Houseplant as housewarming gift ideas?

[Alpha Twit]

My sister is moving into a new house on the first of the month and I want to get her a little something as a housewarming gift. There's nothing of a practical nature that she particularly needs or wants so I thought about getting her a plant.

First of all, is this a bad idea?

Second, do you have any specific suggestions for me. What are you favorite attractive, robust and negligent tolerant plants? Her new house has a wonderful south-east facing bay window seat that has a row of ceiling hooks for hanging plants but of course it wouldn't have to go there.

Any thoughts?

[Sattua]

I certainly don't think it's a BAD idea. A person who loves plants will love it; a person who hates plants will love killing it. What's the down side?

Negligence-tolerant plants include cactuses (Christmas cactuses even bloom pretty colors), succulents, spider plants, and croton. Croton is the one with yellow, red, and orange striped leaves... they're really cool and really easygoing.

[otternell]

I think its a great idea, but I like plants.

Hoya are tough to kill and their blooms are wonderfully fragrant. They love to hang.
Tradescantia (Wandering Jew) are tough to kill and the foliage is a beautiful green with purple undersides.

African violets are tough to kill, but its hard as hell to keep them blooming, at least I've not been particularly successful, so while it will look great in the store, I'd recommend avoiding them.

[Alpha Twit]

Many thanks Sattua and otternell.

One other thing I should mention. She has three housecats that generally don't cause problems but I know that at least some plant are toxic to felines.

[Omar Little]

If she doesn't have plants or doesn't want to take care of a plant...I hope you don't mind watching it die.

How about a new "welcome mat" for her front door. Everyone that moves into a new place needs one of those.

Or a new shower liner. No one moves their old one with them.

[sandra_nz]

If you know she likes house plants, then this is a lovely idea.

[otternell]

This (http://www.cat-world.com.au/plants-a-other-chemicals-toxic) should be helpful in determining what is toxic for kitties.

Hoya is not! (also called an old fashioned wax plant)

[Chimera]

There are some possible down sides;

Plants poisonous to pets or children.
Plant allergies.
Person never home to take care of it.

If, for example, I had a cat that loved chewing on plants, and someone gave me a Lily, I could not accept it.

[Alpha Twit]

If you know she likes house plants, then this is a lovely idea.

I've seen one plant or another at her old house several times but almost never the same plant twice in a row (I think). I know nothing about houseplants so I couldn't guess how long any particular plant might live or what kind of care it requires. I'm guessing that she buys a plant that she likes, keeps it for a while and then either gives it away or discards it.

[ZipperJJ]

Have you considered getting a fake plant?

When I bought my house I was determined to get a ficus but found they were expensive. I finally found one that was a great deal and I still have it up, 5 years later.

There are a lot of beautiful fake plants out there. For me, it's something that I'd want to have in my house but not something I'd want to buy. YMMV.

[Monstera deliciosa]

I second the recommendation of a Hoya. (I came in to post just that, and found it already mentioned.) Attractive leaves, would love a southeast window, are forgiving of under-watering, and have interesting flowers. In general, a very good plant for someone who might like a plant or two, but is not really into fussing with them.

I would also warn against the Croton that was recommended, if your friend isn't really into plants. In 30+ years of houseplant growing, I've owned several, and the last word I'd use to describe them is "easygoing". They are prone to spider mites and mealybugs, need lots of sun to keep their color, and are very unforgiving if one forgets to water.

ETA: I wouldn't get a fake plant for anyone without checking first. Some people really loathe them, no matter how realistic. Even if a person wouldn't be thrilled with caring for a live plant in the long run, they can be treated sort of like a longer-lasting floral arrangement and tossed, with the excuse "I'm not really good with plants". An expensive fake plant one doesn't like might not be as easy to get rid of tactfully.

[Alpha Twit]

A pair of hoya to frame the window seat sounds like just the thing for her. The pictures I've found online look nice and they show up on otternell's non-toxic list so they seem like a winner.

Many thanks!

[meow meow]

When I go to a housewarming, I always like to do what Donna Reed did in "It's a Wonderful Life".

Bread... that this house may never know hunger.
[Mary hands a loaf of bread to Mrs. Martini]
Salt... that life may always have flavor.
[Mary hands a box of salt to Mrs. Martini]
George Bailey: And wine... that joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini Castle.
[George hands Mr. Martini a bottle of wine]

[SciFiSam]

When I go to a housewarming, I always like to do what Donna Reed did in "It's a Wonderful Life".

Bread... that this house may never know hunger.
[Mary hands a loaf of bread to Mrs. Martini]
Salt... that life may always have flavor.
[Mary hands a box of salt to Mrs. Martini]
George Bailey: And wine... that joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini Castle.
[George hands Mr. Martini a bottle of wine]

I like that.

I often give plants too, cactuses or succulents. Those are both very difficult to kill. Much better than an item which might not match their taste or colour scheme. TBH, I thought a houseplant was a traditional housewarming gift.

[Dogzilla]

I'm not a big fan of houseplants, but I can think of two things that might be cool.

1. Aloe, in the kitchen. Aloe is great for burns and my grandmother always kept a plant in the windowsill in her kitchen in case she burned herself. She'd snap off an end of the plant, apply the gooey stuff, and get back to cooking. I have several around my house for the same reason. (Awesome for sunburn.)

2. A little kitchen herb garden that can go in a windowsill. Then your friend can snip off bits of fresh herbs while in the middle of cooking. That's a gift that keeps on giving! You can often find little kits complete with soil, pots, and seeds, at places like Target. If the person isn't really a plant person, she can simply re-gift.

Another hot little tip: Twice now I have given friends little gardens in their yards. One was a butterfly garden with all pink flowers (at my friend's request). The other was an herb garden. I'd take my tools over to my friend's house, dig a little bed, plant a few things, and then leave my friend with instructions on how to take care of the garden. You can do this in a container as well, although large containers are quite expensive (unless you or your friend have something suitable laying around that could be repurposed, like a recycling bin or something). I'd strongly suggest, if you do something like this, that you choose native-to-your-area, drought-tolerant (in case they forget to water), perennials (bloom over and over each year so no replanting). If you go with that, you can create a low- or zero-maintenance garden that your friend will enjoy for years to come. It takes me the better part of the day and both times, my friend helped out with the digging, so we had a little bonding experience/quality time. Friends (and family) really appreciate the gift of time and sweat equity and every time they look out at their little garden, they think of their gardener friend who put it there. And I don't have to keep looking for new space to plant new things; I just commandeer someone else's yard.

[Shot From Guns]

I certainly don't think it's a BAD idea. A person who loves plants will love it; a person who hates plants will love killing it. What's the down side?

If it's someone who likes or is indifferent towards plants but terrible at caring for them, so you've now saddled them with something that they feel they have to care for, even if they don't want to, because it was a gift?

Twice now I have given friends little gardens in their yards. One was a butterfly garden with all pink flowers (at my friend's request). The other was an herb garden. I'd take my tools over to my friend's house, dig a little bed, plant a few things, and then leave my friend with instructions on how to take care of the garden. You can do this in a container as well, although large containers are quite expensive (unless you or your friend have something suitable laying around that could be repurposed, like a recycling bin or something). I'd strongly suggest, if you do something like this, that you choose native-to-your-area, drought-tolerant (in case they forget to water), perennials (bloom over and over each year so no replanting). If you go with that, you can create a low- or zero-maintenance garden that your friend will enjoy for years to come. It takes me the better part of the day and both times, my friend helped out with the digging, so we had a little bonding experience/quality time. Friends (and family) really appreciate the gift of time and sweat equity and every time they look out at their little garden, they think of their gardener friend who put it there. And I don't have to keep looking for new space to plant new things; I just commandeer someone else's yard.

This sounds totally awesome, if it's something the giftee would be up for. I can get a garden plot at my apartment (or I could put pots/boxes on my balcony), but I've just never found the motivation to get started. If I had a gardenish friend to help me set things up, that would be an amazing gift.

[SciFiSam]

I certainly don't think it's a BAD idea. A person who loves plants will love it; a person who hates plants will love killing it. What's the down side?

If it's someone who likes or is indifferent towards plants but terrible at caring for them, so you've now saddled them with something that they feel they have to care for, even if they don't want to, because it was a gift?


I'd agree about some plants, but a lot of succulents, including aloe vera as mentioned above, really don't need caring for - they just need a little water now and then (weekly's more than enough). There's a succulent on one of my indoor windowsills that got lost behind a curtain and completely forgotten about for months and months, and it's doing fine.

[Shot From Guns]

I'd agree about some plants, but a lot of succulents, including aloe vera as mentioned above, really don't need caring for - they just need a little water now and then (weekly's more than enough).

Trust me--even consistent weekly watering is beyond some people (I've been one of them; it's amazing that I still have any plants left at all). Being given a plant can be hugely stressful if you feel like you're going to fuck it up. (Compare this to someone like my mother, who started crying when her brother gave her a diamond bracelet for her birthday--not out of joy, but because she was freaking out because now she had this expensive piece of jewelry to keep track of.) It's not necessarily logical, but it's how some people react.

[SciFiSam]

I'd agree about some plants, but a lot of succulents, including aloe vera as mentioned above, really don't need caring for - they just need a little water now and then (weekly's more than enough).

Trust me--even consistent weekly watering is beyond some people (I've been one of them; it's amazing that I still have any plants left at all). Being given a plant can be hugely stressful if you feel like you're going to fuck it up. (Compare this to someone like my mother, who started crying when her brother gave her a diamond bracelet for her birthday--not out of joy, but because she was freaking out because now she had this expensive piece of jewelry to keep track of.) It's not necessarily logical, but it's how some people react.

But I said weekly's more than enough, and mine survived months with no water at all. (It's not the only one that's happened to, either).

I guess if someone's going to freak out over watering a plant every now and then, then this is probably something their friends will be aware of.

[Shot From Guns]

Do you have any friends who don't have any plants at all? Have you ever asked them why they don't have plants?

[monstro]

Easy houseplants:

Coleus. Beautiful and don't need a whole lot of light. Also, they just look pathetic if they don't get water. Only a heartless person would let that happen.

Spider plants. Really, they have to be the EASIEST plants in all the world. Don't need a lot of water, and a moderate amount of sunlight will do. Plus, they just look cool. If she's got any maternal genes in her, she'll love the little "babies" that grow.

Ficus plants are easy enough. I have a little ficus that I've let go with out watering for maybe a couple of weeks or even longer, and it's still thriving. But light is key.

Phyllodendrons. Love them. And they too are forgiving if you don't water them frequently. I have three of them hanging in my living room, and another one perched on a west-facing window sill with its "tendrils" spread across the wall. All of them are over three years old and I've gone through periods where I have totally neglected them.

Crotons are beautiful but need lots of water and light. I don't think they are that hard to care for; but you can't be forgetful about them either.

Ah, yes, SUCCULENTS! Jade plants, crassulas, and pencil plants are my favorites. They need almost no water and though they like light, they won't shrivel up and die if they don't get the brightest sunshine either.

Boston ferns are good too. But you've got to water those babies. They brown up real good if you don't.

It's a bit of a weirdo, but google Tillandia bulbosa. I bought one from a craft fair this May and everyone kept stopping me to ask me if it was a sculpture. It's a beautiful epiphyte; no soil needed. You just spray it with DI water twice or three times a week.

Don't forget Eucalyptus! Perched on the right window sill, they do quite well and they are so graceful. Plus, it will fill the home with its fragrance.

All the plants I named above co-exist with my cats, who do like to nibble on plants. I have found tricks to keep them away from my most beloved ones.

I'm a plant lover, but I'm also a flower pot enthusiast. My belief is that it's the container that really makes someone fall in love with a gifted plant. Don't just go to the nursery and pick out a plant. Put it in a nice colorful pot too. 'Cause maybe the plant will die, but at least she'll still have the pot. She can use it for another plant or just use it for decoration. Two gifts in one!

[ENugent]

I am terrible at keeping plants alive, and I have a lucky bamboo that's been going for two years now.

[Shot From Guns]

I've managed to kill bamboo. Twice.

The phyllodendron is still going, though, as is (sort of) some other larger potted plant someone gave me.

[Gala Matrix Fire]

I just gave friends a peace lily. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spathiphyllum) It's one of the best houseplants for removing impurities from the air, and it is very easy to care for. It will droop when it needs water.

[SciFiSam]

Do you have any friends who don't have any plants at all? Have you ever asked them why they don't have plants?

Yup - they mostly live in shared houses.

It would be really, really weird to ask someone why they don't have plants, but if the person were so utterly terrified at the idea of watering a plant once a month that a gift of such a plant would make them freak olut, then this is the sort of thing that would have come up in conversation.

Seriously - 'don't give a gift that most people would love or be at worst indifferent to because there's a tiny chance that the person has psychological issues with easy-care plants.' Only on the Dope! :D

[Shot From Guns]

The point is, a plant is easily something that could translate into being a burden rather than a gift. It's one thing to have Grandma Nancy give you some hideous ceramic cherub that you can chuck in a box for 11 months and 25 days out of the year and then haul out and throw up on the mantle when she visits. It's quite another when she gives you a plant that you have to maintain on a daily or weekly basis or otherwise explain what happened to it.

Let's be honest: When we give gifts, part of what we get back is the enjoyment of seeing the recipient enjoying it. If we give a gift and the recipient doesn't enjoy it, that can make us feel bad. So there's often a pressure on the recipient, to a greater or lesser degree, to at least pretend enthusiasm for the gift. So I hope you can see that it's not a ridiculous stretch for a plant to be a potential source of stress for someone who has no desire nor aptitude to care for one but would feel obligated to care for it simply because it was a gift. If that makes any sense. :D

[monstro]

The point is, a plant is easily something that could translate into being a burden rather than a gift. It's one thing to have Grandma Nancy give you some hideous ceramic cherub that you can chuck in a box for 11 months and 25 days out of the year and then haul out and throw up on the mantle when she visits. It's quite another when she gives you a plant that you have to maintain on a daily or weekly basis or otherwise explain what happened to it.


Most plant lovers, I think, will understand, "Oh that plant you gave me? I loved it dearly but I think I watered it too much." Or, "I don't think it had the right amount light." Or, "For some reason, it just died. Which made me sad because I loved it a lot!" I had to give that last excuse to a guy who gave me a plant during one of those workplace Christmas gift exchanges. I liked it and cared for it tenderly, but for some reason it just died. One day he asked about it and I told him the truth. His feelings didn't seem hurt at all.

I've got close to 50 plants growing in my house right now (shuddup, not those kinds of plants). Sometimes they just die, just like everything else.

That's why I recommend giving a cool flower pot to go with it. And I know someone who makes really cool (http://www.flickr.com/photos/colorwares/) ones (and would be happy to tell you how to make your own).

[ftg]

An aunt gave us a philodendron as a house warming gift. My mom has a brown thumb, nearly killed it and such, finally threw it out. I literally rescued it from the garbage can. I've made cuttings and such. FtGkid2 now has several.

That was 51 years ago.

Sometimes they do last.

[Shot From Guns]

I love all the people trying to argue logically with a mindset that isn't necessarily logical, with someone who doesn't even subscribe to it. I'm telling you that this is a thing that happens and you should consider taking it into account when gifting a plant. Whether you think it's silly or not, it's how some people think.

An aunt gave us a philodendron as a house warming gift. My mom has a brown thumb, nearly killed it and such, finally threw it out. I literally rescued it from the garbage can. I've made cuttings and such. FtGkid2 now has several.

That was 51 years ago.

Sometimes they do last.

Yeah, philodendrons are notoriously hard to kill. I've lost track of how many times I've brought mine back from the brink of death. If you're going to get anything for a non-planty person, I'd definitely suggest starting with this.

[SciFiSam]

The point is, a plant is easily something that could translate into being a burden rather than a gift. It's one thing to have Grandma Nancy give you some hideous ceramic cherub that you can chuck in a box for 11 months and 25 days out of the year and then haul out and throw up on the mantle when she visits. It's quite another when she gives you a plant that you have to maintain on a daily or weekly basis or otherwise explain what happened to it.

Let's be honest: When we give gifts, part of what we get back is the enjoyment of seeing the recipient enjoying it. If we give a gift and the recipient doesn't enjoy it, that can make us feel bad. So there's often a pressure on the recipient, to a greater or lesser degree, to at least pretend enthusiasm for the gift. So I hope you can see that it's not a ridiculous stretch for a plant to be a potential source of stress for someone who has no desire nor aptitude to care for one but would feel obligated to care for it simply because it was a gift. If that makes any sense. :D

But we're talking about plants that can't be killed - not by accident, anyway, though I wonder if the particular unwatered succulent of mine would even survive being doused in acid, it's so hardy. They wouldn't be obligated to care for it because there's no care involved; would anyone really consider 'pour dregs of glass of water over soil instead of down sink' to be 'caring for a plant?' How lazy would you have to be for that to count as effort?

Really, if someone is stressed out at the thought of doing that, then they should seek psychiatric help.

[Shot From Guns]

They wouldn't be obligated to care for it because there's no care involved; would anyone really consider 'pour dregs of glass of water over soil instead of down sink' to be 'caring for a plant?' How lazy would you have to be for that to count as effort?

It's not about the effort--it's about remembering to do it. Because you're someone who enjoys caring for plants, it's not something you think about. People who don't care will just forget... and forget... and forget... because it's not something they think about. I've managed to kill bamboo that's sitting on the counter in my kitchen, right by the sink. And not because I'm lazy, thanks, but because I just kept forgetting to look up at the damned plant.

And as I've explained, the stress isn't from caring for the plant. The stress is from the fact that if you fail to care for the plant, it will ruin the gift someone gave you and possibly disappoint them or otherwise hurt their feelings by being taken as a sign of disregard.

I'm not saying not to give plants as gifts. I'm just saying consider your audience. The idea of a gift, after all, is not to give something that you would enjoy, but something that the recipient would enjoy. And I'm telling you that there are people who would not enjoy the gift of a plant. It's not some affront to your tastes, simply an explanation of theirs.

[SciFiSam]

They wouldn't be obligated to care for it because there's no care involved; would anyone really consider 'pour dregs of glass of water over soil instead of down sink' to be 'caring for a plant?' How lazy would you have to be for that to count as effort?

It's not about the effort--it's about remembering to do it. Because you're someone who enjoys caring for plants, it's not something you think about. People who don't care will just forget... and forget... and forget... because it's not something they think about. I've managed to kill bamboo that's sitting on the counter in my kitchen, right by the sink. And not because I'm lazy, thanks, but because I just kept forgetting to look up at the damned plant.

And as I've explained, the stress isn't from caring for the plant. The stress is from the fact that if you fail to care for the plant, it will ruin the gift someone gave you and possibly disappoint them or otherwise hurt their feelings by being taken as a sign of disregard.

I'm not saying not to give plants as gifts. I'm just saying consider your audience. The idea of a gift, after all, is not to give something that you would enjoy, but something that the recipient would enjoy. And I'm telling you that there are people who would not enjoy the gift of a plant. It's not some affront to your tastes, simply an explanation of theirs.

Did you miss the bit where I forgot that I had a plant and didn't water it for months (possibly as much as a year)? Some succulents are unkillable.

If I thought someone wouldn't like a plant, then I wouldn't give one, but you're saying that people would be freaked out by it, not just dislike it. The vast majority of people would like a plant as long as it was very easy-care.

[grayhairedmomma]

In addition to putting the plant in a nice pot, you could also include something like an Aqua Globe (http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Globes-Watering-Bulbs-2-pk/dp/B0018KJWSW), which should keep the plant watered for two weeks at a stretch. This might help ease the stress of maintaining the plant. Plus, they're pretty.

[monstro]

I really don't see the big deal here. People give gifts to others ALL THE TIME that the giftee doesn't particularly care for or eventually ruin, lose, or regift. That's just the nature of gift-receiving. A gift-giver should know this. A giftee should know it too.

Stress is when your house is burning down or your toilet is overflowing. Not taking care of a single houseplant!

A beautiful plant helps make a place a home, so it's a perfect housewarming gift. Even if it doesn't make it past a week, at least for that week it will have made a positive impression. If it dies, so be it. I'm sure the OP will understand.

There are tricks people use to make it easier to take care of high-maintenance plants, and they're found all over the web. One thing that's worked for me is that instead of watering plants from the top, I set the pot in a shallow container and fill that up with water. The water will trickle up through the pot (if it has drain holes) and keep the soil moist. Depending on the humidity of the room and the thirstiness of the plant, you might not have to refill it but once a week. Fertilize maybe once or every other month, or just use those slow-release plant food thingies that I use (they look like pieces of chalk). It IS possible to just "set it and forget it" for some plants.

If the OP's sister can't handle those kind of responsibilities, then there's always aromatic candles. Do you remember the first aromatic candle you ever got? I sure don't.

[Shot From Guns]

A beautiful plant helps make a place a home, so it's a perfect housewarming gift.

And the fact that you hold this opinion to be a universal truth is why you will never understand why some people would hate to be gifted with a plant.

[Dunkelheit]

When I go to a housewarming, I always like to do what Donna Reed did in "It's a Wonderful Life".

Bread... that this house may never know hunger.
[Mary hands a loaf of bread to Mrs. Martini]
Salt... that life may always have flavor.
[Mary hands a box of salt to Mrs. Martini]
George Bailey: And wine... that joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini Castle.
[George hands Mr. Martini a bottle of wine]

This ^^^

Even nicer if it's homemade or artisan bread and all wrapped up in a nice basket or something. ;-) Maybe with some preserves or cheese or something, heh.

[monstro]

A beautiful plant helps make a place a home, so it's a perfect housewarming gift.

And the fact that you hold this opinion to be a universal truth is why you will never understand why some people would hate to be gifted with a plant.

And some people hate to be gifted anything, but others never seem to get the hint and still shower them with presents. How very rude of them. Some people just do not understand the burden of gifts. When will the madness end, I want to know.

I walk to and from home everyday. Just to keep myself occupied, I'll look at what people have in their window sills and porches. Off the top of my head, I'd say about 75% of the houses I walk past on my 3.5 mile route have some type of potted plantlife either on their porch, stoop, or visible through a window. And those are just counting the houses that have visible plantlife. I'm sure there are many others who have plants and I just can't see them.

Just about every office or cubicle in my building has a potted plant in it. Some people have virtual greenhouses going on in their workspaces!

I can't think of anything else as ubiqutuous as the potted plant.

The OP has a very slim chance of burdening his sister with something she doesn't like or can't take care of, IMHO. And if she doesn't like the gift, it will just go into the pile of other unwanted gifts she will no doubt receive over the course of her life. But chances are she will love the plant and especially the thought behind it.

You are making this out to be some major life decision when it is just a freakin' plant we're talking about.

[Shot From Guns]

You insist on giving people fruitcake every year for Christmas, too, don't you.

[amarinth]

From a post I made two years ago (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10459824&postcount=8) the coleus is still not dead, despite my considerable neglect (thanks twickster). And I've managed to kill phylodendron.

I've also found that those grocery store/Trader Joe/Costco orchids are surprisingly unkillable.

The one thing I would watch out for, make sure she has a place to put whatever you give her - I can't have hanging plants, there's no where to hang them from.

[Purple Scottie]

I personally do not like having houseplants and sadly when I got them as housewarming gifts I tried to keep them alive but they never survived.

When it's been a housewarming happy after I've moved to a new area, honestly, I've greatly appreciated small gift cards to places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond, or to a local restaurant so I don't have to worry about cooking during the unpacking stage. I personally like candles (not every one does) so I love those as well.

I'm gracious when any one gives me a gift for any reason.... but I really hope that I don't get plants (especially now that I have to worry about pets eating them).

[monstro]

You insist on giving people fruitcake every year for Christmas, too, don't you.

No, even though I actually like fruitcake as long as it's not dry and ancient. :)

But I think if everyone I knew seemed to like fruitcake and I saw them constantly eating it, it wouldn't worry too much about giving my own sister a fruitcake for a present. She might belong in the minority of people who do not like fruitcake, but housewarming gifts aren't really like birthday presents or Christmas gifts--personalized and specific to someone's expressed desires and wishes. They are given just to say, "Hey, I think this might be a cool addition to your home!"

I don't cook very often or ever host dinner parties, but my aunt once got me an expensive dinner set as a housewarming gift. I've made use of some of the things, but she'd probably be surprised at how many things are still wrapped up in plastic, completely unused. Honestly, I feel absolutely no guilt about this and if my aunt were offended to find me making partial use of her gifts, then I would worry about her sanity.

I'd much have rather had gotten a plant. But I'll take anything that's free--that's my motto!

[Steophan]

A beautiful plant helps make a place a home, so it's a perfect housewarming gift. And the fact that you hold this opinion to be a universal truth is why you will never understand why some people would hate to be gifted with a plant.
I wouldn't like a plant as a gift, simply because I've nowhere to put it. If I move somewhere larger, at some point I'd like houseplants, but if I were given them as a house warming gift, even the tiny amount of added stress on top of the stress of moving wouldn't be greatly welcome. Many other people will, of course, feel differently, but checking if your gift would be welcome is not a bad idea.

[monstro]

And the fact that you hold this opinion to be a universal truth is why you will never understand why some people would hate to be gifted with a plant.
I wouldn't like a plant as a gift, simply because I've nowhere to put it. If I move somewhere larger, at some point I'd like houseplants, but if I were given them as a house warming gift, even the tiny amount of added stress on top of the stress of moving wouldn't be greatly welcome. Many other people will, of course, feel differently, but checking if your gift would be welcome is not a bad idea.

How exactly does one do this?

"Hey, do you like plants? 'Cause I'm thinking about getting you one as a housewarming gift."

Seems to take the "surprise" out of the whole thing. But I guess if a plant might be a stressful thing to some people, it would be wise to do this.

[Shot From Guns]

I personally do not like having houseplants
I wouldn't like a plant as a gift, [...] even the tiny amount of added stress on top of the stress of moving wouldn't be greatly welcome.

You're clearly both insane and wrong. Everyone knows that everyone loves plants.

How exactly does one do this? "Hey, do you like plants? 'Cause I'm thinking about getting you one as a housewarming gift." Seems to take the "surprise" out of the whole thing.

Who says a housewarming gift needs to be a surprise? Or that it has to be a surprise on the day of the housewarming visit, as opposed to beforehand? And yes, I think that the question as phrased would be a perfectly acceptable way of checking.