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Did your friend just move into a new home? Or do you wish to give something great to a well-deserving teacher before the holidays? Whether you are an expert gardener or simply an enthusiastic beginner learning about plants, gifting a plant is always a good idea especially if you know what plant to choose.
There are some amazing plants that make excellent holiday gifts, so it is important to browse through what options are available before you choose your gift plant. A little bit of insight into potted plants such as their growth requirements might be helpful before you choose which plant would be the best for that special person.
Here we have collected 10 potted plants that make long-lasting holiday gifts. We have also included information on their growing condition and prominent features, to make it easier for you to pick the right one.
So, let’s start!
Corn Plant
One of the best plants to gift someone living in an apartment, or a place lacking sunlight is a corn plant. By tolerating a lack of sunlight and disturbed watering schedules, this plant slowly grows to a height of around 4-6 feet.
The leaves of corn plant indicate the amount of sunlight it receives, they become dark green when placed in shady places to absorb the maximum sunlight. When the plant receives excessive sunlight, its leaves turn pale and discolored.
How to care for Corn plants:
- Water: Grows well in moist soil, but is not soggy
- Light: medium to lower filtered, indirect sunlight
- Soil: Well-drained, rich potting mix
- Pet concerns: Poisonous to both cats and dogs
Christmas Cactus
This succulent plant needs bright, indirect light and blooms showy flowers during winter. Even though it grows well in even an average potting soil or cacti mix, it needs a steady watering schedule, unlike the established facts about other cactus varieties. You should water it regularly during its flowering season, in late fall and winter. You can enable this plant to grow freely and display its beauty in a hanging container.
How to care for Christmas Cactus:
- Water: water regularly, especially in the blooming season, but give it some time in between watering to allow the soil to dry out a bit
- Light: bright, but indirect sunlight
- Soil: well-drained cactus potting mix
- Pet concerns: non-poisonous for both cats and dogs
Jade Plant
The Jade plant grows well even if watered occasionally and put in a bright window and its woody stem is like a tree trunk when the plant is mature. You could give this to someone who is fond of smaller cacti and succulents and can prune the plant from time to time. Pruning makes the plant grow vertically by reducing the weight of its foliage and revealing its unique trunk, otherwise fleshy leaves completely conceal it.
How to care for the Jade plant:
- Water: water regularly, but let the soil dry completely before the next watering
- Light: bright, but indirect sunlight
- Soil: some sand added to the usual potting mix
- Pet concerns: poisonous for both cats and dogs
Resurrection Plant
Being native to the Mexican desert, the resurrection plant can survive extreme drought conditions. It can stay in a lifeless state for many years by curling into a ball. This ball gets carried away with the wind to a place that offers it water. And then it can uncurl itself and come back to life within hours. You just need to put it into a bowl of water to see it transform back from a barren spherical form into a lively green moss.
How to care for the Resurrection plant:
- Water: can survive without water, rehydrates in a bowl of water
- Light: partial or full sun
- Soil: no need for soil
- Pet concerns: nonpoisonous for both cats and dogs
Paperwhite
Some people become fed up with houseplants in a short while and don’t keep them for long. If you have any such friends, then paperwhite is a great gift for them. They bloom flowers from bulbs, quite similar to the daffodil, and bloom totally out of season.
You can easily replant this in a yard when you no longer need a houseplant, just keep the roots quite damp. During the time of blooming, it stays well even without much care and maintenance.
How to care for Paperwhite:
- Water: regular watering ensures a long lifespan
- Light: grows well in bright, filtered sunlight
- Soil: can thrive in a shallow bed of pebbles or a regular potting mix
- Pet concerns: poisonous for both cats and dogs
Moth Orchid
People believe that orchids require a great deal of care and maintenance for their growth. But commercial varieties of orchids, such as moth orchids, can survive in tough conditions, needing moderate maintenance.
The most important thing to grow an orchid well is the temperature and climate, it needs partial, indirect sunlight, and moist temperate climatic conditions. You can provoke an orchid’s reblooming by decreasing the light and temperature. During fall, you can even put them outside for the night to make them rebloom.
How to care for the Moth Orchid:
- Water: when soil becomes dry, water it thoroughly
- Light: bright, filtered sunlight
- Soil: a potting mix specific for the orchids
- Pet concerns: non-poisonous for both cats and dogs
Bird’s Nest Fern
This is one of the best houseplants to gift someone living in an apartment, deprived of bright, direct sunlight. Originally growing on forest floors, this fern is hardy and grows well in damp and cool environments. Well-drained, moist soil is what it needs, and is being misted from time to time.
How to care for the Bird’s Nest Fern:
- Water: regular watering as ferns grow best in humid and moist conditions
- Light: grows in shady places, having partial indirect sunlight
- Soil: well-drained, moist, fertile soil
- Pet concerns: nonpoisonous for both cats and dogs
Chinese Money Plant
This flowering plant is a good gift for people who accept gardening challenges. The interesting round leaves sit horizontally to the ground and grow up to a diameter of 4 inches. The plant has its own system of propagation, by forming sprouts directly from the roots. You will need to transplant them when they grow big enough.
How to care for the Chinese Money Plant:
- Water: needs watering when the topsoil dries out. In bright light, you need to water it frequently.
- Light: can be put in the East or West window where it receives medium indirect light
- Soil: organic, well-drained potting mix
- Pet concerns: non-poisonous for both cats and dogs
Nonfolk Island Pine
Even though not a true pine specie, it can be used as a living Christmas tree in its pot for many years. This plant cannot tolerate cold weather conditions outside, so keep it inside in a place with a lot of sunlight and water it regularly.
How to care for Norfolk Island Pine:
- Water: needs high humidity and a regular, weekly watering routine
- Light: bright, filtered sunlight
- Soil: peat-based, well-drained potting mix
- Pet concerns: non-poisonous for both cats and dogs
Snake Plant
A very hardy and happy houseplant that grows well in almost any condition, the snake plant proves a great gift for people not willing to give much attention to houseplants. It can grow well in bright light, even shade, and artificial light. The plant is drought tolerant because of its thick, long, fleshy leaves.
How to care for the Snake Plant:
- Water: let the soil become dry before the next watering
- Light: prefers medium, indirect light, but can grow in shade and artificial light
- Soil: well-drained, rich potting mix
- Pet concerns: poisonous for both cats and dogs
Wrapping Up
We hope the above list of holiday gift plants will help you choose the best plant to gift that special person during the holiday season. Remember if they are pet owners, avoid plants that could be toxic to the pets.
There are many pet-safe plants available for you to choose from. After choosing the plant, you should look for an attractive pot to complement it so make the ideal gift. With the right pot and plant, you could easily have the perfect gift for anyone around you.
