If you haven’t found the mother in your life a gift yet for Mother’s Day, you’re probably going to get her a bouquet of roses at the grocery store like you’ve done every year since you were in high school. If you’d rather not opt for the traditional Mother’s Day bouquet this year, potted plants are a fun spin on a classic gift.
The first thing to consider is whether or not your giftee is into plants. Whether they are or not could determine what kind of potted plant you get for them. Here are some options for both the green- and black-thumbed mom:
Flowering plant
Some of the most popular Mother’s Day plants are plants that flower easily because even if she’s not a good plant parent, one little flower could make her feel like a hero. You could get her an orchid, gardenia, peace lily, hoya — so many options! Just steer clear of buying houseplants from the grocery store or IKEA (we’ll save why for another time).
Mother-In-Law’s Tongue
A Mother-In-Law’s Tongue is really just an appropriately named snake plant or sansevieria. This plant is for moms whose thumbs are anything but green. Sansevieria are very tolerant of neglect, do not need heavy light, don’t require complicated soil and thrive without a lot of water. It’s an attractive plant that adds colour to any room.
Succulent
Succulents store water in their stems and leaves and I can confidently say that unless she is bathing your succulent daily, your mom won’t kill a succulent. There are so many types available for not a large cost and they all look so different. Adding different textures, patterns and colours to a room. They are so easy to care for you could water them simply by keeping them in the bathroom when you shower every day. Succulents are the gift that keeps on giving because they are one of the easiest plants to propagate or transplant and give away.
String of Pearls
This plant is also a succulent but I wanted to give it its own shoutout. I don’t have a string of pearls yet — but I really want one. It’s a delicate hanging plant that thrives in a warm and dry environment. Not exactly made for southern Ontario’s humid summers but with some extra time, effort and care, these plants can grow to be quite impressive. They need a good six to eight hours of bright, indirect sunlight per day. If your place doesn’t haven’t enough light for your string of pearls, consider putting them under some fluorescent lighting for 12 to 16 hours per day.
Croton
No, I’m not suggesting you buy your mom croutons for Mother’s Day. Crotons are an easy-to-grow houseplant known for their variegated foliage covered in bright splashes of green, red, orange and yellow. Pay close attention to the vibrancy of its leaves. Dull, droopy, matte leaves on a croton means you need to give it some attention (probably just some water) and don’t be alarmed if you start to lose some leaves as the seasons change. That is totally normal for a healthy croton.
Green Tip: Call the mom in your life this Mother’s Day, she grew you.
Got a green tip to share with us or something plant-ey you would like us to investigate? Send your ideas to Jace at aestheticSnail@outlook.com.
