5 Live Plants to Give Your Sweetheart This Valentine’s Day Instead of Roses
Visit the tropical room at Gasper Home & Garden Showplace this Valentines to pick out a gift that will bring your loved one joy long after the holiday cut flowers have faded and gone! These are 5 of our favorites:
1 Anthurium
Heart-shaped flowers –Check! Comes in shades of pink & red –Check! One of the longest lasting flowers—Check! Anthuriums are houseplants that are truly a great match for Valentine’s Day. These durable and easy to care for tropical houseplant will be happiest in a warm spot with bright, indirect light. This means an east facing window, or in the interior of a sunny room. It can also mean that there is a sheer curtain between the window and the plant. Water when plants become dry to the touch.
2 Rieger Begonia
Once it starts blooming with its pretty ruffled, rose-like flowers, a Rieger begonia will often continue to flower for up to 6 months. White or pink flowering varieties are best for your special someone around Valentines, but it is also available in yellows and oranges. Again, a nice warm spot with bright, indirect light and watering when dry to the touch is perfect for your Rieger begonia.
3 Kalanchoe
The Kalanchoe is a flowering plant in the succulent family. They bloom in various shades of reds magenta, pink, white, yellow and orange. Kalanchoes are easy to care for because they like dry soil conditions so can take drying out a little bit between waterings. They also like medium to high light conditions and would be happy in a sunny window. Kalanchoe’s blooms can last several weeks and it can rebloom again.
4 African Violets
These little cuties with fuzzy leaves have flowers available in pinks, purples and whites and can bloom almost continually under the right conditions. African violets need indirect sunlight so a north or east facing window would be best. They are a little bit particular about watering in that they do not like you do get water on their leaves, so water from underneath and they would prefer for their soil always to be moist, but not soaking.
5 Orchids
Available in a variety of dramatic colors, shapes and sizes, Orchids make great gifts. The blooms can last up to four months and with good care your orchid will rebloom. A good beginner orchid is a Phalaenopsis Orchid. They need bright, indirect light but could tolerate medium light. They like to dry out in between waterings, so they will only need to be watered every 1-2 weeks.
Not sure when to repot or what fertilizer to use? No need to be intimidated. Stop in to our greenhouse and one of our plant experts can help you with tips and advice to providing the best care for your houseplants.
