How to Buy an Exotic Plant for Valentines Day

After so many Valentines Days adorned with so many long-stemmed red roses, you might have the feeling that it's time to shake things up. An exciting and romantic twist on the old Valentines gift is an exotic plant that looks, smells and even sounds like romance. Follow these steps to buy your Valentine an exotic plant for lovers day.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Think about your Valentine's caretaking ability. Exotic plants are as expensive as they are delicate. Before you go out and sink a wad of cash into an exotic plant think about how well your Valentine can take care of the plant. This will help determine what kind of plant you should get and how far down the exotic pathway you can go.

2. Start with a heartleaf. The heartleaf, otherwise known as the heartleaf philodendron, is a simple, easy to care for plant that bears heart shaped leaves that are perfect for Valentines Day. You can find the heartleaf in most well-stocked nurseries. The plant can take a lot of neglect, such as low light and a forgetful plant owner, so think about this plant as a good introductory exotic.

3. Consider outdoor exotics. If your Valentine has a yard and if you want to use a metaphor about your relationship "bearing fruit" (acceptable only on Valentine's Day), consider an outdoor plant. Some simple fruit trees such as an apple or lemon tree make nice, and somewhat ironic, Valentines gifts. Otherwise, look to "Fringed bleeding hearts" (Dicentra eximia), which bear pink heart shaped flowers that stick around for weeks.

4. Get one of the many "love" plants. The number of plants that include the word "love" in their name is astonishing. Buy one, or maybe even a few, of the plants to give your Valentine an organic poem. Consider "Love in a puff" (Cardiospermum halicacabum), "Love in a mist" (Nigella damascena) or the somewhat less cheery "Loves lies bleeding" (Amaranthus caudatus) to make a romantic impression on your lover with an exotic plant.