it has good water storage ability since it’s succulent. Therefore, water sparingly depending on the environmental conditions. During summer, keep the soil moist but during autumn and winter, water your plant just enough to keep it from drying up.
9. Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Poinsettia is typically linked to Christmas, thus making it a great beauty to gift to someone during that time of the year. With its red leaves at the top with yellow flowers at the center and green foliage at the bottom, it’s a striking plant that anyone would appreciate and adore even from a mile away.
But that doesn’t mean it’s only a relevant gift for Christmas, you can gift someone this Poinsettia any time during the year considering their beauty never changes. It’s also the PERFECT choice to commend on someone’s beauty or personality. My mom loves receiving Poinsettia plants every Christmas. She says the plant gives her home a jolly Christmas-y vibe.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Poinsettias are mostly the hardy type of plants, which means they are super forgiving if you happen to neglect it. But when choosing a location for your Poinsettia plant, make sure that they will be able to receive sufficient sunlight and good aeration. Also, it’s good to note that these plants can be affected by fungal growth in humid conditions, so ensure they receive good air circulation and avoid overwatering.
10. Florist Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Florist kalanchoe is the perfect plant gift that fits any occasion. So whether you want to gift your boss, colleagues, friends, or families, it will hardly disappoint you. It’s an ideal gift if you want to have a fun colorful vibe within your home or office.
Florist Kalanchoe is a unique plant because first off, its a type of succulent. And secondly, it starts off as a small bush-like plant that will eventually develop into beautiful blooming colorful flowers that last for a while. I once gifted this plant to my boss and its been in her office ever since.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: To maintain the vibrancy of Kalanchoe, ensure you place it in a spot with sufficient bright lights. The environment should be warm 55oF-84oF (13oC-29oC) and the planting medium should be well-drained, nutrient-rich, and moist. Since it’s a succulent plant, it does store water in its tissues and tends to perform poorly in wet soil. Therefore water only when the topsoil is dry.
11. Shield Ferns (Dryopteris Carthusiana)
If you have that type of friend who loves to keep things super simple but yet elegant, then consider Shield ferns. They are quite simple with vibrant rippled foliages but has a growth pattern that’s visually appealing and will liven up any place when using them as decor.
This plant is a fantastic option for dog and cat owners because it is non-toxic.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Under favorable conditions, Shield ferns are a great gift that keeps on delivering. That said, ensure it receives indirect sunlight and remember to water it regularly. This plant is quite unforgiving if left un-watered. So check the soil often. If the top inch soil feels dry, ensure you water it sufficiently.
12. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Peace Lily is a plant that’s more than meets the eye. They’re so elegant but yet so simple. They are known to represent hope, peace, rebirth, and tranquility. With their dark green foliage leaves and white flowers peeking out, people have said that this plant looks like a truce flag. This is the
Peace Lily is typically given as gifts to express sympathy. They make for great gifts to someone who passed away. Its a way of showing your support while offering sympathy to them. Something about the plant will help them appreciate you a little more during their time of need when Peace Lily is given as a gift.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Peace Lily loves being placed in an area with bright lighting, but not directly in the sun. It can survive in a shaded area as well but will have much more rapid growth with plenty of bright light. You will only need to water this plant when the first inch of the soil is dry. They love being in moist soil, but be careful not to confuse it with sitting water.
Bambusoideae does extremely well with sufficient water and, ensure it has a couple of inches of water at all time. Also, use less soil as these plants perform well in just water, and when you over soil or fertilize, you might harm it. So do be careful with overfertilizing the plant. Lastly, position it where there is a bright light.
13. Calathea Medallion (Calathea Roseopicta)
The name might be quite aggressive but it’s because of the foliage tri-pattern color that it has. It’s similar to the skin of reptiles. This plant is quite appealing in terms of looks. But in terms of behavior, it is quite fascinating and very different from the ordinary.
They close their leaves at night and will open them again in the morning when light is present. If you get close enough, you can hear their leaves rustling. And it’s no wonder they are sometimes referred to as “Prayer Plants”.
I gifted this plant to a friend once who was going through a breakup and it helped her cope with the aftermath so well. This plant taught her to look at the brighter side of life. And that even though you went through a downfall, things will open up again when the time comes. Just like how the plant closes at night and opens up again in the morning, it shows that mornings are a fresh start to your day, so make it worthy.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Calathea Medallion is one of those super easy to care for and maintain type of plant. They do well in bright to moderate light, a perfect choice for adding a hint of greenery to your home decor.
To help make it more convincing that it’s an amazing plant to gift, just know that it only needs to be watered at least once a week, a perfect choice if you spend most of your time away from home. And it’s non-toxic, another perfect reason to gift this plant to cat and dog owners.
14. Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium Nidus)
Bird’s Nest Fern is a unique plant with a stylish display that’s similar to the Shield ferns plant. It has a large, wavy, and glossy leaves that arise from the center while spreading in different directions creating a graceful feeling in your living space.
Thus, it’s a great plant to gift to plant lovers who have plenty of space to spare for this plant when it fully expands its leaves.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Place this plant in a place with bright light and sufficient moisture. The growing medium should be nutrient-rich and moist all the time. Thus, water your Bird’s Nest Fern every time the top of the soil dries up to prevent your plant from wilting. Lastly, you should not water at the center of this plant as it holds water and tends to encourage root rotting.
15. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomiodes)
Also known as the Chinese Money Plant, Pilea Peperomiodes has a spectacular structure that’s quite intriguing. Originating from China, it is characterized by coin-shaped foliages that are spread around the center with long stalks creating an interesting structure.
And apart from aesthetics, it is a great gift if you want to wish someone good fortune and luck in whatever they are doing or intend to do. I love gifting this plant to anyone who is starting a new journey in their career. It gives them hope and courage that their career will soar just as their plant thrives.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Pilea Peperomiodes belongs to the succulent group, therefore, shade it from direct sunlight. Even though this plant brings plenty of luck, it may require a bit more work than the others. You would have to rotate your plant at least thrice a week so that each part receives sufficient light.
Rotating your plant will also help your plant grow evenly rather than one of the stalks growing longer than the other because it’s trying to tell you that it wants more light. And when watering, ensure the top of the soil dries up first by confirming it with the knuckle test. Also, if you notice its leaves are looking a little droopy, then it’s an indication of dry soil.
16. Air Plants
Known as Tillandsia, this plant can make an extraordinary gift as it source most of its nourishment from the atmosphere. And due to their ability to thrive in the absence of soil, they symbolize freedom and a perfect gift for someone who loves to travel a lot.
Because they don’t require a medium, the possibilities to decorate with air plants are endless.
Structurally, they are small and fuzzy. And their roots are for clinging purposes only. They will not grow in soil or water. Air plants absorb their nutrients through leaves and thus will require an environment that has humidity.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Within the house, the air can get pretty dry, providing little to no humidity. Therefore, you need to soak this plant in lukewarm water for about 10 to 20 minutes once every 1-2 weeks. Tap water will work but rainwater will be your best option. And then allow it to air dry for about 3 hours or longer. When it comes to feeding, soak them in water with mild fertilizer once a month. Be careful not to overfeed the plants with fertilizer, we wouldn’t want to burn the plants.
17. Snake Plant
Traditionally, it was kept as a household plant in China since the eight gods bestowed grant their virtues to whoever has it. Structurally, the Snake plant (Mother-in-law’s tongue) is hardy and quite tough to kill.
It’s a great option for those who spend most of their time away from home but love to keep plants. It also works as a great air purifier that will clean the air and absorb harmful toxins like carbon monoxide and benzene among others. Snake plants are best to place in the bedroom because it will produce oxygen at night.
This is my go-to plant to gift when I can’t decide which plants to gift and to whom to gift.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Place Snake plant away from direct sunlight, water only when the top inch of the soil feels dry by using the knuckle test. But do try to avoid watering the leaves as it can encourage root rotting when they are wet. Lastly, apply fertilizer only during the growing season.
18. Hoya Plant
Hoya plants are a favorite for those who love creeping plants. They love being able to get their vines on anything they can touch. Hoyas are one of those plants that will spark your creative side. The options to use Hoyas to decorate are endless!
Hoyas will look beautiful cascading down when grown on hanging pots. They will also look just as beautiful climbing on walls, or leaving a trail on a book case. Hoyas are the perfect plants to gift to anyone who wants a natural, wild, outdoorsy vibe in their home without having to bring the entire tropical forest inside.
I love gifting this plant to anyone who tends to change up their home interiors often.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Hoya plants are relatively simple to care for. All you have to do is ensure it’s grown in an organic-rich soil that drains well. You can maintain it in the same pot for several years since they perform well, especially since they love being root-bound. Ensure you keep the soil moist as well as placing it in a room with plenty of sunlight.
19. Oyster Plant
The delightful Oyster plant is quite popular for its simple yet bold look. And this is made possible by their unique foliages thats laced with variegation. That said, it features triple colors (White, pink, purple, and green) that are stroked on the leaf top while it’s fully purple on the bottom. Therefore, gift this plant to someone who is simple person yet has a bold personality.
This plant is always a conversation starter when used as a centerpiece. I typically would gift this plant to anyone who needs “something” to complete their decor arrangements.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Oyster plants do well in well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. And since it’s tolerant to drought, ensure you water the plant at least once a week and avoid overwatering as it promotes root rotting. Remember to position this plant in a place with plenty of bright lighting but not direct sunlight because sun rays can harm the plant.
20. Heartleaf Philodendron
Heartleaf Philodendron is an amazing plant to gift to an enthusiast who loves to bring an outdoorsy vibe indoors.
And this is because this plant loves to creep on surfaces, and when left without control, they can dominate your living space with time.
But because of their plant structure, you can either have this plant in the cascading form from a hanging pot, compact form when pruned or allow it to creep on anything with a path. Whichever the form you choose, the heart-shaped leaves that are evergreen and glossy, is perfect for anyone wanting to create a striking appeal in their living space.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: This plant thrives well in bright spots that use indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight rays will cause harm to the leaves, so do be careful when choosing a spot for it. The soil should be nutrient-rich with good drainage. Also, ensure you water this plant regularly but avoid overwatering. That said; ensure the soil dries up before watering next. You can confirm this by using the knuckle test.
21. Flamingo Flower (Anthurium)
Flamingo Flower is not just for anybody. Its boldness and beauty demand attention wherever its placed. I love this plant for its bright colors! It comes in red, pink, and white. This plant will require a little more attention than most but once it blooms, it will last a while. Use Anthuriums as a centerpiece and you will not be disappointed. Sometimes, I spend a good chunk of my day just staring at this plant’s beauty.
Gifting a red Flaming Flower will encourage love and peace, a pink one to express one’s love and compassion, and a white one to represent purity and innocence.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Anthuriums need plenty of bright indirect sunlight. They love a medium to high level of humidity so watering them often is needed. This plant does bloom often, so pruning them will be necessary, especially cutting up old leaves. This will help them bloom again and again.
Conclusion for Best Plants to Gift
It’s never easy to find a perfect gift that not only surprises someone but that will also excite and stays with them for a long period of time. Except for plants! Plants make an ideal gift for others but are underrated.
So the next time you want to give a gift that has more meaning to it or just or just want others to remember you often, think about which plants you can gift instead. It may be an odd gift at first, but they’ll slowly learn to appreciate the gift as well as be forever thankful that you introduce them to the fascinating world of houseplants!