Emily takes a look into her Crystal ball to spot what plant trends we will all be following for Christmas 2024
Last year the John Lewis advert made the humble Venus fly trap the most sought after Christmas plant for 2023. That one ad led to a ten fold increase in the sales of Venus fly traps in shops and garden centres across the UK. In fact, demand far outstripped supply, and Venus fly traps in particular and carnivorous plants in general were out of stock in many places right through until July. Now that's an extreme example, but with Christmas 2024 just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to try and predict what we think will be the top sellers for us and other garden retailers this festive season.
Seasonal flowering planters are always one of our best sellers. We expect them to be more popular than ever as customers look for thoughtful and affordable ways to gift this Christmas
White Poinsettias - Will they outstrip sales of the more traditional Red for the first time?
Poinsettias in every shape and size are always popular for Christmas, and we've seen an increase in sales of the more unusual varieties year on year for many years. Last year at Plants4Presents HQ, we sold out of white Poinsettias by the middle of December. It's only the end of October as I write this, but currently sales of white Poinsettia are outstripping red in our standard size by 10 to 1 so my money is on white Poinsettias being the most popular colour for the first time this year.
Spreading the cost of Christmas
Because we offer next day delivery at Plants4Presents the vast majority of our customers order nearer to Christmas; however, those that are more organised are starting to order earlier than ever before. We already have a number of Christmas orders booked for deliveries in the run up to the big day, which is quite unusual for us. Of course it's been a tricky year for many of us, juggling outgoings and the increases in the cost of living, so we think that more people are trying to spread the cost of Christmas by ordering earlier.
Thoughtful gifting
For both economical and environmental reasons, we think people in general are taking more time and consideration when gifting. Perhaps giving fewer gifts but spending more time choosing the right gift that will be really appreciated. This year we've noticed more people clubbing together to buy larger teacher gifts, for example, rather than a token mug or box of chocolates from every family. We think this trend will continue at Christmas, with family members and friends clubbing together to buy meaningful or requested presents; not only to ensure their money is well spent but also because there is a movement away from more 'stuff'. We love to see customers making more environmentally friendly choices and choosing plants that last over throwaway gifts and consumables.
White Poinsettias
A modern twist on the traditional red, our Sussex-grown White Poinsettias are available in standard table top and extra large sizes. We expect these plants to sell out quickly; order now for delivery from early December
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Festive Planters
Seasonal planters are a fun and affordable way to send Christmas wishes. Perfect for doorsteps, porches, and windowsills, our seasonal planters can be pre-ordered in advance and will be freshly planted for delivery nearer Christmas
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Plant Gift Sets
Lemon Tree and gin gift sets make thoughtful present ideas. Perfect for a person who has always wanted to grow their own lemons, or if you are clubbing together to buy a memorable gift for a special friend or family member
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Cymbidium Orchids
Cymbidiums are known as the King of Orchids. As tall, flowering houseplants, these prized orchids will be a welcome gift to plant collectors and houseplant appreciators, bringing exotic colour to a home right through the winter
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Zebra Planters
Zebra Planters with an easy-to-care-for Spider Plant make funky houseplants gifts for children and young gardeners. Great for bedroom desks or windowsills, you can kickstart your child or grandchild's interest in growing and nurturing plants
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Satin Pothos
With excellent air purifying properties, Satin Pothos plants grow stems to trail down or train up a moss pole. These houseplants look right on trend in urban living spaces and will thrive in a range of light conditions
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Flowering houseplants on the rise
Green houseplants sales peaked in lockdown, but many of those who got the houseplant bug are now branching out into more unusual foliage plants as well as flowering plants. Tropical Frangipani plants were one of our surprise bestsellers this summer, reflecting an interest in more unusual and special plants for the house. The wet and cold summer also seems to have encouraged people to focus on their indoor gardens, so we expect festive indoor plants like Christmas Cactus, Stephanotis, and more unusual Bromeliads and Cymbidium orchids to prove popular this Christmas.
Plants for Kids
Gardening is a hobby that can span generations, offering an escape from the fast-paced, digital world we live in. School gardening clubs and community planting schemes continue to shine a light on the mental health benefits both of encouraging children and young people out into the garden to grow and to play, as well as learning the nurturing skills of looking after houseplants. We know from our own young family that children enjoy growing plants that they can eat and see the results of field-to-fork growing, so plants such as Chillies and Calamondins are ideal for budding gardeners this Christmas. Plants that are fast growing, such as funky Spider Plants or Banana Plants, help to keep their attentions long into the new year.
Just remember that if you are buying with children in mind, it’s always wise to check that a plant will not do any harm if accidentally eaten by curious young minds! You can read a list of toxic plants here.
Hanging Plants
Trailing houseplants have grown in popularity over the past few years, and our figures show that they’ll continue to be a go-to plant for modern homes and urban spaces throughout 2025. Hanging plants are often favoured for smaller spaces as they don’t have to take up floor space, so we expect to see trailing plants such as Satin Pothos styled over mantlepieces, or Tradescantia trained up moss poles as a great space-saving home décor idea. These types of houseplants are usually quite low maintenance and generally easy to care for, so they are a great gift for the less than green fingered!What will you be buying for the home or gifting this year? And what would you like to see more of?
At Plants4Presents we're still a small family run business, and we're still madly in love with plants in all shapes and sizes. If there is a plant you think we should sell or a trick you think we are missing, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us an email or pick up the phone, as they say feedback is a gift!
