If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that bringing plants into our home makes it a happier place. And who wouldn’t want that for their significant other?
Heart-shaped plants last longer than roses (and typically have a kinder environmental impact in how they are grown and shipped), and they will be a constant reminder to your Valentine of your love ― OK as long as your SO does all the right nurturing things to keep it healthy, which is kind of a metaphor for any relationship.
Most plant stores are still delivering or doing curbside pick-up, and if you’re short on cash, check out online neighbourhood groups and sites like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, where people often do plant exchanges or sell cuttings of their plants at low prices. Just be sure to take COVID safety precautions, such as arranging contactless pick-up and payment.
Below are some of our favourite heart-shaped plants, with basic care and keeping instructions. Offer them with love!
String of hearts
Easy to care for and robust, despite its delicate experience, this house plant comes in pinky-purple or various hues of green. It has beautiful marbled heart-shaped leaves that trail and grow rapidly. They don’t need a whole lot of watering, and they adapt well to different light conditions, even though they favour a brighter spot, without too much direct sunlight.
Flamingo lily
This tropical plant loves warmth and humidity and hates direct sunlight. Its flowers are bright and long-lasting, and while it’s slow to grow, it can reach 60 cm in height.
Ivy
It’s not the leaf shape that got this plant onto the Valentine’s list, it’s the way this plant can be lovingly cultivated on a heart-shaped frame. It’s important to let the soil dry out on the surface in between waterings, and to place the ivy in a spot where it will be flooded in light.
Watermelon peperomia
With markings just like the skin of the fruit from which it takes its name, the watermelon peperomia is really striking ― and weirdly delicious looking. DO NOT EAT IT! This plant should be given fertilizer once a month in spring and summer, and situated in a place with bright, indirect light. Make sure the soil has good drainage and be careful not to overwater.
Anthurium clarinervium
This plants sumptuous suede-textured leaves and striking vein pattern make it a bold and seductive Valentine’s gift. It prefers medium to bright indirect light and should be watered thoroughly, once the top inch or two of the soil are dry. Loves humidity!
Monstera deliciosa
Easy to grow and so on trend, this large-leafed plant will thrive indoors in a well–lit spot. Water it once a week and polish the eaves with a damp cloth. Removing dust unblocks its pores and helps it breathe and take in moisture.
Cupid Peperomia
This low-maintenance tropical plant, with dainty heart-shaped leaves, is an excellent choice for beginner plant owners. It needs a bright spot in your house, with indirect sunlight, and watering only when the soil becomes quite dry. This trailing plant looks great in a hanging basket.
The sweetheart plant
An easy-care tropical evergreen that thrives indoors, this heart-shaped fleshy-leaved plant needs bright, indirect light and should be watered sparingly (let the soil dry out a little between waterings, or the roots may rot). It prefers moderate to high humidity, so it will do especially well in bathrooms and kitchens.
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