Why houseplants are the perfect Valentine's Day gift

The Beatles sang “money can’t buy me love” but do you think they’d say the same thing about houseplants and love?

If your partner or crush is a lover of all things green and leafy, then we bet they’d be thrilled with getting a houseplant for Valentine’s Day. And even if they’re not a convert yet, now is a good time to get them hooked to the plant gene. It’s early spring for most of us, and this is the perfect time to bring a new houseplant home.

Sure, you can always default to red roses for a grand Valentine’s Day gesture, but let us try to change your mind. Here's why houseplants make for much better gifts than cut flowers, plus a few ideas of low-maintenance and romantic houseplants to get you started!

1.Houseplants last longer

Ok, this is obvious. But we’re trying to slowly ease into advocating for houseplants. The average life of a bouquet of cut flowers is about a week. Some bouquets come with plant feed that might stretch that to ten days. After that, it’s bye-bye flowers!

Houseplants last much longer. Even the blackest of thumbs can’t manage to kill a plant in a week (don’t take that as a challenge though!). Houseplants may last for years as a good reminder for a thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift.

2. Houseplants are often cheaper

We bet this one is not so obvious, right? You may think of houseplants as an investment. And some of them are (especially rare specimens). But you can easily find houseplants that cost 10 dollars, and we’re not talking about runts. Prices are going down as the popularity of houseplants is going up, so even a trip to your local plant nursery won’t break the bank.

3. Houseplants are more environmentally friendly

Most people don’t realize the environmental footprint of the fresh flower industry. That’s because we tend to associate flowers with nature, and nature can do no wrong, right? Well, not until it’s exploited for profit at a massive scale. Most cut flowers are grown year-round in greenhouses and fields heavily laden with pesticides. In the United States, most fresh flowers are imported. And because the flowers are already cut (so pretty much dead), they are shipped long distances in refrigerated containers that take a lot of energy to stay cool.

There is also a lot of waste in the flower industry because we all want perfect-looking flowers with zero blemishes. And not to mention the waste caused by the flowers being thrown away en-masse if the supermarket can’t sell them within the short window when they look nice and perky.

We’re not saying that houseplants have a zero-carbon footprint. But they are definitely the more responsible choice for eco-conscious Valentines.

4. Houseplants send a message

Now that we got the practical reasons out of the way, let’s talk a bit about the sentimental symbolism. When you gift someone a houseplant, the underlying message is this: I think you’re a responsible person. I think you can nurture and take care of something. And you can count on me because I’ll be around to help. Maybe in not so many words. But the sentiment is there!

If your partner is already someone who loves houseplants, then offering them another plant for their collection shows that you care about their interests and hobbies. And you get extra bonus points for being a good listener if they’ve already hinted that they wouldn’t mind another green friend, and you deliver.

Now that we’ve made our point, we won’t rest our case until we show you a few examples of plants that will make for a romantic Valentine’s Day gift.

Source: plnts.com

Hoya Kerii

(or Sweetheart Hoya)

Its super-cute heart-shaped leaves are the allure of the plant.

But what makes it such a good candidate for a Valentine’s gift is the fact that it’s very easy to care for.

It’s perfect for bright indirect light and, like all succulents and cacti, it tolerates a little bit of neglect when it comes to watering.

Source: Instagram @passitonplant

Pilea Peperomioides

We may be biased here, but we really think this plant is special. It’s not as low-maintenance as a succulent, but it has been the coveted crown jewel in the plant community for a few years now.

And since you’re reading this on Pilea.com, you already have the best source of information on how to care for it at your fingertips.

Source: wolvesinlondon.com

String of Hearts

(Ceropegia woodii)

This one really knows how to put on a show. The main attraction is the heart-shaped leaf combined with a delicate variegated leaf pattern.

This is a great plant if your Valentine’s collection is missing some trailing vines.

Red Anthurium

There’s something sensual about an Anthurium, with its bright red leaves and waxy texture.

The flowers last a long time, and If you find a warm and well-lit spot for your Anthurium, it will reward you with even more blooms.

And in case your partner is running out of space, you can opt for the miniature version!

Source: plnts.com

Heart-leaf Philodendron

(Philodendron scandens)

Philodendron is another fast-growing plant that doesn’t require too much maintenance.

It’s also easy to train, so it can be grown in a trailing cascade or as a climbing vine.

All of the above suggestions are good gift choices for a beginner plant keeper. But if you want even more ideas, have a look at this list. And just in case your Valentine says they don’t need more plants (there’s a one percent chance of that happening, but let’s just assume it does), then you can get them some accessories and tools to improve their current plant-growing experience.

And happy Valentine’s Day!

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