I Love Gifting Plants for the Holidays—Here Are 5 of My Favorites You Can Buy Online

This is Obsessed: my weekly column devoted to sharing all the things I'm loving right now—from unique food and gift ideas to travel destinations and beauty products—plus some tips and tricks for living your best life.

Most of us have been spending more time at home this year, and one thing that's brought me joy is having plants around. Not only do they give me something to care for (even if most of mine are easy-care plants), but they're also really beautiful to look at. I've accumulated an average of one new houseplant a month during the COVID pandemic, and I don't regret my plant-lady lifestyle at all. In fact, I'll be gifting some of my favorite plants to my loved ones this holiday season to spread some much-needed cheer.

Here are five of my favorites—plus where to buy them (and why I love them so much).

Succulents are the perfect houseplant for anyone who lacks a green thumb. If you ignore them or forget to water them, they'll thrive—which is perfect for new plant parents! This pack comes with 11 baby succulents in 2-inch pots, so you have a few options: You could gift them individually in mini terracotta pots (like these ones from Amazon, $17), or group them together in a larger pot like I did. These would make the perfect gift for teachers, neighbors or friends.

While plants can't clean your house for you (ugh, I wish!), they can clean the air in your home. This 3-pack of air-purifying houseplants is perfect for anyone who loves to keep their space tidy or just wants to breathe a little easier in 2021. 

Many people say orchids are finicky and tough to care for, but I couldn't disagree more. I have two of these "just add ice" orchids in my living room next to a bright window, and they are thriving! Their colorful purple blooms bring me so much joy, and I love that I just have to add three ice cubes to each container once a week. Easy, peasy!

The Monster Adansonii (also called the Swiss cheese plant, because of its uniquely shaped leaves) is one of the easier plants to care for. Bonus: It can tolerate low light (perfect for winter when there's not as much sun!). I love the idea of pairing this with a face-shaped planter (like this one, $20) to make it look like its "hair." 

Money plants are the cutest little houseplants, but they can be hard to find in plant stores. I love their fun, pancake-shaped leaves and mine has doubled in size since I bought it. Receiving a money plant is said to bring good luck and fortune. Plus, they're a gift that keeps on giving! Money plants are easy to propagate, so you can "spread the wealth" once you have a few new plants of your own. 

Jaime Milan is EatingWell's digital editor for all things newsy and trending. She's always on the hunt for the latest and greatest things to share with EatingWell's readers. In her spare time, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, tackling home projects with her husband or taking pics of her very photogenic American Eskimo Dog, Grits. Follow her on Instagram at @jaimemmilan.