A houseplant is the perfect Christmas gift. In these dark Covid days, it adds yet more colour and interest to the home and acts as a tonic when things are getting you down or you’re depressed by working from home.

The health benefits of plants are well known. Every week, my inbox tells me of yet more studies on this. They show that plants help to reduce stress, fatigue, and can even reduce blood pressure and lower heart rate.

Patients in hospital feel calmer and are in a better place to recover. There’s no doubt caring for plants is therapeutic and encourages a positive outlook. So house plants are a must, especially if you live in a flat.

If you’re adding a plant to your Christmas shopping list try to visit a garden centre or nursery where plants will have been kept at the correct temperature and with the right light levels. In a supermarket they may have been put close to draughty doors or are poorly lit.

Choose a healthy, well-looked after one and check there are growing details if your friend isn’t an expert. Try to buy plants on the point of flowering rather than in full bloom as the show might not last over the Christmas period. And if buying online ensure someone will be available to receive the parcel: tropical plants don’t appreciate being left on a chilly doorstep.

Most importantly, be sure your choice will bring pleasure, not pain to your friend. Many houseplants require a lot of care and attention including fairly precise growing conditions.

A plant originating in a tropical rainforest copes best in a humid shady place while a desert species looks for warm, bright conditions. If your recipient is new to houseplants, choose an easy-going, forgiving plant and luckily quite a few take neglect in their stride.

I suppose you could choose a plant that offers a fine Christmas show and is then thrown out after the festivities. Florist Cyclamen Cyclamen persicum and Paper white narcissus, Narcissus papyraceus, rarely keep going afterwards. But COP26 has highlighted the fragility of life on the planet, so should we treat living plants with such little respect?

Much better to give a more robust house plant that takes different growing conditions and a short spell of drought in its stride. The spider plant, Chlorphytum comosum, fits the bill, looking great suspended like a hanging basket in a cool or warm room. And the African violet, Saintpaulia, flowers beautifully in a slightly humid atmosphere. Aspidistra elatio, is even less demanding.

There’s no shortage of popular candidates, but you could track down a more unusual specimen such as Pilea peperomoides. This is a truly delightful easy little plant, taking up very little space. The round, fleshy leaves are a wee bit different to more run of the mill foliage. As an added bonus, this Pilea is perfectly safe for grazing pets and little children keen to forage behind your back.

Most house plants are safe for pets, but a few are poisonous and cause stomach upsets or worse. They include: Dracaena, Peace Lilly, Amaryllis, hyacinths, and Dieffenbachia species. Check this out if you’re worried.

And a word of caution. Some house plants can be very demanding. The Paper flower Bouganvillea glabra is a space hungry climber needing support and requires a sunny, humid place like a conservatory. And everyone loves the thought of a Citrus tree, but it must also have a sunny, well lit south-facing room or conservatory. It needs natural warmth from the sun, not drying central heating.

At the other extreme, a fine Weeping fig Ficus Benjamina, requires filtered light or shade and won’t tolerate draughts.

Plant of the week

Maidenhair fern Adiantum raddianum ‘Fragrantissimum’ has prettily divided leaves growing on arching, wiry, black stems. Needs a humid atmosphere so best in a bathroom or large terrarium.

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