The Best Potted Plants for Father’s Day

Father’s Day is fast approaching. With this special day comes the opportunity to show your dad, grandfather or father figure just how much you appreciate him.

This year, why not look to do so while breaking free from conventional or expected gifts?

You’ve given ties galore. His kitchen cabinets are awash in “World’s Best Dad” coffee mugs. Tools and kit accessories? Been there, done that. You might have even spent hours online or in stores selecting these items, trying to match your dad’s personality with fun and functional pieces he both wants and needs.

This yearly effort of finding Dad the right Father’s Day gift shouldn’t cause headaches — or worse, break the bank. A potted plant for Father’s Day is a simple and thoughtful gift you’ll both enjoy.

We’ve got you covered in picking potted plants Dad will love, and you will love giving, all with the help of a few expert tips and tricks.

The best gifts in life show thoughtfulness and attention to detail, as well as hold a little charm and character. The range, variety and versatility of potted plants, combined with the warm-weathered timing of Father’s Day, means you’ll have no problem finding a plant befitting your dad’s personality and lifestyle.

Guarantee you’re making the best choice with these tips for picking potted plants for dads and father figures. By asking yourself these questions and considering these key plant features, you’ll have the right potted plant selected in no time.

Plants are a lot like people: No two are the same, and each brings a different persona and presence to a room or landscape.

Considerwhat kind of plant details your dad would find appealing. Does he like quirky, outside-the-box plant types, the kinds you don’t often see in other homes? Or would he prefer something classic and minimalist, a more decorative ornament to match seamlessly with a current room’s aesthetic?

What about the size and scale of the plant? Should it be larger than life, a room’s focal point that captures attention as soon as you enter? Or, perhaps, something more subtle —a small potted plant that sits on a table or desk, rather than a freestanding one?

Matching your dad’s personality with his potted plant shows all the care and consideration you’ve invested — which, after all, is the heart of any great gift.

Each potted plant comes with different care and maintenance needs, with one of the largest — and most obvious — being a watering schedule.

Take into account how often your dad will need to water the plant type, and if this routine fits his green-thumb proficiencies. Most indoor potted plants won’t require watering more than once a week, with some species like peace lilies or bromeliads needing even less. Still others require sensitive watering techniques, such as misting or “bottom-up” watering. This method requires soaking the base of a pot and letting the roots do the hydration work, rather than directly watering the plant or potting soil.

What’s more, some plants need rainwater to thrive, and will wither under regular tap water. Ensure you know the exact watering needs of your plant for Father’s Day.

Similar to watering, understand the light preferences of your selected potted plant. Hanging or “air plants” typically require the least amount of direct sunlight, while other varieties like ficus trees and crotons need high, direct concentrations of it.

When in doubt, consult the personnel at your local plant nursery on the differences between low, medium and high light. Opt for plants that seem the most versatile and hardy, and will be convenient for your dad to place wherever he likes.

Know the rate at which your plant gift will grow, and what size you can expect it to be once it’s reached maturity. If a plant needs occasional trimming and pruning, does your dad have tools on hand to do so, and is it a comfortable and reasonable task? Some plants, like orchids, might also need stakes to aid in stalk strength and proper upright growth. These types of plants will require oversight and maintenance as well, for your gift to reach its full potential.

Consider if your dad would prefer an indoor or outdoor potted plant. Placement is a huge element in a plant’s overall maintenance needs, as its position contributes to many of the watering, sunlight and maintenance variables described above.

Location restrictions will also help you determine the right size for your selected plant, whether it will be large and freestanding or better suited for a desk or table adornment. You may even have a final location in mind where the plant can rest, helping guide your overall selection and top off the perfect potted plant for your dad.

With so many potted plants available in nurseries today, it can seem overwhelming to select the right one. Yet the sheer diversity in size, shape, color, blooms and flowering types mean you won’t get stuck at the end with a dull or expected gift — and you certainly won’t be stifled in the selection process.

We’ve listed some dad-approved favorites below, as well as their general maintenance and any care quirks. This is only a sampling of the vast and distinct potted plants for Father’s Day you can choose. Remember to have a little fun, and your plant gift for Father’s Day is sure to be a reflection of this.

Bonsai

The bonsai tree has an elegance and exotic look that’s truly one of a kind. Don’t let the name fool you! These “trees” come in a range of shapes and mature-growth heights, with popular indoor varieties barely reaching above two feet.

Bonsai trees prefer more humid environments with higher temperatures and ample sunlight. Place them next to bright windows your dad will open periodically, as bonsai trees thrive on the fresh air and direct sun rays.

Dad will love the unique shape of a bonsai and the conversations that will no doubt stem from it. They work well in almost any room, both as decorations and standout features.

Money Tree

Money trees are another excellent plant choice for Father’s Day. These low-maintenance plantings carry a distinct look due to their knotted, dark stems, which grow up and weave together to form its trunk-like base.

This braided trunk features bright green, oval leaves that are hardy and durable. Money trees prefer indirect sunlight and require minimal watering once a week, or as the potted soil starts to feel dry. At their healthiest, these plants can grow two to four feet high, but transplant easily to larger pots.

Fiddle-Leaf Fig

Another standout potted plant pick for Father’s Day is the fiddle-leaf fig, a lush, tall, single-stem planting with broad, textured leaves. Fiddle-leafs make an excellent choice if you know your dad would enjoy a more substantial houseplant, as these can grow upwards of six feet tall and make an eye-catching room ornament.

Fiddle-leaf figs need regular waterings for their soil to maintain consistent and optimal moisture. They don’t need an excessive amount of light, though — just what a home, apartment or office space naturally provides.

Crotons

The colorful and vibrant croton is a houseplant staple. Its leaves grow in a palette of warm shades —rich greens, bright yellows and deep scarlets — that enliven any area where it’s placed.

If your dad is new to plant care, or you’re looking to keep things safe and simple, crotons are one of the best potted plants for Dad. Their leaf shape and variety add an eclectic twist to your gift. The plant will thrive in open, sunny parts of a house or apartment. Regularly watering to keep topsoil damp, as well as occasional leaf and stem mistings, will have crotons in their best possible shape.

Don’t worry if these potted plants seem to lose leaves or look thin and frail early on. It’s natural — albeit a little alarming — after transplanting for crotons to drop leaves. With proper watering and healthy doses of light, they will rejuvenate as colorful as ever.

Peace Lily

Considered “clean-air” plants, peace lilies do indeed filter your home’s air while growing their distinct, pearly white flowers. They’re a mid-sized potted plant with deep, dark evergreen stems and leaves that are hardy and forgiving. Water a peace lily pot only when the leaves begin to droop, and keep in a corner or area of a room that doesn’t receive too much light, as they prefer shade.

For an extra pro tip, gift your dad a younger peace lily that hasn’t bloomed any white “bract” flowers yet. These plants can last for years with multiple flowering cycles. They’re even known to bloom more than once in the same calendar year.

Terrariums

What’s a cooler gift than an encased terrarium, brimming with plants and succulents of various shapes and sizes? Terrariums serve as a unique potted-plant environment all their own, and you can mix and match plants for indoor or outdoor decoration.

Popular terrariums often combine flowering plants with shrubs, grasses, vines and even cactus for a diverse and creative look. Terrariums also come in a range of sizes, from single-plant, mason-jar hanging containers to more classic-style, glass-and-metal encasings holding numerous plant varieties. You can even buy illuminated glass terrariums to bathe your plants in soft golden light at night.

The Patuxent Nursery is Maryland’s largest plant nursery and garden center. We bring local, regional and exotic potted plants across dozens of varieties to our cozy backyard in Bowie, Md., with quality and customer service that aren’t just buzzwords — they’re promises.

Visit our Bowie store today to see why we earned a spot among the Top 100 Garden Centers in the nation.

Whether you’ve got a single, brand-new plant bulb or a thriving transplant with a few hardy years to its name, picking potted plants for Father’s Day is only the first step. You also have to keep that plant healthy until the big day.

This task can be daunting, especially if you’ve selected a plant variety well in advance of Father’s Day and have to nurture it yourself. What’s more, how do you care for a plant even you’re unfamiliar with or a series of plants with varying maintenance demands?

Follow these steps and tricks to preserve your Father’s Day plant correctly, and make your list of gift-day worries a little shorter.

• Set a watering schedule, and stick to it. Research and learn the best watering schedule for the potted plant you’ve selected. Whether it’s watering once a week from a small watering can, misting leaves every day from a sprayer or doing a bottom-up soak, it’s imperative you nail the hydration of your dad’s soon-to-be new plant. Set a reminder on your phone or computer calendar, and also be on the lookout for what kind of water type your plant prefers.
• Prune wilted or dead leaves. Young plants straight from nurseries should rarely — if ever — contain wilted leaves. Over time, however, leaf loss is inevitable and even natural for some potted plants, especially as they transition through seasonal cycles or need pruning to prompt new growth. If caring for a plant before giving it as a gift, keep an eye out and address small-scale wilting. Trimming and pruning will not only enhance the look of your overall plant, but prevent harmful bacterial rot.
• Avoid drafts and extreme temperatures. Similar to light amounts, match your potted plant’s ideal temperature with where you place and care for it. Avoid spots with changing drafts or temperature shifts, including near windows and on windowsills. Even for potted plant varieties that prefer lots of direct sunlight, take care to note these spots don’t simultaneously receive regular temperature variations. Many people conflate plants that need lots of light with plants that need warmer temperatures, and this isn’t always the case.
• Rotate your pots. Rotate your pot every two to three days with a simple half-turn. Since plants tend to bend toward light, this keeps vertical growths straight and even, as well as causes less strain on central stalks. Also, note the direction your house’s sunlight comes from and where windows face. South-facing windows get more sunlight than north-facing ones, while east and west windows will be more varied. Observe the light amounts coming through any east- or west-facing windows in your home when tending to your plant gift, and place the pots accordingly.
• Mist leaves. Misting leaves helps keep them crisp and refreshed. For extra misting power, use water low in minerals, or “soft” water, while avoiding water from the tap — especially on freshly cut plants. Keep the water at room temperature and aim to mist in the morning, removing the plant from direct sunlight during application and for a brief period while leaves soak.
• Use plant feed. All-purpose houseplant feeds and fertilizers are a great way to boost the natural nutrients of potted plants. Because there’s only so much soil for root systems to extract from, you want to maintain what’s there and keep the underlying dirt as dark and nutritious as possible. Opt for small-batch natural or organic liquid fertilizers or pellet feeds, and use only one-fourth of the contents on young pots. Apply lightly, about once a month for these young plants, or every two weeks if the plant is older. Take care to safely store any leftover fertilizer, especially if you live with children or pets.
• Consider a humidifier. If Father’s Day is a ways off, consider purchasing or placing a humidifier near the potted plant. Similar to misting, this will surround the plant with much-needed moisture without introducing harsh temperatures or sunlight changes. Many plants thrive in indoor air that’s 30 to 40 percent humid, especially in winter. You can also create a humidifier-like effect by placing gravelly rocks or stones at the bottom of a plant pot. These rocks trap water for slow and steady extraction by plant roots.