Choose the perfect plant to gift and ensure it brings joyousness , not stress , to the recipient with these must - know top .

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Liveplants are often touted as all - purpose giftsfor any occasion and any individual . foodstuff store floral departments and big box stores are full of live plant packaged in foil and ribbon , ready for holiday gift - gift . There ’s a slew of on-line plant seller pitching plant as gift , too . But before choosing a industrial plant as a nowadays , here are some dos and don’ts to keep in judgment to ensure your leafy gift goes over well with your recipient .

Poinsettia on top of a Christmas gift

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1. Do: Make Sure They Want a Plant

catch a plant is a gift that keeps on gift . “ Every time you pass off by that industrial plant , it reminds you of the person who gave it to you , ” sound out Mary Steffel , comrade prof of marketing at Northeastern University who studies consumer mind decision - making . “ There ’s value in experience those cues around you all the time that your loved ace are thinking of you and care about you . ”

However , “ if a plant life is given to someone who ca n’t or does n’t want to care for it , you ’ve just consecrate them a new responsibility they did n’t ask for , ” says Morgan Ward , supporter professor of marketing at Emory University who studies consumer behavior . “ The recipient might palpate shamed when the industrial plant dies because they feel like they ’ve lease you down or foul up the   gift   you bought , ” she enunciate . And a natural endowment that makes the recipient finger spoilt is not the goal .

How do you know if someone wants a industrial plant ? One clue is whether they already have plants they enjoy caring for . Do they have an indoor hobo camp they place all over Instagram ? Then giving them another industrial plant is a safe bet . The other way to find out if they want a plant is to just ask .

2. Do: Ask What They’d Like

It ’s OK to postulate a person what they want for a talent , Steffel says . natural endowment givers run to want to storm gift recipient role and do up with their own musical theme for endowment , but Steffel says that is not the honorable way to go .

“ We have inquiry exhibit that mass are overconfident in their power to gauge other people ’s taste when it comes to endowment giving . We ’re not as safe at guessing what other people require as we think . ” Research indicate people are more appreciative of a gift that they asked for , Steffel says .

“ citizenry are hesitating to enquire someone what gift they need because they feel they ’re supposed to signal that they cognize the recipient role so well , they were able-bodied to anticipate what they wanted , ”   Steffel enounce . “ When it comes down to it , recipients revalue you claim the time to ask them what it is that they really want . ”

3. Do: Consider Their Ability to Care for a Plant

prefer a industrial plant that match the recipients ’ ability and desire to care for it . “ A plant life is a petition for a level of effort , ” Steffel say . “ You postulate to be sure that soul require that level of feat before you give them a flora . ”

It ’s OK to ask themwhat kind of plant parent they are . Once you know their skill level , pick the plant consequently .   A plant starter may be happier with apothosorsnake plantwhile a plant life grind may appreciate a intriguing plant like afiddle - folio figor aMadagascar palm .

If you ’re buying for someone who like flora but can not keep them animated , consider dedicate them a Lego orchidaceous plant . It ’s cute , it ’s plastic , they ca n’t kill it , and it ’s a humorous nod to their track record with live plants .

4. Do: Consider Giving Cut Flowers

Plants tend to be view as a superscript gift to abouquet of cut flowersbecause they live longer than a few mean solar day . “ One of the reasons people buy   talent   is to symbolize the importance of their family relationship with the recipient role , and a plant ’s life is a farsighted - term monitor of the bail between them , ” Ward say .   Sometimes multitude do n’t want the responsibility ofcaring for a works for year , or they do n’t want to devote the space to a industrial plant in their home . In this case , flowers may be a better gift .

Sure , they will be in the compost pile in a calendar week , but flower make the recipient experience good while they last . “ There ’s enquiry showing that people tend to opt experiences more than thing when it comes to gifts , ” Steffel read . A beautiful fragrancy of flowers falls under the category of experience versus affair .

Along those lines , if you require to give a plant - related gift , other experiential natural endowment to debate could be a membership to a public garden that ’s local to your recipient , or tickets to a nearby flower show .

5. Don’t: Assume Expensive is Better

Gift donor lean to conceive that the pricier a gift , the more appreciative the receiver will be .   Ward says research demo givers be given to give less pragmatic , more luxurious gifts   than recipients want .

“ bestower often take this genre of   gifts   because they need to give something the receiver might not allow themselves to bribe , ” Ward says . “ It ’s not to the full altruistic , though … These   gifts   are state ‘ I spent a lot of money , invested a peck of time , or put a great deal of thought into this gift to show my investment in our relationship . ' ”

A dependable programme , Ward allege , is to get a gift that shows you ’ve pay attention to their hobbies and interests , something that capture who they are . So do n’t get them a pricy variegatedmonsteraor rarephilodendronif an easy - care and less expensivepeace lilywill bestow them pleasure .

Poinsettiasandwaxed amaryllis bulbsfall into the class of being an experience rather of a thing , too . Yes , both are plant , but few people keep them after the holidays because it ’s problematical to get them to bloom again . It ’s OK to discombobulate them out so they ’re a good gloomy - dedication hostess gift for a individual who is not jazzed about taking care of a plant .