A lovely houseplant is truly the gift that keeps on giving. For those who want to give an eco-conscious gift this year, consider giving a houseplant (that won’t stress out your loved one!).
There are many plant varieties that are both easy to care for and more uncommon than the typical plants you can find at your local hardware store. Snake plants, golden pothos, and spider plants are popular plants that require little maintenance, but your loved one may already have these!
For easy-care plants, you want to look for a plant that doesn’t need abundant sunlight. It’s nice to give your loved one options for where they can put it in their home (not all of us have access to south-facing windows!).
Try some of these giftable plants that are both unique and require medium to low light.
Giftable Plants (Pet-Friendly)
Calatheas
Calatheas are probably my favorite plant genus and there are such beautiful varieties to choose from! Calatheas can tolerate lower-light levels and hold these stunning leaves that leave you in awe of the nature’s design. They do like to be misted with water since they are tropical plants that thrive in humid environments. I typically mist mine 2-3 times a week or whenever I can remember!
Calathea Mediallion and Rattlesnake are two of my favorites. Those pictured are actually my very own plant babies! Aren’t those leaf patterns incredible? And we thought humans were the creative ones…
Calathea Medallion
Calathea Rattlesnake
Maranta
I love my red maranta plant (pictured below). It does well in medium light and exhibits these gorgeous sprawling leaves that can make them great for hanging or propping up.
Giftable Plants (Toxic to Pets)
If your recipient has children or pets that like to chomp on plants, avoid giving them these ones as they can be toxic. Otherwise, they make great giftable plants!
ZZ Plants
ZZ plants grow well even in low levels of light and are especially drought tolerant. For the neglectful waterer, this plant would make a great choice.
Aglaonemas “Chinese Evergreens”
Aglaonemas come in so many beautiful varieties. There’s the Sparkling Sarah (mine pictured below) which exudes this beautiful soft pink color. I also have a Silver Bay and a Cutlass Aglaonema which I adore for their 50 shades of green. Depending on the variety you choose, they can do well in medium to low light.
Propagation
For a truly eco-conscious gift, look no further than your own plant collection! Propagate your own plants through leaf cuttings or root division and gift your new “plant babies.” Propagation not only saves you money, but also emissions from transportation and manufacturing of the plant itself. It also promotes plant growth and health. A win-win-win!
Also by Lindsay: How Caring For Indoor Plants Kept Me Grounded In The Pandemonium Of 2020
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Photo: Leonie Christine on Unsplash; Lindsay Brave; Nicolas Solerieu on Unsplash; Lindsay Brave
