Modest sympathy plant for coworker who lost her mom
January 28, 2020 7:39 AM Subscribe
One of my employees mother passed away relatively unexpectedly and a group of employees at my job were getting together to pool some money to get her some flowers for her desk (I believe HR will send flowers to the funeral), a card and a visa gift card. Since I am her manager but also a personal friend, I wanted to also get her something as well. I know for me the best gifts were living plants, and she has a lot of indoor plants and takes good care of them.
Here's what I was thinking:
Something modest (not huge, can easily carry around)
Something non-poisonous to dogs / toddler friendly
Something that isn't difficult to take care of (i.e. NO Bonsai trees)
In the range of $20-$50
Something that can potentially survive indoor / outdoor weather in North Texas
Something I can get in the next few days from a local florist or nursery
Other details: her style is mid-century modern with a mix of desert / Americana
Any ideas or am I over thinking this? I want to be sensitive to what she's going through and not add another burden to her life, something that would bring her joy maybe... I had a recent loss and my house plants I received mean a lot to me but not sure if that brings comfort to most other people. Thoughts? An alternative ideas would be helpful as well
Thank you!
Here's what I was thinking:
Something modest (not huge, can easily carry around)
Something non-poisonous to dogs / toddler friendly
Something that isn't difficult to take care of (i.e. NO Bonsai trees)
In the range of $20-$50
Something that can potentially survive indoor / outdoor weather in North Texas
Something I can get in the next few days from a local florist or nursery
Other details: her style is mid-century modern with a mix of desert / Americana
Any ideas or am I over thinking this? I want to be sensitive to what she's going through and not add another burden to her life, something that would bring her joy maybe... I had a recent loss and my house plants I received mean a lot to me but not sure if that brings comfort to most other people. Thoughts? An alternative ideas would be helpful as well
Thank you!
Peace lilies seem pretty popular as condolence gifts. They do have some mild toxicity, though (link). I was also thinking a zz plant could be good, but they have the same toxicity issue (link).
For plants that seem pretty reliably non-toxic, how about: Boston fern, parlour palm, or ponytail palm.
This is a kind gesture from you. I have also received plants as condolence gifts and appreciated them.
posted by wicked_sassy at 7:52 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
For plants that seem pretty reliably non-toxic, how about: Boston fern, parlour palm, or ponytail palm.
This is a kind gesture from you. I have also received plants as condolence gifts and appreciated them.
posted by wicked_sassy at 7:52 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
She might already have a snake plant, but I’m terrible with plants and yet this one has not just survived, but thrived, in my dog-friendly household. This advisory notes that it can cause stomach upset in dogs, but my dog has never gone near mine—unlike some plants that are toxic, this plant doesn’t shed leaves or have dangling bits a dog or cat would be interested in nudging.
posted by sallybrown at 7:55 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by sallybrown at 7:55 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
Orchids. They bloom under stress (which for them is usually cooler night time temperatures) and I like that sentiment for a gift in trying times. Specifically, a cymbidium would be a good choice for indoor/outdoor. Some people thing orchids are tricky but I’ve found they often thrive being ignored.
posted by lovableiago at 7:55 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by lovableiago at 7:55 AM on January 28, 2020 [3 favorites]
Maybe a nice aloe. Spiky but full of healing, suitable for deserts, not that fussy.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:06 AM on January 28, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:06 AM on January 28, 2020 [6 favorites]
I received a great many plants when a family member of mine passed away, and the one I loved the most was the Ponytail Palm. It was easy to keep alive and looked very impressive with very little work. Non-toxic to pets.
posted by juniperesque at 8:25 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by juniperesque at 8:25 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
Rosemary.
posted by emelenjr at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by emelenjr at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
I love Jade plants.
Or you could go with a cactus arrangement something like this
posted by Ftsqg at 10:17 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
Or you could go with a cactus arrangement something like this
posted by Ftsqg at 10:17 AM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you know that she already has and enjoys a number of plants, this is probably a pretty safe gift.
Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus lobbianus) or goldfish plant (Aeschynanthus speciosus) are non-toxic and fairly durable (though I have managed to kill an A. lobbianus before). Availability might be a problem, as would transportation. (I've mostly seen them sold as hanging baskets, which are harder to transport, though a flower shop ought to be able to handle that if they're delivering one.) I'm also not sure how well they would work as an outdoor plant, and they're not very deserty, but they flower, so maybe that cancels out?
Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) would be a good choice: not toxic, durable, good for indoor/outdoor, deserty, potentially very long-lived. Because they are fairly slow-growing, you might have trouble finding a decent-sized plant in your price range; most of the ones I've seen for sale have been multiple plants sharing a 4-inch or smaller pot, though your area may be different. They will eventually become large enough to be difficult to carry around, but not in the price range you're considering.
Jade plants (Crassula ovata) are non-toxic, durable, widely available, deserty, work well as an indoor-outdoor plant, and are potentially very long-lived. I don't very often see them for sale in your price range (usually they're smaller/cheaper), but a flower shop might have one that's suitable. They're a common beginner plant, so your employee might well already have one.
Gardenia works on all counts except ease of care (they're actually really fussy) and desert-appropriateness. That said, I know of people growing them outside in summers in (north) Texas, so they might be easier for your employee than most people.
Orchids might work well; it's been my experience that people are either orchid people (who find orchids fairly unproblematic to care for) or they are not orchid people (who cannot make orchids happy no matter what they do; I am not an orchid person), so it would be helpful to know whether she has any orchids already. They are non-toxic, and should be easy to find in your price range. Not very deserty.
Most true palms[1] are non-toxic, though there are several species in commerce and they are not all equally easy to grow. Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a common beginner plant, which is pretty widely sold. Metallic palm (C. metallica) is less likely to be available, but just as easy and maybe a little more interesting. Lady palms (Rhapis spp.) are fantastic plants when you can find one, and would be a very good choice for this situation, in my opinion. Not very deserty, but potentially very long-lived.
The more succulent Peperomias (especially P. clusiifolia or P. obtusifolia) are pretty commonly sold, non-toxic, and easy. Finding specimens of the size/price you're considering might be more challenging. Not particularly deserty. Don't know about indoor/outdoor growing.
Stromanthe sanguinea varieties (especially 'Triostar' and 'Magicstar') are fairly easy to grow, colorful, and likely to be available in your price range. Less certain about indoor/outdoor suitability, and they're not desert plants at all, but everything else checks out.
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[1] Lots of plants have "palm" in the common name even though they are not actually palms, e.g. ponytail palm (Beaucarnea, Madagascar palm (Pachypodium), cardboard palm (Zamia), sago palm (Cycas)). The last three of those are toxic; the last two are especially toxic to dogs. Hence specifying true palms, from the family Arecaceae.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 10:20 AM on January 28, 2020 [5 favorites]
Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus lobbianus) or goldfish plant (Aeschynanthus speciosus) are non-toxic and fairly durable (though I have managed to kill an A. lobbianus before). Availability might be a problem, as would transportation. (I've mostly seen them sold as hanging baskets, which are harder to transport, though a flower shop ought to be able to handle that if they're delivering one.) I'm also not sure how well they would work as an outdoor plant, and they're not very deserty, but they flower, so maybe that cancels out?
Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) would be a good choice: not toxic, durable, good for indoor/outdoor, deserty, potentially very long-lived. Because they are fairly slow-growing, you might have trouble finding a decent-sized plant in your price range; most of the ones I've seen for sale have been multiple plants sharing a 4-inch or smaller pot, though your area may be different. They will eventually become large enough to be difficult to carry around, but not in the price range you're considering.
Jade plants (Crassula ovata) are non-toxic, durable, widely available, deserty, work well as an indoor-outdoor plant, and are potentially very long-lived. I don't very often see them for sale in your price range (usually they're smaller/cheaper), but a flower shop might have one that's suitable. They're a common beginner plant, so your employee might well already have one.
Gardenia works on all counts except ease of care (they're actually really fussy) and desert-appropriateness. That said, I know of people growing them outside in summers in (north) Texas, so they might be easier for your employee than most people.
Orchids might work well; it's been my experience that people are either orchid people (who find orchids fairly unproblematic to care for) or they are not orchid people (who cannot make orchids happy no matter what they do; I am not an orchid person), so it would be helpful to know whether she has any orchids already. They are non-toxic, and should be easy to find in your price range. Not very deserty.
Most true palms[1] are non-toxic, though there are several species in commerce and they are not all equally easy to grow. Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a common beginner plant, which is pretty widely sold. Metallic palm (C. metallica) is less likely to be available, but just as easy and maybe a little more interesting. Lady palms (Rhapis spp.) are fantastic plants when you can find one, and would be a very good choice for this situation, in my opinion. Not very deserty, but potentially very long-lived.
The more succulent Peperomias (especially P. clusiifolia or P. obtusifolia) are pretty commonly sold, non-toxic, and easy. Finding specimens of the size/price you're considering might be more challenging. Not particularly deserty. Don't know about indoor/outdoor growing.
Stromanthe sanguinea varieties (especially 'Triostar' and 'Magicstar') are fairly easy to grow, colorful, and likely to be available in your price range. Less certain about indoor/outdoor suitability, and they're not desert plants at all, but everything else checks out.
-
[1] Lots of plants have "palm" in the common name even though they are not actually palms, e.g. ponytail palm (Beaucarnea, Madagascar palm (Pachypodium), cardboard palm (Zamia), sago palm (Cycas)). The last three of those are toxic; the last two are especially toxic to dogs. Hence specifying true palms, from the family Arecaceae.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 10:20 AM on January 28, 2020 [5 favorites]
Norfolk Island Pines are so pretty and relatively easy to care for - and commonly found in various sizes.
posted by j810c at 2:48 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by j810c at 2:48 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
I think a nice bromeliad would fit your specifications.
posted by fancyoats at 4:38 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by fancyoats at 4:38 PM on January 28, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you everyone!
With these suggestions I went to a local house plant nursery looking for some of these options but speaking with a lady there recommended a Calathea plant (i.e. "Rattlesnake"). Aesthetically it seemed up her alley and she really liked it when I gave it to her this morning. Thank you for the direction!
posted by hillabeans at 10:26 AM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
With these suggestions I went to a local house plant nursery looking for some of these options but speaking with a lady there recommended a Calathea plant (i.e. "Rattlesnake"). Aesthetically it seemed up her alley and she really liked it when I gave it to her this morning. Thank you for the direction!
posted by hillabeans at 10:26 AM on January 29, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
I know this is kicking the can down the road, but would it be possible for you to go to a nursery and ask them? They will have a good idea of what will fit the bill. For example, this looks nice from a place nearby your profile location. This place also would be really helpful.
posted by quadrilaterals at 7:52 AM on January 28, 2020 [2 favorites]