Best Plant Gifts to Send in Europe: A Buyer's Guide by Climate and Home
The best plant gift to send to someone elsewhere in Europe is one that suits their light and climate. For a sunny Mediterranean apartment in Spain, Italy, Portugal or Greece, choose an olive tree, ponytail palm or yucca. For a darker flat in northern Germany, the Netherlands, Poland or Scandinavia, choose a Kentia palm, ZZ plant or dragon tree. For a home with cats or dogs, choose a Calathea, parlour palm or money tree. This buyer's guide covers what to choose, with a comparison table at the end. For the practical steps of posting a plant abroad (addresses, timing, the 25 delivery countries), see our companion guide on how to send plants as gifts across Europe. For every occasion at home in Ireland, start with our indoor plant gifts guide.
The plants that suit a southern European balcony and those that suit a Hamburg flat often come from opposite kinds of habitat. The olive evolved in the sunny, dry-summer Mediterranean basin, and the ponytail palm in eastern Mexico, where its swollen base stores water. The Kentia palm grows naturally on Lord Howe Island off eastern Australia and tolerates fairly low light. The cast iron plant (Aspidistra), from the islands of southern Japan, tolerates deep shade. Match the plant's home habitat to the recipient's windows and you have done most of the work.
What is the best plant gift to send to someone in Europe?
The best plant gift for a European recipient is a sturdy foliage plant matched to the light in their home: sun-lovers for the south, shade-tolerant plants for the north, and pet-safe plants wherever there's a cat or dog. Before you choose, ask yourself three questions:
- How bright is their home? A south-facing Madrid apartment with shutters and a balcony is a completely different environment from a north-facing Altbau flat in Berlin with deep window reveals. When in doubt, assume less light than you think.
- Do they have pets? Several of the most popular houseplants (ZZ, snake plant, dragon tree, yucca, monstera, ficus) should be kept away from pets that chew leaves.
- How much time do they have? A busy professional or a first-time plant owner needs something that forgives a missed watering. A keen gardener might enjoy a plant with a little more personality.
Everything on this page is delivered free and tracked to Ireland and 24 more EU countries, usually in 5–8 working days. Our plant gifts collection has the full range.
What plant should you send to someone with a sunny Mediterranean apartment?
For a bright apartment or balcony in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece or the south of France, send an olive tree, a ponytail palm or a yucca. All three are sun-lovers that cope with dry summer heat and irregular watering, which is exactly what a shuttered southern flat offers.
Olive tree (Olea europaea): the meaningful Mediterranean gift
The olive is native to the Mediterranean basin. It wants full sun and should dry slightly between waterings. We make no pet-safety claim for the olive. In Ireland it needs the brightest window indoors, or a sheltered sunny patio in milder parts of the country. In Seville or Athens, a balcony is its natural home. It is the ancient symbol of peace, friendship and long life, so it suits a wedding, an anniversary or a new home, especially for a recipient with roots in the south. Our olive tree care guide covers pruning and winter care.
Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata): the sculptural, forgiving choice
The ponytail palm comes from eastern Mexico. It wants bright light, including some direct sun, and water only every 2–4 weeks, because its swollen base stores water. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. A sunny windowsill suits it perfectly, and it is almost impossible to kill by neglect. It is a quirky, sculptural gift for someone who travels a lot or forgets to water.
Yucca (Yucca elephantipes): bold and drought-tolerant
The spineless yucca comes from Mexico and Central America. It wants bright light with some direct sun, and should dry out between waterings. Keep it away from pets that chew leaves. It wants the brightest window in the house, so it is the wrong gift for a gloomy flat and a great one for a sun-filled living room. It is bold, drought-tolerant and very low maintenance.
For outdoor plants for southern terraces, see our Spanish balcony and terrace plant guide.
What plant suits a darker flat in northern Germany, the Netherlands, Poland or Scandinavia?
For a north-facing or low-light flat in Hamburg, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Copenhagen or Stockholm, send a Kentia palm, a ZZ plant or a dragon tree. The cast iron plant is a good choice for a truly dark hallway. These plants tolerate short winter days and the dry air of central heating, which are the two biggest challenges for houseplants in northern Europe (and in Ireland).
Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana): the elegant low-light palm
The Kentia palm is native to Lord Howe Island, off eastern Australia. It grows in bright indirect to fairly low light, tolerates a north-facing room, and wants water when the top 3–4cm of compost is dry, less in winter. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. It is one of the few palms that copes with cool rooms and short winter days. It is the classic Victorian parlour palm, elegant, slow-growing and long-lived, and a gift that grows old with the recipient. We have a dedicated Kentia palm collection.
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia): for busy people in dim flats
The ZZ plant is native to eastern Africa, from Kenya to South Africa. It takes low to bright indirect light and needs water every 2–3 weeks, storing water in thick underground rhizomes. Keep it away from pets that chew leaves. It copes with dim hallways and offices and with missed waterings. It is the go-to plant for busy people and first-time owners, which makes it an ideal gift for a student, a new graduate or someone starting a job abroad.
Dragon tree (Dracaena): made for centrally heated homes
Dragon trees and corn plants come from tropical Africa and Madagascar. They like medium to bright indirect light and want water when the top half of the compost is dry. Keep them away from pets that chew leaves. A dragon tree tolerates the dry air of centrally heated homes better than most, which matters in a Polish or Scandinavian flat where the heating runs for half the year. It is tall and structural, and makes an instant impact in a new home.
For the darkest hallway: the cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), from the islands of southern Japan, tolerates deep shade, needs water only sparingly and is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. It thrives in cold, dark hallways where little else survives, which is why it was a famously indestructible Victorian favourite. See our guide to the best low-light plants for dark rooms and the low-light plant collection.
What is the best plant gift for someone with cats or dogs?
The best plant gifts for a home with pets are the peacock plant (Calathea makoyana), the parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans) and the money tree (Pachira aquatica). All three are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA, as are the Kentia palm, ponytail palm and cast iron plant above.
Peacock plant (Calathea makoyana): painted leaves for a humid room
Calatheas come from the tropical Americas; C. makoyana is from eastern Brazil. It wants medium indirect light with no direct sun, and compost kept evenly moist, ideally with rain or filtered water. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. It loves the humidity of a bathroom or kitchen. Its painted, patterned leaves fold up at night, a small daily delight for someone who watches their plants closely. Being a softer-leaved tropical plant, it is best sent in spring or summer.
Parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans): the compact first palm
The parlour palm comes from the rainforests of southern Mexico and Guatemala. It grows in low to medium indirect light and wants water when the top few centimetres are dry. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. It is one of the best palms for a dim flat or office, and compact enough for a small city apartment in Paris or Brussels. It is compact and forgiving, an easy first palm.
Money tree (Pachira aquatica): a gift of good fortune
The money tree comes from the wetlands of Central and South America. It wants bright indirect light and water when the top few centimetres are dry. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. It is an easy, adaptable living-room plant. It is traditionally given for good fortune and prosperity, so it is a natural gift for a new job, a new business or a housewarming.
Our pet-safe houseplants guide and pet-safe plants collection have more options.
What should you send if you don't know the recipient's home?
If you don't know how bright the recipient's home is, send a snake plant or a ZZ plant, which both take anything from low to bright light. Or send a surprise box of mixed indoor plants, which lets them find the right spot for each one. The snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata, native to tropical West Africa) needs water every 2–4 weeks and commonly lives for decades. It is a safe pick when you don't know the recipient's light conditions, but keep it away from pets that chew leaves.
Our two surprise boxes are mixes of indoor plants selected by our growers, so the exact varieties vary from box to box. They make a generous gift for a plant lover, a new flat or a shared office. Because the mix varies, we don't make a pet-safety claim for the box as a whole.
How do the best European plant gifts compare?
This table sets every plant in this guide side by side, from the brightest southern balcony to the darkest northern hallway.
| Plant | Latin name | Light | Watering | Pet-safe? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olive tree | Olea europaea | Full sun | Dry slightly between waterings | No claim made | Mediterranean balcony; wedding or anniversary |
| Ponytail palm | Beaucarnea recurvata | Bright, some direct sun | Every 2–4 weeks | Yes (ASPCA) | Sunny flat; forgetful waterers |
| Yucca | Yucca elephantipes | Bright, some direct sun | Dry out between waterings | No, keep away from pets that chew | Sun-filled living room |
| Kentia palm | Howea forsteriana | Bright indirect to fairly low | When top 3–4cm is dry | Yes (ASPCA) | North-facing flat; homes with pets |
| ZZ plant | Zamioculcas zamiifolia | Low to bright indirect | Every 2–3 weeks | No, keep away from pets that chew | Students, first-time owners, offices |
| Dragon tree | Dracaena fragrans | Medium to bright indirect | When top half is dry | No, keep away from pets that chew | Centrally heated northern homes |
| Cast iron plant | Aspidistra elatior | Low, tolerates deep shade | Sparingly | Yes (ASPCA) | The darkest hallway |
| Peacock plant | Calathea makoyana | Medium indirect, no direct sun | Evenly moist | Yes (ASPCA) | Pet homes; bathrooms and kitchens |
| Parlour palm | Chamaedorea elegans | Low to medium indirect | When top few cm are dry | Yes (ASPCA) | Small city apartments with pets |
| Money tree | Pachira aquatica | Bright indirect | When top few cm are dry | Yes (ASPCA) | New job, new business, housewarming |
| Snake plant | Dracaena trifasciata | Low to bright | Every 2–4 weeks | No, keep away from pets that chew | When you don't know their light |
What should you check before buying a plant gift for delivery in Europe?
Before you buy a plant gift for someone in another EU country, check five things: that the seller actually delivers to the destination, what delivery costs, how long it takes, whether the plant is tracked, and what happens if it arrives damaged. Here is how PlantGift answers each one:
- Coverage: Ireland and 24 more EU countries, 25 in all, listed on our European delivery page.
- Cost: delivery is free to every one of the 25 destinations.
- Timing: usually 5–8 working days. Delivery times can vary, so order at least two weeks before an occasion, and by 10 December for Christmas.
- Tracking: every parcel is tracked, so you can check it has arrived before you ring.
- If something goes wrong: plants that arrive damaged, diseased or in poor condition are replaced or refunded under our healthy-arrival guarantee.
- Gift message: a handwritten gift message is available on selected gift plants — you'll see the option on the product page.
Choosing a plant that travels well matters as much as choosing the right seller. Our guide to sending plants across Europe explains which plants handle a few days in a box best. To understand why a living plant outlasts a bouquet, read why a plant is the best gift to send across Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Explore more plant gift guides
- Indoor plant gifts guide: the hub for every occasion and recipient
- How to send plants as gifts across Europe: addresses, timing and the 25 delivery countries
- Why a plant is the best gift to send across Europe: plants vs cut flowers
- Housewarming plant gifts: for a new home anywhere in Europe
- Plant gifts for plant lovers: for the recipient who already has a jungle
- Corporate plant gifts: for teams and clients across the EU
- Potted plant gifts ready to send and palm plants
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