Giving house plants as gifts
A look at Google searches revealed the house plants that attract the most interest on the search engine. There are few surprises – many of those named have been stalwarts of the living rooms, hallways and even bathrooms of homes for many decades.
The benefits of house plants is that on the whole they are robust plants that will live a long time without the need for expert care (although orchids can be tricky).
So is there anything here that might inspire your next gift?
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Monstera/Swiss Cheese Plant
This plant has huge green leaves broken up by unique slits, giving it its colloquial name. Over the years Swiss Cheese plants can outgrow their homes, but it will take a while.
Tips for caring for the Swiss Cheese plant:
- It’s a tropical plant, so prefers bright conditions but not direct sunlight, as if it were growing at ground level with a canopy of higher trees shading it, in warm climates.
- They love moisture in their soil, so as soon as you see the top of the soil in the pot dry up, get ready to serve it some water. A moisture meter could help with monitoring.
- Tropical plants also love humid environments, so a daily misting could be useful.
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Bonsai plants
Bonsai translates to ‘planted in container’ from the Japanese.
Tips for maintaining bonsai:
- For growing indoors, a stable temperature all year round is needed as they are generally a subtropical species.
- Make sure they get plenty of sun, so place them on window sills but keep them away from direct heat and any draughts.
- Bonsai thrive in humid environments, so ensure the soil in the container is constantly moist. Again, you can use moist meters or use your finger to check.
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Pilea peperomioides/Chinese Money Plant
This plant’s name derives from Southwest China, with beliefs of a link to good fortune due to the leaves being shaped like coins. Tips for Chinese money plant care:
- Let it soak up plenty of sunlight, although this plant can burn if left in very hot, direct sunlight for too long.
- Typically, it needs watering once a week. Always check the soil before doing so to check if it is dry.
- Look out for signs of yellowing in the leaves. This can mean it’s been overwatered. If any leaves that are nearest to the soil have turned yellow, just carefully pull these off to help the plant concentrate on its main healthy structure.
The rest
Research revealed the rest of the plants most searched for as:
- Orchid
- Peace Lily
- Snake Plant/Dracaena Trifasciata
- Spider Plant
- Dragon Plant
- Yucca
- Venus Fly Trap
Research and tips supplied by hydroponic specialists, National Greenhouse
Images by Kara Eads on Unsplash, Jochen van Wylick on Unsplash and Anna Nekrashevich on Pexels.
Need more inspiration for presents? Take a look at our gift guides.
