If you love to be surrounded by greenery, but don’t love doing the necessary work to keep plants alive, listen up.
Between watering, pruning, and removing the occasional pest, caring for plants requires… a lot of care. If you have someone on your gift list who recreationally kills plants, now is the time to give them something that’s very hard to snuff out. Jesse Waldman, director of marketing and e-commerce at Pistils Nursery in Portland, Oregon, says ZZ plants are super hardy, making them the best plant to give as a gift.
“Zamioculcas zamiifolia, aka ZZ Plant, is our go-to beginner’s houseplant,” says Waldman. “Like Sansevieria, they can handle very low light and their tuberous roots hold plenty of water, making them great choices for folks who often forget to water or go out of town for long stretches of time.”
Joan Mazat, head of new product development for Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois, says that not only do ZZ plants retain water, but they actually prefer to dry out between waterings, making them almost indestructible. “If their owner is pressed for time and tends to forget to water this is a good plant for them—it’s very forgiving.”
In addition to being super hardy, ZZ plants are also gorgeous. “We love their glossy, dark green leaves,” says Waldman. ZZ plants are sure to shine in any space.
To ensure the plant your gifting is healthy, Walman explains that it’s best to buy from a nursery instead of a big box store.
With a plant that’s actually alive, your recipient can reap all of the many benefits that plants have to offer. They’re soothing, can help us build compassion, and even help you to better focus. Carla Manly, PhD, clinical psychologist and author, caring for plants can even be a form of meditation.
“One of the things that I believe that gardening does for us, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, is giving us the opportunity to focus on caring for the self while you’re caring for something else,” says Dr. Manly. “You have this relationship with the plants—you’re watching it grow and plants give lovely reinforcement. Because if we’re doing it in a way that’s healthy for the plant, giving it enough water and fertilizer, it rewards us by growing.”
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