10 Lovely Plants for Valentine's Day

By
Melissa Breyer
Black and white headshot
Melissa Breyer
Former Senior Editorial Director
  • Hunter College
  • F.I.T., State University of New York
  • Cornell University

Melissa Breyer is Treehugger’s former senior editorial director. Her writing and photography have been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, National Geographic, Audubon Magazine, and elsewhere.

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Updated September 15, 2021
hanging wire basket filled with string of pearls succulent near brick column outside

Treehugger / Sanja Kostic

Instead of fresh-cut flowers, give your valentine a potted houseplant that will thrive well beyond the winter season. If your partner is wooed by sweetly scented flowers, you might consider giving them aromatic star jasmine; if it’s visual beauty they crave, offer them a stunning bleeding heart. Whichever plant you choose for your loved one this Valentine’s Day, rest assured that it will be admired for far longer than a box of chocolates or standard bouquet of roses.

Here are 10 lovely plants for Valentine’s Day that will make your partner feel blissfully cared for.

Warning

Some of the plants on this list are toxic to pets. For more information about the safety of specific plants, consult the ASPCA's searchable database.

1
of 10

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)

Ten or so thumbnail-sized, bell-shaped white flowers hang from a green, arched stem of a lily of the valley plant

Julien Prieto / Getty Images

The sweet fragrance of its arched, white-flowering stems makes the lily of the valley a beautiful gift to give a loved one on Valentine’s Day. Lily of the valley performs well in a variety of soil conditions, including clay, and prefers cool climates and a lot of shade. Its attractively scented bell-shaped flowers are frequently used in making potpourri.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Part shade to full shade.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Moist, fertile, organically rich, and well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs.
2
of 10

Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides)

Dozens of small, pale-blue forget-me-not flowers surrounded by light green leaves
angela conrady / Getty Images

Consider giving your valentine a forget-me-not because, well, the name says it all. The aquatic perennial produces small, thumbnail-sized pale blue flowers with soft yellow centers. Forget-me-nots absolutely love lots of water, so be sure to keep the soil well-watered at all times.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Full sun to part shade.
  • Water: Medium to wet.
  • Soil: Organically rich and consistently moist to wet.
  • Pet Safety: Nontoxic to cats and dogs.
3
of 10

String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

string of pearls succulent plant in hanging wire basket in front of brick column outside

Treehugger / Sanja Kostic

For something out of the ordinary, gift your sweetheart a string of pearls houseplant. This good-looking, leafy vine features green, globular leaves that are reminiscent of peas and grows particularly well from hanging baskets. The leaves store a relatively large amount of water, so the roots should be allowed to dry before watering.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Full sun to part shade.
  • Water: Dry.
  • Soil: Sandy and well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs.
4
of 10

Persian Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)

Bright pink, heart-shaped petals of Persian cyclamen flowers stand tall in the light

jam343 / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

This beauty does double duty — not only are its leaves heart-shaped, but its rounded petals bring hearts to mind as well. As a houseplant, Persian cyclamen grow to be about eight inches tall, are easy to care for, and bloom for weeks. It takes plenty of patience to grow them from seed, however. Persian cyclamen should be planted in the late summer for an expected first bloom in the winter, 18 months later.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Partial shade.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Light, organically rich, and well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs.
5
of 10

Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

A cluster of small, star-shaped white flowers sit in front of a background of dark green leaves
Veena Nair / Getty Images

There are few better scents than that of star jasmine’s sweet fragrance wafting through the air. Given its sultry allure, there's little wonder why it is considered a powerful aphrodisiac by many. The woody perennial produces small, white flowers and does well when placed in partly shaded areas.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Full sun to part shade.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Nontoxic to cats and dogs.
6
of 10

Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)

Five pink bleeding heart flowers hang from an arched stem in front of a wooden board

paul-houle / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Nothing says, “I love you,” like the pink, heart-shaped flowers of a bleeding heart. A native to Japan and Siberia, the bleeding heart has a preference for shady locales and well-drained soils. Be careful not to water too much in the winter and, conversely, water too little in the summer.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Part shade to full shade.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs.
7
of 10

Common Myrtle (Myrtus communis)

White buds and intricate blooms of myrtle interspersed with green leaves

candiru / Flickr / Public Domain Mark 1.0

The sweetly scented, white flowers of the evergreen shrub common myrtle will make any friend or significant other feel loved and appreciated on Valentine’s Day. Mature plants can tolerate drought but prefer medium levels of moisture in well-drained soils. If you plan to cook at home for a romantic dinner, consider adding myrtle’s aromatic leaves and stems to charcoal when grilling meats.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Full sun to part shade.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Moderately fertile and well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Nontoxic to cats and dogs.
8
of 10

Common Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)

Tight clusters of pink, star-shaped hyacinth flowers rest atop sturdy green leaves

Ryan Somma / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

For those in the midst of an intense love affair, give your partner the dramatic common hyacinth flower. Noted for its powerful aroma and spiky flowers ranging in color from blue, pink, red, purple, and white, the hyacinth will delight any passionate lover. Keep in a sunny, south-facing window.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Full sun.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Organically rich and well-drained.
  • Pet Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs.
9
of 10

Heart-Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

Bright green heart-shaped leaves of the heart-leaf philodendron layer on one another in a white vase on a white table

Premyuda Yospin / Getty Images

This beautiful vine is often called the sweetheart plant because of its cute, heart-shaped leaves. Heart-leaf philodendrons are easy to care for and are perfectly at home in hanging baskets. When grown indoors with a trellis, heart-leaf philodendrons typically grow only about four feet tall. Philodendrons prefer bright, indirect light and a moderate amount of watering.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Partial shade.
  • Water: Medium.
  • Soil: Soil-based potting mix.
  • Pet Safety: Toxic to cats and dogs.
10
of 10

Venus's Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Light green stems shoot up out of a clay pot on a window sill and are topped-off with spotted, round leaves with small white spikes on the border

Deanna Kelly / Getty Images

Named after the Roman goddess of love and fertility, Venus's flytrap is most notable for its carnivorous means of obtaining nutrition. Venus's flytraps require a considerable amount of care and should only be kept by those with considerable gardening experience. When grown outdoors, they can be found in bog gardens, but conditions can be imitated in humidity-controlled terrariums.

Plant Care Tips

  • Light: Full sun to part shade.
  • Water: Wet.
  • Soil: Acidic, humusy, unfertilized, and mucky.
  • Pet Safety: Nontoxic to cats and dogs.
View Article Sources

  1. "Lily of the Valley." ASPCA.

  2. "Safe and Poisonous Garden Plants." University of California, Davis.

  3. "String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)." Wisconsin Horticulture.

  4. "Cyclamen." ASPCA.

  5. "Star Jasmine." ASPCA.

  6. "Bleeding Heart Plant Poisonous." Plant Care Today.

  7. "Myrtus communis." NC State Extension.

  8. "Hyacinth." ASCPA.

  9. "Heartleaf Philodendron." ASPCA.

  10. "Venus Flytrap." ASPCA.