This Mother’s Day, as we celebrate all we value and love about moms, we're noticing that nature often reflects the traits that we find most endearing (and enduring) in the mothers in our lives.
Whether it's the bright and cheery blooms of our Mother's Day plant of the year, SunBelievable® Brown Eyed Girl Helianthus, or the steadfast strength and enduring beauty of a beloved tree, like Black Tulip™ Magnolia, nature has a remarkable way of reminding us to pause and appreciate the incredible strength, vibrancy, resiliency, and grace of the amazing moms in our lives.
Here are our top ten Mother's Day plants, all with a distinct mom-like characteristic. Which one best reflects all the different mothers in your life? Use this creative list to inspire you to give your most thoughtful and lasting Mother's Day gifts ever this year.
Ready to bring the perfect plant home to mom? Look for these and hundreds of other craftsmen-grown options in the classic green pot at your local retailer.
Top 10 Mother's Day Plants for Every Mom in Your Life
1. Lively
Give mom a SunBelievable® day! Alive and vibrant, SunBelievable® Brown Eyed Girl Helianthus is always “on”. It brings smiles and joy to the garden and, as a cut flower, to the kitchen too! Mass for a happy garden moment, and add to containers to keep things looking fabulous from spring until fall. Annual.
2. Graceful
Spectacular in spring when dripping with millennial-pink-hued blooms. Double Weeping Rosebud Cherry’s tree form mirrors Mom’s enduring grace and elegance throughout the year. Use as a focal point or in pairs flanking a walkway. A lovely slow-growing tree that can reach up to 20' tall and wide. Deciduous. Zones 3–8.
3. Steadfast
A tree, like a mom, is the backbone and centerpiece around which all else comes to thrive. Black Tulip™ Magnolia is a show-stopping, spring-blooming tree that is both elegant and showy. The big, dramatic deep-pink blooms cover the tree in early spring. Tops out at just 20’ tall, 10' wide. Deciduous. Zones 5–9.
4. Soulful
No other flower evokes so many shared memories of love, beauty, and celebration than a rose–the perfect Mom tribute. Grace N’ Grit™ Red Shrub Rose is one of a series that is fuss-free in the garden, thanks to their outstanding disease resistance and non-stop bloom from summer through fall. Plus, they make fantastic cut flowers! Up to 5' tall, 4' wide. Zones 4–9.
5. Elegant
The legendary fragrance of large white blooms makes gardenias as stylish and elegant as a strong and confident mom. Give First Love® Gardenia (Grafted) to the mom who delights in the finer things. It blooms earlier than most gardenias, and thrives in less-than-perfect soils and conditions thanks to the fact that it's expertly grafted onto superior rootstock. Up to 8' tall, 6' wide. Zones 8–11.
6. Protective
Perfectly yin-yang combo of tumbling waves of tender, deep-purple blooms. Just like a mom, protective "don't mess with me" thorns. Purple Queen® Bougainvillea is an ideal privacy screen for fences or arbors and looks fantastic in containers. Up to 15' tall with support; 2' tall, 8' wide unsupported. Zones 10–11, or as annual.
7. Glamorous
Just as some moms are larger than life, this peony's giant, semi-double to double lavender-pink blooms turn spring gardens into an EVENT. Keiko™ (Adored) Itoh Peony is a gorgeous and hardy itoh peony, which is a cross between herbaceous and tree peonies. Up to 20" tall and wide. Zones 4–8.
8. Unflappable
Just like a mom, no amount of drama stops VIBE® Ignition Purple Salvia from doing its thing. In this case, heat, drought, and humidity. Masses of flowers throughout summer make this ideal for a waterwise border. Up to 24" tall and wide Zones 7–11. Need something hardy down to zone 5? Dark Matter™ and Apex™ Sage are both fantastic and fuss-free cold-hardy options.
9. Nurturing
Moms naturally connect with the rhythm of nature. Bountiful Blue® Blueberry feeds us with the biggest, sweetest summer berries. It also feeds spring pollinators who feast on the nectar-rich blooms. A compact and well-behaved blueberry that's great in containers. Up to 4' tall and wide. Zones 6–10.
10. Playful
With glittering plumes that have the look of spun sugar, Plumetastic® Pink Muhly Grass is a showstopper that, like Mom, draws everyone in with its twinkle and shine. We love this massed for an early fall wow. Up to 3' tall and wide. Zones 7–10. Need something hardy down to zone 5? Try Karley Rose Fountain Grass.
Learn More About Using Plants in Meaningful Ways
- The Meaning of Flowers: Use these flowers to share your feelings
- Captivating Foliage and Flowers for Your Perennial Cutting Garden
- Romantic Plant IDeas for Valentine's Day
- "Shades of Beautiful" garden color guide
- Perfecting the Art of Plant Combinations
- Guide to easy and colorful plants
- Using Layers to Wow in a Low-Water Shade Garden
- Create an Enchanting Garden Where the Whole Family Can Play
- Rare and Unique Flowers for Collectors
- Grow Gifts: Perfect plants for the people you love
- Your Gift Guide for the Truly Hard-To-Shop-For
- Find large, healthy Monrovia plants at your local Monrovia retailer.
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