With Mother’s Day here, it is time to think about what to get for Mom to tell her how much you care. Some mothers like fresh-cut flowers, some like house plants, some like succulents, and others might like something to plant in the yard. All of these kinds of flowers or plants have both a tradition and a reason for being a good choice.
Here are 12 options to consider when making a choice this year. Cut flowers are listed under the category traditionalist because these types of moms do not mind having an ephemeral arrangement. They expect the flowers not to last, but love having fresh flowers to add color and beauty to their homes. Earth Mothers like to get their hands in the dirt and make things grow. That is why garden plants are perfect for them. Succulents require a minimum of care, that is why they are great for the always on the go modern mom. And for those who live in an apartment, or have a small yard, there are beautiful house plants.
Traditionalist: Cut Flowers
1Roses
Classic and always a favorite, roses have a long history of being given to those we love. While red is the rose of passionate love, other colors have meaning as well. White roses symbolize a new beginning, yellow roses signify joy and friendship and pink roses express appreciation.
2Tulips
A harbinger of spring, tulips are often given to Mom to announce the arrival of sunnier days after a cold winter. Like roses, the color of tulips have meaning. Purple tulips are what to give when you want to treat Mom like a queen for a day!
3Irises
The state flower of Tennessee, they are not as common to give for Mother’s Day in other parts of the country, but perfect for here. According to Victorian flower meanings, the iris represents wisdom, courage and admiration.
Earth Mother: Garden Plant
4Rose Bush
Since roses are the eternal symbol of love, give Mom a live rose plant to put in the yard. They are beautiful and pretty hardy. Once they blossom, they can be clipped and brought inside to make a lovely floral arrangement.
5Azaleas
These are often given for Mother’s Day because they bloom at this time of year. Like the rose, they are relatively fuss-free with some food, water and a bit of dead heading. There are ten different types of azalea plant, and they come in colors from white to purple.
6Hydrangeas
A bit of a finicky plant, their flowers are very popular in dried arrangements. They need a bit of love and attention to get them going, but once they get situated, they come up every year. Soil acidity determines the color from almost white to deep purplish blue.
Modern Woman: Succulents
7Aloe Vera
Well-known because the gel inside the leaves serves as a skin soother, especially on sun burn, it has become a beloved house plant. Of the 300 species, Aloe barbadensis miller is the variety most often used as a house plant.
8Propeller Plant
Gray-green in color, from the top it looks a bit like a plane propeller, thus its name. Most succulents prefer outside, but this one likes the indoors and propagates well. As with all succulents, be careful not to get them cold or over water.
9Air Plant
Very trendy at the moment, air plants are spikey things that are frequently used in terrariums, another idea to give Mom. They actually like to grow on other plants, like small tree branches or moss, but not in soil. They do need to be watered once a week from the bottom.
Urbanite: House Plants
10Fiddle Leaf Fig
While this is “the plant” that interior designers have been in love with for the past several years, they are really, really sensitive to EVERYTHING. Make sure Mom is up for taking care of it. Once it finds a place to thrive, it doesn’t like to be moved. But it is too cool looking.
11Orchids
So delicate and beautiful. Ask before you buy. There are some that are pretty easy care, just water them and let them have the light they need. Others are pickier. A tropical plant, they are infused with the Hawaiian spirit of Aloha. That’s a kind of joyous living.
12Lavender
A flowering herb, it can be potted with other herbs inside or outside in the summer. The flowers are spikey purple with a soothing scent. It is used for everything from sachets to lotions to bath oils to cooking. Nothing better than lemon-lavender tea on a hot summer day.
