Gifting a Plant; Which one to Gift Based on Meaning
Gifting a plant is the most meaningful way to express your feelings to and for someone, no matter the occasion.
Each plant has its own meaning; it is either a traditional and symbolic meaning, or a personal one.
For example; You may choose to gift a Peace Lily as a sympathy gift for a friend who has lost a loved one because it symbolically represents peace and purity, or you may opt for a plant that you know meant something to the deceased.
The point is; plants are meaningful and thoughtful gifts.
Chocolates and flowers are amazing, yes! But they are gone within a week!
And considering I am writing this Blog in 2023, gifting a plant makes you a cool person since plants are super trendy!
The thoughtfulness is in the careful selection of the right plant that can convey your intended message to the recipient.
To make your plant gift even more meaningful, you could offer a propagation of your favourite plant! (But only do that if you have time, plenty of plants and skill!).
So, how do you select the right plant to gift?
Well, it really depends on the occasion!
support and sympathy
Gifting a plant as a sign of support and sympathy is quite common.
It is hard to find something that can soothe the pain of a loss.
A plant is the perfect gift and a recognized symbol of life, peace and comfort.
peace lily, (spathiphyllum)
The Peace Lily is THE plant to gift for support and sympathy.
Its beautiful white flower, (which is actually a specialized leaf called spathe), resembles a white flag, and for this reason, is considered a symbol of peace and hope.
This plant is one of the most common plants gifted to offer condolences.
Its beautiful spathes bring peace and tranquillity to any space.
Because of its symbolism, the Peace Lily is considered one the Best Feng Shui Plants.
This Peace Lily was a gift I received from my friends when my beloved grandma passed away four years ago.
encouragement, (strength, perseverance, determination)
Gifting a plant can be really soul-fulfilling.
And the recipient can attach so much sentiment to that plant!
Imagine gifting a plant to a friend who has achieved a huge feat, or perhaps is going through a tough time, or has overcome an immense physical or mental battle?
That plant will become so important to the person who receives it.
cactus
No plant is better than a cactus to represent strength, endurance and determination!
It’s not just the spines. It’s the way it can grow in the harshest environments and conditions that truly symbolizes its strength and will!
You can either gift this plant to encourage someone going through a tough time, or to someone that has endured and overcome a tough situation.
It’s a way to tell someone that you love and care about: “You are tough as nails!”
I am always blown away by cacti’s grit and the way they can survive on very little TLC.
golden pothos, (epipremnum aureum)
You don’t need to be a cactus and have an armor of spines to show resilience and perseverance. You can be a Pothos and grow long stems with very little care.
The Pothos is a very low maintenance trailing plant that grows very long stems. It continues to unfurl new leaves as it grows, symbolizing constant growth and perseverance.
It is the ideal plant to gift to people with big dreams and goals to reach!
This is a Marble Queen Pothos variety. It grows so fast that I’ve propagated its stems many times. This is the ideal plant you can gift as a propagated plant!
friendship
What’s the actual friendship occasion for gifting a plant?
There’s isn’t an official friendship day, (or at least that I know of), but there are many reasons to gift a plant to a friend.
It could be a Birthday, or a graduation, or any other special occasion.
It can also be a simple gesture to show your appreciation to someone.
Whether it’s a brand new plant, or a propagation of your own plant, plants are excellent gifts to celebrate and symbolize friendship.
chinese money plant, (pilea peperomioides)
The Pilea, has many common names due to the look of its round and flat leaves. However, one of its less known name is the Sharing Plant. This is not due to its appearance, but to its incredible way of continuously produce offsets.
These offsets can easily be cut off and rooted in water to be shared with the people you love. I cannot even keep count of how many Pileas I gifted in the four years I had mine. Over 40 for sure and I have six in our home!
I always grow a few Chinese Money Plants that I definitely don’t need, because I know I will always have good friends to gift them to.
monstera deliciosa
The Monstera Deliciosa is a symbol of Honour and Respect.
I can think of many friends that I honour and respect, and that’s why I have gifted a few of these plants.
Family and elders can also be honoured and respected, so you can keep this plant in mind for other occasions, other than friendship.
This is a cutting I rooted from the Monstera mother plant. It is a good idea to let the roots settle before gifting it, if you are offering a propagated plant.
Hey Midlife Mom!
Reclaim 10 Hours in Your Day With My 5 Day E-Mail Guide Without Sacrificing Family Time, Even If You Are Already Multitasking From 5 am Till Midnight
love and passion
It’s not that uncommon to gift a plant to celebrate love.
Plants, flowers and chocolate are extremely popular on Valentine’s Day and for anniversaries.
However, plants can be gifted to express one’s love and passion any time of year.
There are a few plants that are excellent at celebrating love with their Heart Shaped Leaves.
However, here are a couple of excellent love plants that go beyond their appearance and tradition.
orchid, (phalaenopsis)
The Orchid has been considered the plant of love since ancient Greece. It symbolizes love, luxury, fertility, beauty and strength.
Like love, Orchids can last for a very long time, (if properly nurtured).
The fact that the flowers are spent, it doesn’t mean that the plant is dead. More flowers will bloom throughout the year!
I have had my Mini Orchid for fours years and it blooms twice a year with very little care.
hoya heart, (Hoya kerrii)
The Hoya Heart is a novelty plant sold every year around Valentine’s. Also known as Sweetheart Hoya, it is mostly a leaf from the trailing Hoya Kerrii that has been potted without roots.
But if you care for it patiently and with love, it will eventually grow roots and its own stems and leaves, just like this one!
This plant, not only has leaves in shape of hearts. It also symbolizes love and devotion.
I bought this Hoya Kerrii as a single leaf four years ago for my daughter, and it took over 2 years to grow roots, and 3 years to grow a stem!
prosperity and luck
What does it mean gifting a plant for prosperity and luck?
It means wishing the person who receives the plant the best in their endeavour; whether it’s the start of a new business, the opening of a new office/restaurant/store, or the purchase of a new home.
There are a few iconic plants that symbolize prosperity and good fortune.
lucky bamboo, (Dracaena sanderiana)
The Lucky Bamboo, together with the Jade Plant, is one of the most known prosperity and luck plants.
This plant is highly symbolic in Feng Shui tradition, and the number of stalks used in an arrangement represents different meanings.
- One stalk symbolizes a prosperous and strong life.
- Three stalks symbolize the three kind of luck; Happiness, Long Life and Wealth.
- Six stalks symbolize prosperity.
- Seven stalks symbolize good health.
- Nine stalks symbolize good luck to the person who receives them as a gift.
- 21 stalks symbolize great wealth and enduring health.
Photo Credit: Canva
jade plant, (crassula ovata)
Another highly symbolic plant in Feng Shui tradition, the Jade Plant is known to be a very auspicious plant.
It brings prosperity, friendship and health to the person who owns it.
It is a common housewarming gift to give to friends and family moving to a new home as a sign of good luck and friendship.
This friend of mine Jade Plant is over 60 years old and it has been passed from generation to generation into her home.
holiday
Every year at Christmas time I see offices receiving Poinsiettas on Poinsiettas. There are so many variations of them these days; red, pink, white, variegated, covered in glitter, and overly adorned.
Am I a bad person for saying I don’t like Poinsiettas???
[Rant begins…
Unless you are a Poinsietta Guru, they all end up dead, and let’s be honest…Even if you are a master mind at keeping them beautiful, who wants to see a Poinsietta in the middle of July??? Not me, sorry!
…Rant ends]
Anyway, gifting a plant for the Holidays, is a wonderful thing to do!
Christams is not the only Holiday, so why not thinking of a plant that is good for multiple holidays and year round?
Keep in mind that you don’t need to gift a Holiday themed plant. You can imply purchase a plant that conveys the message you want to give to your recipient.
Here’s the perfect plant for any Holiday!
holiday cactus, (schlumbergera)
I love the Holiday Cactus!
It is mostly labelled as Christmas Cactus, even though the great majority of plants sold are Thanksgiving Cacti, as actual Christmas Cacti are more rare.
In-fact, there are three different types of Holiday Cacti, the Thanksgiving Cactus, (the most common one), the Christmas Cactus, and the Easter Cactus. The differences are subtle and they are not based on their flower’s colour.
Click here, if you want to learn more about the Holiday Cactus and its different varieties.
This is one of my three Thanksgiving Cacti. I have one per each colour; magenta, white and peach.
They are beautiful, non-toxic succulents safe for pets that can bloom up to three times per year!
gratitude, (to say thank you!)
Did you know you can even say “Thank You” with a plant?
Isn’t that amazing?
You can gift a plant to say “Thank You” to someone who did you a favour and helped you out, or as a sign of gratitude for someone’s presence in your life.
prayer plant, (maranta leuconeura)
The Prayer Plant is the perfect plant to represent gratitude, and the name itself helps reinforcing the idea.
It is called Prayer Plant as its leaves move with the changing of the natural light.
They are facing down during the day, and when the sun goes down, they start tilting upwards resembling a pair of praying hands.
Like a daily prayer, expressing gratitude, the Prayer Plant is used to convey the message of gratitude to someone.
Lemon Lime Prayer Plant variety.
Hey Midlife Mom!
Reclaim 10 Hours in Your Day With My 5 Day E-Mail Guide Without Sacrificing Family Time, Even If You Are Already Multitasking From 5 am Till Midnight