Gifts for Plant Lovers (Houseplant People)
- 20 gift ideas
- From under $10 to $100 and up
- 8 niche picks
Good gifts for plant lovers help houseplants do well indoors: a grow light for a dim room, a soil moisture meter, a self-watering planter, a propagation station for cuttings or a book on plant care. These 20 ideas focus on indoor plants and houseplant gear, and leave out live plants, which are risky to ship in winter.
Quick picks
- Best overall: Grow light strips for a shelf Turns an ordinary shelf into a plant shelf. Idea 1
- Best splurge: A designer grow light A pendant grow light that looks like a lamp. Idea 2
- Best small gift: A propagation station Root cuttings in water on a windowsill stand. Idea 10
- Best for beginners: How Not to Kill Your Houseplant An illustrated guide for newer plant parents. Idea 18
- Best under $10: A macrame plant hanger Frees shelf space and puts trailing plants at the window. Idea 15
The best plant gifts help the plants someone already has: light, better watering, a place to root cuttings and pots that look good. That is why these ideas are gear and books rather than another plant. Live plants are best bought locally, because shipping in cold weather can damage them.
We grouped the ideas into grow lights, watering and humidity, tools and soil, pots and displays, and books. If the person gardens outdoors as well, Gifts for Gardeners covers beds, tools and seeds.
Ideas 1 to 3
Grow lights for plant lovers
For plants in dim rooms, north windows and short winter days.
1. Grow light strips for a shelf
Full-spectrum grow light strips turn an ordinary bookshelf into a plant shelf, which suits a plant collector who has run out of window space. T5 strips are slim and can be mounted under a shelf. Check the length of their shelf, since this listing opens the 1-foot strips, and make sure they have an outlet nearby.
Tip: Measure the shelf; this listing is the 1-foot strips.
2. A designer grow light
A decorative pendant grow light looks like a normal lamp, so it suits a plant lover in a dim apartment who does not want a purple glow in the living room. Look at the light's mount, since a pendant hangs from a ceiling hook or a stand. It is a splurge, so choose it for someone with a plant corner already in mind.
Tip: Ask where the light would hang before you give it.
3. A smart indoor herb garden
A countertop smart garden grows herbs under its own light with little care, which suits a plant lover who also cooks. It is a bigger purchase, and suits someone who wants fresh herbs without a garden bed. See Cooking Gifts for kitchen ideas to pair with it.
Tip: Check that they have counter space and an outlet nearby.
Ideas 4 to 9
Watering and humidity gifts for plant owners
Tools for getting water and humidity right without guessing.
4. A soil moisture meter
A probe meter shows whether the root zone is wet or dry before a plant gets watered, which suits a new plant parent who tends to guess. This one needs no batteries. Look for a long probe for deeper pots, and remember it is a guide, so a finger test and the plant's care notes still help.
Tip: Pair it with a plant care book for a beginner set.
5. A self-watering planter
A reservoir planter waters from below for days, which suits plant lovers who travel or have thirsty plants. Check the pot size against the plant, and ask how they plan to water, since a self-watering pot has a reservoir to refill. This listing is a 12-inch planter in Burnt Red.
Tip: Check the plant's pot size before choosing a 12-inch planter.
6. Self-watering stakes
Self-watering stakes draw water from a jug into the soil as it dries, which suits a plant lover who is away on vacation and does not want a house sitter to water. They need a few trial runs to set up. Check how many plants they have, since a pack of two covers only a couple of pots.
Tip: Suggest a trial run before they leave on a trip.
7. A long-spout indoor watering can
A long spout reaches under the leaves to the soil without splashing furniture, which suits an owner of crowded plant shelves. It looks nice enough to stay on display. Check the capacity against how many plants they water at a time, and note that this listing is a Root & Vessel can in Sky Blue.
Tip: Check the color; this listing is Sky Blue.
8. A digital hygrometer
Tropical plants prefer humid air, and a small hygrometer shows when the air in the room is too dry, which suits a collector of calatheas, ferns or other tropicals. It also reads temperature. It is small enough to sit on a shelf by the plants, and an easy add-on to a bigger present.
Tip: Pair it with a humidifier for a full humidity set.
9. A room humidifier
A humidifier raises the humidity that calatheas and ferns prefer, especially in heated winter rooms, which suits an owner of fussy tropicals. Look for a tank size that matches the room, and one that is easy to refill and clean. This listing is a 6-liter smart model.
Tip: Check the tank size against the room size.
Ideas 10 to 13
Tools, soil and cutting gear
Gifts for the collector who repots, trims and propagates.
10. A propagation station
Glass tubes on a wooden stand root cuttings in water, so new plants grow on the windowsill, which suits a plant lover who takes cuttings from friends' plants. It is a small gift that doubles as a display. Check the size, since this listing is the medium stand.
Tip: Add a few cuttings from your own plants to the gift.
11. Micro-tip pruning snips
Fine micro-tip snips trim dead leaves and take cuttings neatly, which suits a plant lover who prunes houseplants regularly. These are sized for houseplants and not for the garden. They are low-cost and fit a stocking. Check whether they already own a pair they like.
Tip: Add a propagation station to make it a cutting kit.
12. Stackable moss poles
Climbing plants such as monstera and pothos need a pole to climb as they grow, and stackable poles extend as the plant gets taller, which suits a grower with a climbing plant. This is a 4-pack of 16-inch poles. Check the plant's size and whether they already use stakes.
Tip: Check how tall their climber is before choosing.
13. A chunky bark mix
Aroids like an airy, chunky soil, and orchid bark is a common base for mixing it, which suits an aroid collector who mixes their own soil. It is a specialist ingredient a casual plant owner may not think to buy. Check what they already use, since some collectors have firm preferences about their mixes.
Tip: Ask which soil mix they use before buying bark.
Ideas 14 to 17
Pots, stands and displays
Pots and stands that make a plant collection look like a styled corner.
14. A pair of ceramic planters
Simple ceramic pots with drainage turn nursery plastic into a display, which suits a plant lover who is repotting new finds. This listing opens a set of two 6.7-inch white pots. Check the size against their plants' current pots, and make sure the pots have a drainage hole.
Tip: Check pot sizes against the plants' current pots.
15. A macrame plant hanger
A macrame hanger frees shelf space and puts a trailing plant at the window, which suits a plant lover who has run out of surfaces. It is a small, low-cost gift that fits a stocking. Check the ceiling hooks or hanging hardware they have, and make sure the pot size suits the hanger.
Tip: Check they have a hook for hanging.
16. A mid-century plant stand
A wooden stand lifts a floor plant toward the light and looks good doing it, which suits an owner of floor plants. This listing is the 10-inch size. Check the pot's diameter against the stand, and the spot where it will stand, since a stand also changes how much light the plant gets.
Tip: Check the stand's size against the pot before buying.
17. A glass terrarium
A geometric glass terrarium shows off succulents or air plants on a desk, which suits a plant lover with a small space. It works as a display piece even before it is planted. Check that the opening suits the plants they have in mind, and add succulents or air plants if you want a full gift.
Tip: Add a few air plants or succulents to make it complete.
Ideas 18 to 20
Books for plant lovers
Care guides, a reference shelf and styling ideas.
18. How Not to Kill Your Houseplant
Veronica Peerless's illustrated guide to light, water and the common mistakes suits a newer plant parent. It is friendly and visual, so it works for someone who has just bought a first plant. Check whether they already own a houseplant guide, and consider pairing it with a moisture meter.
Tip: Pair it with a moisture meter for a beginner set.
19. Plantopedia
Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan's large reference book of houseplants has care notes for each plant, which suits a collector who wants a reference at hand. It is a coffee-table book that also works as a lookup. Check whether they already own a similar guide.
Tip: Check what reference books they already own.
20. Wild Interiors
Hilton Carter's book shows how people style homes full of plants, which suits a plant lover who is planning the next corner or shelf. It is more about decorating than care instructions, so it suits inspiration rather than learning to keep a plant alive. Check whether the person likes a lush, jungle-style look before you buy.
Tip: Check they like a lush, plant-heavy home style.
Frequently asked questions
What are good gifts for plant lovers?
Choose gear that helps indoor plants: a grow light, a soil moisture meter, a self-watering planter, a propagation station or a humidifier for tropicals. For a decorative gift, a pair of ceramic planters or a plant stand suits a collection. A book such as How Not to Kill Your Houseplant helps beginners.
What do you get a plant lover who has everything?
Choose a specialist item a collector might not buy: a chunky bark mix for aroids, stackable moss poles, micro-tip snips, a digital hygrometer or a designer grow light. A reference book such as Plantopedia suits a collector. Ask what they already use before you buy.
Is it a good idea to give a live plant as a gift?
It can be, but buy it locally in winter, since cold weather during shipping can damage a plant. Pick an easy plant if the person is new to plants, and check the pot and light conditions at their home. Gear such as a planter, a moss pole or a grow light avoids those risks.
What are good gifts for new plant parents?
A soil moisture meter, a self-watering planter and a beginner book such as How Not to Kill Your Houseplant suit someone with a few plants. A watering can with a long spout and a small grow light also help. Keep it simple, so the person does not feel buried in tools.
What are good small gifts for plant lovers?
A propagation station, micro-tip pruning snips, a macrame plant hanger or a hygrometer are small and fit a stocking. A set of self-watering stakes helps on trips. Add a cutting from your own plant to turn a small gift into a personal one. See Stocking Stuffers for more small ideas.
Do indoor plants need grow lights?
Not always. Many plants do well near a bright window, but a grow light helps in dim rooms, north-facing windows and short winter days. A shelf strip or a pendant light is a thoughtful gift for a plant lover whose home has limited sun. Ask what light they have before you buy.
