Festive Foliage — 5 Special Houseplants You Can Gift to Friends and Family Over the Holidays

Celebrate the holiday season and life's special moments with a meaningful plant gift that will bring pleasure for months after the occasion. Choose houseplants that fit the season and add their own extra special touch to holiday decorations.

The lush blooms of flowering indoor plants always feel special and are a good choice as they bring instant gratification. Consider other plants, too, that are less showy but nevertheless meaningful in terms of symbolizing something significant for the occasion. Include a thoughtful note explaining why you've chosen this plant, along with easy care instructions.

If you're looking for ideas for beautiful houseplants to gift to family and friends here are our top five expert picks to see you through the holiday season. Maybe treat yourself to one at the same time.

1. Stromanthe 'Triostar'

If you're looking with houseplants with colorful leaves then this beauty will not dissapoint. Plants that fill a home with beauty make great gifts and none more so than those that have spectacularly colored or patterned leaves. Who wouldn't be happy to receive a houseplant with boldly marked foliage such as this one as a gift?

"Plants come in every magnificent shape, color, texture and leaf pattern imaginable," says planterior designer Kamili Bell Hill, author of Happy Plants, Happy You. "The Stromanthe 'Triostar', with its beautiful painterly leaves, does well in north-facing light. Too much light though and this beauty will lose some of the gorgeous color that caught your eye in the first place."

This stunning tropical plant has variegated leaves in shades of pink and green. A real beauty that will add a new color mix to anyone's plant collection, its star qualities are reflected in the name. Help its variegation stay vibrant by placing it in a spot that receives bright indirect light says Kamili.

These easy plants can adapt to average household humidity but will thrive in higher humidity due to their tropical origins. They like to be evenly moist but can withstand a missed watering.

2. Orchid

"Orchids make excellent houseplants for gifting," says Virginia Hayes, indoor plant pro at Westerlay Orchids, in Santa Barbara, California. "Since orchids come in many varieties, picking one that flowers well is easy. One of the best choices is the Phalaenopsis orchid, which can flower for months."

Find out how to care for orchids to give yours the next level of TLC with light and humidity, frequent fertilization, and the right amount of water, says Virginia. "Orchids can flower for many years if they are given the right attention and management. With proper care, your orchid can last a lifetime."

Advise the recipient of your gift that their orchid shouldn't be exposed to dry air, direct heat or drafts, as well as direct sunlight. Instead they thrive in a warm humid environment. Find out how to water orchids correctly (sparingly!), and always check the soil first as over-watering is the easiest way to kill an orchid. Snipping whole flowering stems back to soil level will encourage the production of new blooms.

3. Cyclamen

"If I had to choose a favorite houseplant to give as a holiday gift, it would be a cyclamen," says houseplant expert Lotte Berendsen from Plantin. "They always remind me of the enchanting beauty of winter. Their flowers come in various colors but my favorite is the pink cyclamen because I think the color looks stunning against the dark green heart-shaped leaves."

These are one of the best winter indoor plants. They are surprisingly resilient too, and are very easy when it comes to maintenance. Cyclamen like constant moisture in their soil, but not being waterlogged. So after watering the plant any excess should always be emptied from the saucer or cache pot.

"Feed cyclamen with an all-purpose, or flowering-specific feed throughout the growing season," says Lotte. "We recommend feeding once every 6-8 weeks. But do not overfeed as cyclamen are sensitive to fertilizer burn."

Ideally, cyclamen should be in a location where the temperature stays between 60-65ºF to prevent the stress caused if a room is either too hot or too cold.

4. Peace lily

Now for one of my own favorites. Known as a cool and popular houseplant, the ever so elegant peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is a wonderful choice if you're looking for stylish houseplants as holiday gifts. The classic lily-like white blooms and dark glossy leaves are sure to appeal to the recipient, making it a beautiful gift for any occasion.

They will thank you too for its easy-care nature, which is partly why they're so popular. One of the main things to do is treat them to a fertilizer every 6-8 weeks to encourage healthy growth and lots of flowers. Remember the more light you give them the more blooms they will produce.

Peace lilies do well during winter, and when the light gets better they can be transferred to a windowsill, although shouldn't be exposed to the full glare of the sun as it may scorch the leaves. Symbolizing peace and purity, peace lily plants are a popular choice for both decoration and gifting during the holiday season.

5. Chinese money plant

"Many people believe plants are the perfect gift to give for the holidays especially as hostess gifts," says Jeanna Q. Liu, CEO of Cowbell Plant Co. "However they can often cause more stress than cheer. I hear too often from those who come to me for plant care help, "My sister got me this for Christmas and now it’s dying and I don’t know why! Help me!'"

Help is at hand if you think the person you're gifting is inexperienced with plants. The Chinese money plant (Pilea) is known as the friendship plant or “pass it on” plant, given their tendency to grow pups next to the mother plant and their ease of propagation. "They also carry an important symbolic meaning, which I feel is so important for any gift. Chinese money plants symbolize good fortune and prosperity, making them perfect for the holiday season as people are gearing up for the new year."

These super-easy care plants are great for smaller spaces like cozy nooks or windowsills, adds Jeanna. "They have such a unique appearance marked by their distinct round leaves and I think this plant works wonderfully to soften any interior." We agree — gifting a Chinese money plant is a lovely idea.

FAQs

Are plants a good Christmas gift?

Gifting plants for Christmas is a thoughtful and sustainable choice that adds little moments of extra joy to the holiday season for loved ones. When choosing houseplants as holiday gifts, first consider factors like how easy they are to care for, if they're suitable for growing indoors, and pet safety (some plants are toxic to cats and dogs).

Plants that require minimal maintenance are ideal, especially for recipients lacking a green thumb. Look for plants that cope with infrequent watering and low-light conditions.

Consider the interior aesthetic of the recipient's home as well. When choosing an indoor plant, think about how it will look, where they might best place it, and where it will thrive. Tick these off your checklist and you will soon be a master of choosing houseplants as holiday gifts.