Mother's Day Plant Gifts Ireland: Flowering, Fragrant & Lasting Plants
The best Mother's Day plant gifts in Ireland are flowering and fragrant plants that keep giving long after a bouquet would have faded: an anthurium with glossy heart-shaped blooms, a white-flowering peace lily, a fragrant calamondin or lemon tree, or an olive tree, the ancient symbol of peace, friendship and long life. For a mum who loves her garden, a star jasmine or clematis planted in March will flower for many summers. Mother's Day in Ireland is Sunday 7 March 2027. For more ideas, see our indoor plant gifts guide and our full range of plant gifts.
Ireland celebrates Mother's Day on Mothering Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, so the date moves each year with Easter. In 2027 it falls on Sunday 7 March, about two months earlier than the American Mother's Day in May. It is the most common reason gifts ordered from abroad arrive late.
What is the best plant to give for Mother's Day in Ireland?
The best plant to give for Mother's Day in Ireland is an anthurium or a peace lily if she likes flowers indoors, a calamondin citrus if she loves scent and cooking, and a star jasmine if she lives in her garden. All four are long-lived, so the gift is still growing next Mother's Day and the one after.
Choose by her home and habits, not only by looks. A bright, warm living room suits an anthurium or citrus. A dimmer room, or a mum who forgets to water, suits a peace lily, which tells you when it is thirsty. The comparison table below matches each plant to the right recipient.
Which flowering houseplant makes the best Mother's Day gift?
The anthurium is the best flowering houseplant for Mother's Day, because its glossy heart-shaped blooms last for months in a bright, warm room. The peace lily is the best choice for lower light, because it flowers well even in the modest light of an Irish home.
Anthurium (flamingo flower)
The anthurium is native to Colombia and Ecuador. It wants bright indirect light and needs water when the top layer of compost dries. Keep away from pets that chew leaves. In a bright, warm Irish room it flowers for months, and its glossy heart-shaped blooms make it a long-lasting romantic gift: the obvious houseplant to say "I love you, Mam".
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
The peace lily grows naturally on the rainforest floors of tropical Central and South America. It likes low to medium indirect light, so it copes with a north-facing kitchen or a hallway. Keep the compost lightly moist: it droops visibly when thirsty and recovers within hours of watering, which makes it forgiving for a busy mum. Keep away from pets that chew leaves. Its white spathes return each year.
Browse more flowering plants for other colours and sizes.
Which fragrant plant is best for Mother's Day?
A citrus tree is the most fragrant Mother's Day houseplant we sell, because it carries scented white flowers and real fruit on the same plant. The calamondin, a small orange, and the lemon tree both suit a mum with a sunny kitchen or conservatory.
Calamondin and lemon (Citrus)
Citrus are cultivated hybrids of Asian origin; the calamondin (Citrus × microcarpa) comes from the Philippines and southern China. Give them full sun, the brightest window in the house, or a sheltered patio in summer. Keep the compost evenly moist but never let the pot sit in water. In Ireland, a citrus spends the summer outdoors and comes back indoors or into a cool, bright porch before the first frost. Keep away from pets that chew leaves. Fragrant white flowers and real fruit make it a gift she will use as well as admire.
Which plant symbolises love and a long life?
The olive tree is the plant most associated with long life: it is the ancient symbol of peace, friendship and long life, which makes it a meaningful Mother's Day gift for a mum, grandmother or mother-in-law. The money tree is traditionally given for good fortune and prosperity.
Olive tree (Olea europaea)
The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean basin. It needs full sun: the brightest window indoors, or a sheltered sunny patio in milder parts of Ireland. Let the compost dry slightly between waterings. Our olive tree care guide for Ireland explains when it can live outdoors.
Money tree (Pachira aquatica)
The money tree comes from the wetlands of Central and South America. It likes bright indirect light and needs water when the top few centimetres are dry. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA and is an easy, adaptable living-room plant. Traditionally given for good fortune and prosperity, its braided trunk makes it a lovely gift for a mum starting something new.
What is the easiest plant to give a mum who is new to houseplants?
The easiest plants for a mum who is new to houseplants are the parlour palm, the ZZ plant and the peace lily, because all three cope with lower light and the odd missed watering. If she has cats or dogs, choose the parlour palm or the peacock plant, which are both listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA.
Parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
From the rainforests of southern Mexico and Guatemala, the parlour palm grows in low to medium indirect light and needs water when the top few centimetres are dry. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA and is one of the best palms for a dim Irish flat: compact, forgiving and an easy first palm.
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ plant comes from eastern Africa, from Kenya to South Africa. It takes low to bright indirect light and needs water only every 2–3 weeks, because it stores water in thick underground rhizomes. Keep away from pets that chew leaves. It copes with dim hallways and missed waterings: the go-to plant for a busy mum.
Peacock plant (Calathea makoyana)
Calatheas come from the tropical Americas; C. makoyana is from eastern Brazil. It wants medium indirect light with no direct sun and evenly moist compost, ideally rain or filtered water. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA and loves the humidity of a kitchen or bathroom. Its painted leaves fold up at night.
See our low-maintenance indoor plants guide and the pet-safe plants collection for more.
What climbing plant makes a good Mother's Day gift for a gardener?
For a mum who loves her garden, star jasmine (Trachelospermum) is the best climbing gift for scent, clematis is the most reliable for colour, and wisteria is the long-term showpiece. Early March is a good time to plant hardy climbers in Ireland, so a Mother's Day climber can go straight into the ground.
- Star jasmine (Trachelospermum) is evergreen, with fragrant white summer flowers. Plant it beside a door, path or seat, where the scent will be noticed.
- Clematis is the easiest climber to get right. Clematis montana 'Grandiflora' covers a fence in white spring flowers; 'Rouge Cardinal' brings deep red later in summer. The rule for all clematis: shade the roots and let the top climb into the sun.
- Wisteria needs a sunny, sheltered wall and patience; expect several years before a first full display. Our wisteria care guide covers pruning.
- Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) is self-clinging and one of the few flowering climbers for a north-facing or shaded wall.
- English ivy (Hedera helix) is native to Europe, including Ireland, evergreen and hardy, and has long been a symbol of fidelity. It grows in shade to bright light. Keep away from pets that chew leaves.
Browse all climbing plants, or read the best climbing plants for your garden.
How do these Mother's Day plants compare?
| Plant | Latin name | Light | Watering | Pet-safe? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthurium | Anthurium | Bright indirect | When top layer dries | No, keep away from pets | A mum who loves flowers |
| Peace lily | Spathiphyllum | Low to medium indirect | Lightly moist | No, keep away from pets | Dimmer rooms, busy mums |
| Calamondin citrus | Citrus × microcarpa | Full sun | Evenly moist, never waterlogged | No, keep away from pets | Scent, cooks, sunny kitchens |
| Olive tree | Olea europaea | Full sun | Dry slightly between waterings | No claim made | Grandmothers, a symbol of long life |
| Money tree | Pachira aquatica | Bright indirect | When top few cm dry | Yes (ASPCA) | New beginnings, homes with pets |
| Parlour palm | Chamaedorea elegans | Low to medium indirect | When top few cm dry | Yes (ASPCA) | First-time plant owners |
| ZZ plant | Zamioculcas zamiifolia | Low to bright indirect | Every 2–3 weeks | No, keep away from pets | Forgetful waterers |
| Peacock plant | Calathea makoyana | Medium indirect, no direct sun | Evenly moist | Yes (ASPCA) | Kitchens, bathrooms, pet owners |
| Star jasmine | Trachelospermum | Outdoors: sun or part shade | Water well while establishing | No claim made | Gardeners who love scent |
| English ivy | Hedera helix | Shade to bright | Evenly moist | No, keep away from pets | Shaded walls, a symbol of fidelity |
When should I order a Mother's Day plant for delivery in Ireland?
Order your Mother's Day plant at least two weeks ahead, by Sunday 21 February 2027, for Mother's Day on Sunday 7 March 2027. Delivery is free to Ireland and 24 more EU countries, tracked, and usually takes 5–8 working days; delivery times can vary, so earlier is safer. If she lives elsewhere in Europe, check the local date: many countries celebrate Mother's Day in May, and our guide to sending plants across Europe explains delivery.
- A handwritten gift message is available on selected gift plants — you'll see the option on the product page. Our personalised plant gifts guide has message ideas.
- Plants that arrive damaged, diseased or in poor condition are replaced or refunded under our healthy-arrival guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Explore more plant gift guides
- Indoor plant gifts guide: houseplants to give for every occasion
- Easter plant gifts: spring plants for Easter Sunday, three weeks after Mother's Day
- Birthday plant gifts: plants matched to the person
- Plant gifts for plant lovers: for the mum who already has a houseplant jungle
- Pet-safe plants: non-toxic houseplants for cats and dogs
- Plant gifts and potted plant gifts ready to send
Leave a comment