While you might think a puppy with a soft belly would be the perfect gift, let’s be realistic and choose something that requires just a little less care, but still makes us feel warm and fuzzy.
Choosing the right indoor plants for the right people can make the best living gifts. While it is not instinctual or expected that you will know what to gift, this houseplant gift guide is sure to give you the confidence you need, and maybe even keep you from sending your BFF a Newfoundland puppy!
Hoya
Let your friend who is always inspiring and motivating know just how much they mean to you by giving them a Hoya. Hoya leaves tumble over tabletops as they climb ever higher. Throughout the year, Hoya adds a burst of color. Green foliage thrives in indirect light, but exposure to more light will bring out pink variegation in the leaves of the Tricolor Hoya. If given just the right lighting, Hoya Hindu Rope grows rope-like vines and blooms delicate flowers. A Hoya requires little care and only needs to be watered when the soil feels dry to the touch.
Flowering Anthurium (Flamingo Flower)
Let’s bring on the holiday colors, well, at least green, red and white, mixed with a little pink, coral and purple! This unusual houseplant flowers all year round and makes a great gift for anyone who likes color without having it overpower the space! Send these Flamingo Flowers to someone who can provide bright light, as most flowering plants prefer bright environments. In darker areas, these plants will last a very long time and will certainly outlast cut flowers!
They do not mind if you forget a few waterings, as long as the soil is dry to the touch. Poinsettias are short-lived. Anthuriums are long-lasting and they don’t take up as much space, so you have plenty of room for holiday decorating!
Snake Plants (Sansevieria)
Give someone a Snake Plant if you want to make an impression, but not a declaration of love. Plants like these do not require frequent watering and can tolerate a wide range of light levels, making them perfect gifts. Sansevieria is similar to a living sculpture. Black Corals grow tall and narrow, making them excellent centerpieces for your tables. Birds Nest species are compact and look like little green flowers. The perfect solution for a bathroom or side table in an office.
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
ZZ plants are impressive and make a wonderful gift for someone who is forgetful or worried about taking care of plants. There is a waxy look to the broad dark green leaves, ensuring every side is good. Plants that have these leaves are some of the easiest to take care of. Water is stored in these drought-tolerant plants’ large leaves, so even if your loved one forgets to water them, they will still thrive.
It is important to have indirect light, however, ZZ houseplants can tolerate low to bright indirect light. Plants grown in ZZ will be perfectly at home in their pots for a long time to come as they are slow growers.
Dracaena
There is drama in Dracaena, but it is good drama. The stately and statuesque Dracaena comes in many forms and every single one of them is easy to care for, yet does not compromise on style.
This Janet Craig Compacta has lush foliage that rises to a point creating a bouquet of broad, flat leaves. With its tree-like appearance and variegated leaves, Dracaena Moonlight is an ideal houseplant for a shelf, window sill, or anywhere that lacks space. A unique feature of the Dracaena Kiwi Tips are its slender leaves with green, chartreuse, and red pinstripes. It is best to place a Dracaena in an area that has moderate to bright indirect light as well as a need for style.
Palms
It is very easy to maintain palms, which makes them an ideal accent for any home of office. With wispy leaves that curl around its trunk, the Ponytail Palm is a darling plant. The thin leaves of the Parlor Palm are spread apart on the branch, but the sheer number of branches creates a very full and robust bouquet of greenery.
The key to growing a healthy palm is to interfere as little as possible. This is made easy by the Sago Palm’s prickly exterior which definitely has a warm weather vibe. Sago Palm makes up for its lack of congeniality with its style. The adaptations of palms make them very adaptable to indirect light of medium intensity.
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Looking at the glossy and brightly colored leaves of the Aglaonema or Chinese Evergreen makes it easy to be festive well into the New Year. They add varying shades of green, silver, and white, as well as mottled pinks and reds to your loved one’s home to add vibrant pops of color. According to the species, patterned leaves range in size and shape from thin and narrow to elliptical and even broad and wide.
It’s not just a pretty plant, the Chinese Evergreen is an extremely low-maintenance plant. Plants that do well in low light environments are those that are adaptable. The Chinese Evergreen can even handle fluorescent lighting and other types of interior lighting, making them an excellent choice for adorning tabletops and corners where there is not much natural light.
Pothos
The graceful pothos has heart-shaped leaves that convey your feelings without burdening your gift recipient with a lot of plant care or maintenance. If the soil becomes completely dry between waterings, the Pothos loves low-light conditions.
A pothos should be placed on a high shelf so that the vines can drape and create a green curtain. Pruning regularly can keep the leaves dense, but skip the pruning if you want the vines to reach and explore. Your bestie’s favorite pothos color can add some color to a home or office. The Pothos Silver Satin has green leaves with large silvery sections, whereas the Marble Queen has white and green variegation, while the Pothos Golden has yellowy streaks running through it. With the Jade Pothos, you can go full green.
It’s Easy to Give Gifts
A thoughtful gift can be an indoor plant. You can add style, character, and lush greenery to any space with houseplants. It can help establish the look and feel of a room when you choose the right plant. Also, plants require significantly less care than, say, a puppy.