10 Houseplant Gifts for Your Indoor Gardener
Houseplant gifts are a thoughtful present for anyone with a green thumb. If someone special you know is looking to grow their collection, here’s a list of indoor plants perfect for gifting any time of year, along with a handful just for the holidays.
Year-Round Houseplant Gifts
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, a housewarming, your office BFF, or simply adding to your loved one’s evergrowing plant collection, these giftable plants are solid picks, no matter the occasion.
1. Aloe Vera
The cooling, gel-like substance inside aloe vera’s thick, fleshy leaves is the primary ingredient in storebought sunburn soothers. This plant not only looks pretty but is widely believed to help heal burns and scrapes. To set your recipient up for success, gift aloe vera in a terra cotta pot with a drainage hole in soil intended for cacti and succulents
2. Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
Look no further than bird’s nest fern for fun, funky foliage. These humidity-loving plants are right at home in a bathroom with a shower and a window. It can be tricky to get the amount of moisture just right, so ensure your recipient has some houseplant experience under their belt.
3. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)
The rounded leaves of Chinese money plant (also referred to as UFO plant or pancake plant) symbolize wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. Whether you gift it to a recent grad, a new homeowner or someone who just landed a big promotion, this easy-care plant is a great way to wish them continued success. Be sure to plant it in well-draining soil in a container with a drainage hole.
4. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Peace lilies are widely regarded as a symbol of—surprise!—peace. They require less light than many houseplants, making them a great option to add color and texture to empty corners or darker rooms. Peace lilies are relatively low maintenance aside from weekly waterings.
5. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Think of the spider plant as “the gift that keeps on giving.” As a spider plant grows, it produces baby plants (also known as pups) the owner can remove, plant in soil and gift again. It looks great in a hanging basket, too.
6. Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
Need a gift for a cubicle mate or a gardening novice? Look no further than the snake plant. This low-light houseplant requires infrequent watering, making it ideal for anyone who wants a pretty plant without the work. Just don’t give it to your mother in law: Its spiky leaves have earned it the nickname “mother-in-law’s tongue.” Consider yourself warned.
7. Sweetheart Hoya (Hoya kerrii)
Hands-down, the award for cutest indoor plant gift goes to sweetheart hoya. This succulent makes the perfect Valentine’s Day plant gift and starts small, but eventually grows into a series of heart-shaped leaves. It does best in bright, indirect light, and the soil should dry out to the touch between waterings.
Holiday Houseplant Gifts
Some giftable indoor plants double as treasured holiday decor. Look no further for the perfect plant to put under the tree.
8. Amaryllis
Amaryllis are usually purchased as bulbs around Thanksgiving. They take several weeks to grow and bloom, revealing large blooms on tall stems around Christmas or shortly after. Growers introduce new varieties in a wide range of colors, patterns and sizes each year, so there’s always a fun new kind to give as a gift to your favorite gardener.
9. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
Christmas cactus is a rainforest-native succulent with relatively high moisture needs. However, that extra H2O is totally worth it when growers are greeted with vibrant red, pink or magenta blooms in midwinter. Christmas cacti are long-lived houseplants that have been known to live 100 years or more. Your gift could become a family heirloom!
10. Poinsettia
When you think of a holiday houseplant gift, chances are you’re picturing a poinsettia. These lush plants feature bracts, or leaves that change color, in classic red as well as shades of pink and white. Their leaves pop against greenery as part of your Christmas decor, and with proper care, poinsettias can last well beyond the holiday season.
