7 Valentine’s Day Houseplants to Give as Gifts

Roses have been the classic Valentine’s Day gift for numerous decades. Unfortunately, roses only last about one week in water. They then get wilted and you have to throw them out. Moving forward, get your significant other a gift that can grow and thrive with the relationship. A Valentine’s Day houseplant will do just that!

If you live in the northern states in a cooler environment, be sure to completely wrap the plants in plastic bags so none of the plant is exposed to the cold air. After all, this is a plant you for sure want to thrive so be sure to take good care of it from when you are purchasing it to when you gift it!

Here are five Valentine’s Day houseplants that would be perfect for gifts!

Red Prayer Plant (Red Maranta Leuconeura)

The prayer plant, specifically this Maranta, makes for a sentimental Valentine’s day houseplant gift. This plant gets its name from the leaves of the plant folding during the night, as if the plant were bowing their heads, folding their hands, and saying a prayer. The leaves will curl up with darkness and open up with sunlight. This plant is absolutely fascinating to watch as the plant moves every single day! Who wouldn’t love this plant as a gift?!

The prayer plant needs bright, indirect sunlight. Be sure to not expose it to direct light as the leaves are very sensitive. Prayer plants love humidity, so mist it every week to keep it happy. Alternatively, you can place it on a pebble tray that is filled with water to keep the plant surrounded by humidity. Be sure to water with distilled water, as these plants are very sensitive to the chemicals in tap water, and they can die from it.

String of Hearts (Ceropegia Woodii)

Anybody, and I mean ANYBODY would be happy to receive the String of Hearts as a Valentine’s Day houseplant gift! The daintiness of this trailing houseplant almost makes you want to snuggle with it at night. Not your thing? Suit yourself! The dark green leaves with variegated silver, cream, and pink lines running through this plant offers uniqueness to any room, not to mention the reaction you will get once you gift this to your significant other! The name of this plant is quite literal, it is a trailing plant (string of) with heart-shaped leaves (hearts).

Place this plant near a south or west facing window covered by a sheer curtain. The string of hearts needs bright, indirect light. This plant likes relative humidity, around 40-50%. Since the string of hearts is a succulent, it is prone to root rot so be sure to water the plant only when the top 2-3″ of the soil is dry to the touch. Have the receiver of this gorgeous plant hang the plant up high as it can get as long as 12 feet!

Sweetheart Hoya (Hoya Kerrii)

The sweetheart hoya is a quite literal Valentine’s Day houseplant gift that says, I care for you complete with a nice green-hearted leaf. The hoya kerrii is a succulent, making it extremely easy to take care of so no matter if the receiver of this gift has a green or brown thumb, it will live on.

Now this houseplant is cute, but the growth of this plant is very slow. Usually it stays just as big as the day you bought it. If you want it to grow with the relationship, consider getting a plant that has a few leaves coming off of it. Give this plant bright light and minimal water.

Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron Scandens)

Philodendrons are one of the best houseplants to give as gifts. They are very easy to grow and the heart leaves on this plant make for a perfect Valentine’s Day houseplant gift. This plant loves to trail over its pot, but you can train it to grow tall by adding a moss pole to the soil and start wrapping the stem around the pole. It can also grow bushy if you keep pruning it and pinching the stems back.

This plant can tolerate low light conditions, but if given medium indirect light, this plant will thrive! Before watering, make sure the soil is completely dry.

Aglaonema Red Valentine

This plant has striking green and pink variegated leaves, making it perfect as a Valentine’s Day houseplant gift!

Because of the attractive leaves, this plant needs bright indirect light to maintain them. It is susceptible to burning though, so make sure it’s not getting direct light. Before you go to water this plant, make sure the soil is dry 2-4″ down into the pot. If so, go ahead and water it completely. Water it until the water comes pouring out of the drainage holes. You’ll know you gave it enough water when you notice the plant is significantly heavier than it was before watering.

Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera Deliciosa)

The famous monstera deliciosa would be a great Valentine’s Day houseplant gift as they are one of the most popular and rarest houseplant currently out there! The big leaves of this monstera grow large holes inside the middle of the leaves, creating a unique and interesting plant.

The monstera needs a medium indirect sunlight. The monstera deliciosa likes humidity and water after the soil turns a little dry. While the growth of the monstera is dependent on light and water conditions, this plant can grow 1-2 feet tall per year, so be sure to give it plenty of space to grow!

String of Pearls (Senecio Rowleyanus)

Like the String of Hearts, the String of Pearls could be another great Valentine’s Day houseplant gift! Again, the name for this plant is quite literal, as the pearls cascade beautiful over the pot making it great for a hanging spot at home!

The string of pearls is a succulent, meaning it thrives in warm and dry environments. Place this plant either somewhere it can hang or on a tall bookshelf so it can trail down. Be sure to also place it where it will get about 6-8 hours of bright indirect light per day.