By Justin Hancock

In many ways, houseplants are gifts that keep on giving: Take care of them, and they’ll continue to grow for years. Even better, most become bigger and more impressive as they age. Plants also improve the air; most plants filter out indoor air pollutants, and some, like our 02 for You collection, clean the air more efficiently. Scientific research from Cornell University, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and other organizations also show houseplants can improve concentration and cognitive ability (making us smarter!). 

Use these tips to select the best houseplants as gifts.

For Someone Who Isn’t Good with Plants

Some plants are tougher than others. In general, snake plant, ZZ plant, ponytail palm, sago palm, Chinese evergreen, pothos, and philodendron are the easiest to care for. They can go without water longer than many other plants and most do just fine even in really low light situations. 

For Someone Who’s Modern and Trendy

Snake plant (shown here), with its narrow, upright leaves looks perfectly at home with sleek, modern design. Many succulents such as chalky sticks senecio, haworthia, and the various types of echeverias (especially the silvery-gray varieties) fit in contemporary design, as well. 

For Someone Who Likes Touchable Plants

There are houseplants that are as fun to feel as they are to look at. Purple passion plant, for example, is covered in soft, electric purple hairs that make the plant feel like velvet. Panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa) is another that has soft fur. Cardboard palm is intriguing, too, because of its thick interesting texture. 

For Someone Who Likes Flowers

While many of the blooming plants we see at the florist shop aren’t long-lived houseplants, there are some you can count on. African violet is an old classic; bearing flowers in just about every color of the rainbow, it blooms year-round if it gets enough light. Desert rose is a succulent that looks like a bonsai but has big, trumpet-shaped flowers in red, pink, and white. Of course, there are also orchids, which stay in for months, take a rest, and then bloom again.

Houseplant Questions?

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