Plants That Express Love: 10 Most Romantic Houseplants For Valentine's Day

When it comes to romantic flowers and plants for Valentine's Day, a bouquet of red roses is almost always welcome. However, if you want to do something a little different for a change, consider giving your loved one an indoor plant instead of flowers that will soon wilt. Indoor plants that mean love will live on long past Valentine's Day. 

Here is our list of the 10 most romantic houseplants to consider giving your loved ones instead:

  • African violets - African violets produce jewel-colored blooms several times throughout the year. Look for unusual colors such as white, deep red, or dark pink edged in white. Be careful of too much intense sunlight, which will scorch the plant. African violets bloom best with eight hours of darkness every night.
  • Polka dot plant - Polka dot plant is a fun Valentine's Day gift. Who can resist leaves splashed, marbled, dotted, or blotched in various combinations such as green and white, green and red, pink and white, or pink and green? Bright, indirect light keeps the colors vibrant. Too much sun will fade the leaves, and shade will make the plant long and lanky.
  • Bird of paradise - Bird of paradise is a splashy, easy-to-grow plant with graceful, glossy leaves and blooms of deep purple or orange. This plant tolerates low light but thrives with a little extra sunlight. Its tropical flair makes bird of paradise one of the most romantic houseplants.
  • Philodendron - Heartleaf philodendron is also known as "the sweetheart plant," thanks to the big, heart-shaped leaves. This fast-growing philodendron plant is super simple to grow in a variety of conditions.
  • String of hearts - String of hearts looks fragile with delicate, heart-shaped leaves trailing on thin stems. When it comes to indoor plants that mean love, string of hearts is actually much tougher than it looks and requires very little attention.
  • Kalanchoe - Kalanchoe boasts paddle-shaped leaves edged with tinge of red, which intensifies in bright light. Growing this popular, interesting succulent isn't particularly complicated. 
  • Roses - Miniature roses, available in a variety of colors, including delicate shades of lavender, pink, and red, are a different way to express your love with roses.
  • Sweetheart plant - Hoya Sweetheart is a single, heart-shaped leaf of a succulent plant, usually gifted in an attractive ceramic pot or cup. Sweetheart plant remains attractive (and small) as long as you give it plenty of sun.
  • Cyclamen - Cyclamen plants are always available around the winter holidays, and the colorful blooms of lavender, pink, or red, are reminiscent of beautiful butterflies in flight. Some varieties have leaves with ruffles, stripes, or white edges.
  • Anthurium - Anthurium, with its waxy long-lasting, heart-shaped spathes of pink, white, or red, is definitely one of the most romantic houseplants.

While roses are always the old-fashioned standby for Valentine's Day, it never hurts to think outside the box and look for something different. There are many plants that express love and will be appreciated just as much.

Mary H. Dyer
Writer

A Credentialed Garden Writer, Mary H. Dyer was with Gardening Know How in the very beginning, publishing articles as early as 2007.