Which houseplants make great Valentine’s gifts? Let’s start with heart-shaped ones

By VERDA SUBZWARI
Associated Press

Looking for a last-minute gift for Valentine’s Day? One that’s sustainable, beautiful and meaningful? Consider a houseplant. They last longer than cut flowers. And there are many with heart-shaped leaves or flowers that have traditionally been associated with love.  Consider the hoya heart succulent, which looks like cute, plump, green hearts rising out of the soil. Or anthurium, often known as flamingo flower or laceleaf. It has waxy, heart-shaped leaves in bright colors, often red. Other houseplants convey cheerfulness or staying power. Gerbera’s cheerful, daisy-like blooms and velvety petals come in vibrant colors. Florists say other popular houseplants for Valentine’s Day include orchids, cyclamen and impatiens.