Etsy’s Editors have released their picks for the 2022 holiday season and it’s a WHOPPING lot of good stuff.
But me, being the permanent houseplant nerd I am, wanted to give you a few ideas for which plants your loved one/plant hoarder would enjoy as a gift. Because if there’s one category you can rarely get the “wrong” gifts in, it’s houseplants for plant lovers.
My 2022 Etsy Houseplant Gift Guide
As with my other Etsy round-ups, I’ll link both the plant and the store as the inventory for live plants changes often, so it’s worth scoping out these shops to find other goodies, too.
Macodes Petola (Jewel Orchid)
Seller: Sunshine Greens
Orchids are tricky little buggers for some (like me) but this orchid is really no fuss. Its natural habitat is on forest floors so it’ll tolerate a wide spectrum of light options. I keep mine in a terrarium under a grow light during the winter, but in warmer months here the terrarium just sits on my desk.
White Fusion Calathea
Seller: The Green Escape
I’ve had better luck with these when I’ve bought a mature, 4″ potted plant instead of a “starter.” I love these because they’re so interesting with their color patterns and much much cheaper than a variegated monstera.
Rattlesnake Plant – Calathea lancifolia
Seller: The Nodes
This is another calathea that can take a beating, care-wise. Despite its tolerance for abuse and neglect, rattlesnake plants have the most gorgeous coloring on the backs of their leaves. It’ll range from magenta to a deep mauve. Plus, like prayer plants, it’ll close up shop and fold its leaves in at night!
Sapphire Tower (Puya Alpestris)
Seller: SchroderBotanicals
Okay, full disclosure: I don’t have this plant so can’t say how idiot-proof it is to keep alive. That said, it’s pretty hard to get blue plants at a decent price and this one stopped me in my tracks. Add to cart? Don’t mind if I do.
String of Hearts Variegated – Ceropegia woodii
Seller: Allison Succulents
Pink plants are the BEST! Another one I haven’t picked up yet, but String of Hearts’ are fairly easy to take care of so long as you have a hanging basket for them. These are considered succulents so can handle being forgotten about from time to time.
Philodendron White Princess
Seller: The Green Escape
I love the mix of colors in these. Philodendrons are super tough to kill (I know, I know. I’m just asking for it now) but you will need to pay attention to the lighting needs in order to keep the colors so bright and variegated. (White typically happens when the plant doesn’t need more chlorophyll to photosynthesize. When it’s starved for light, survival takes over and the white gets converted to green)
20 Assorted Airplants – Tillandsia
Seller: Airplants Wholesale
These were my FAVORITE plants to keep when I worked in an office so they’re a great plant to gift someone who needs a little greenery in their office space. They only need watering once-ish a week and can grow anywhere; they don’t even need soil! I loved to put them in jars with raw crystals and rocks.
12 Random Plant Cuttings
Seller: D’s Home Garden Center
Does your giftee love a good mystery bag? Me, too! These cutting lots are so fun to get, especially if you’re just starting a houseplant collection
Rare Plant Cutting Bundle
Seller: Planted Portland
Another mystery box, but this one is more for those who’ve kept plants alive for a while and want a little something interesting. This is the PERFECT gift for those “I don’t know what to get you but want you to love it” moments.
Variegated Monstera Deliciosa
Seller: Plant Madness
Wanna go big? This is THE Instagram decor plant everyone loves. Why is it so expensive? The variegation (the white part) is an error, meaning it happens totally by accident and randomly. No two monsteras are alike and it’s incredibly difficult to coax variegation.
One word (okay one blurb) of advice if you’re going to go with this: check the seller reviews. Since they’re expensive plants, you’ll find a lot of scammers out there. I’ve got a great guide to places where you can buy rare plants safely.
Talk with the seller, get pictures of the actual plant you’ll receive, and be sure the person you want to buy this for is able to handle its care. Monsteras are pretty tolerant of neglect, but the investment you’ll make in this plant means you need to ensure your giftee knows how to handle maintaining the variegation. Otherwise, it’ll revert back to a normal deliciosa.