Photo: ShutterstockLove is in the air and maybe you're looking for a way to show it. Valentine’s Day is the number one holiday for florist and floral purchases.
Eighty-four percent of the flowers purchased for Valentine’s Day are roses, and according to the Society of American Florists, 250 million roses are produced for the holiday.
If your client is looking for a romantic plant to proclaim their love and affection on Valentine’s Day but doesn’t want to go the traditional route with roses, there are some other options available.
Below are six plants that have either heart-shaped leaves or flowers that are a little more outside of the box. Some of the plants can be kept as houseplants and others are more of an investment that need to be planted in the landscape.
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Photo: ShutterstockSweetheart Hoya (Hoya kerrii)
A slow-growing semi-succulent plant that produces a heart-shaped leaf, these are often sold as a single-rooted leaf around Valentine’s Day. If properly cared for, over time it can become a mass of green hearts thriving in a hanging basket. It should be watered deeply and can get by with one or two waterings a month.
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 11a-11b
- Bright or indirect sunlight
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Photo: ShutterstockAnthurium (Anthurium spp.)
A genus of about 1,000 species, Anthurium goes by many common names including tailflower, flamingo flower and laceleaf. This exotic plant has glossy green leaves and spathes that are both heart-shaped. The plant should be watered regularly, but not overwatered, as it is susceptible to root rot. It should not be placed in direct sunlight as it will burn, but the absence of sunlight will cause it not to bloom.
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 10-11
- Moderate to medium indirect light
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Photo: Ball Horticultural CompanyDreamscape Purple Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum PAS1253283)
An annual with an upright habit and intense purple delicate flowers, Dreamscape Purple is specifically bred to deliver the best outdoor performance of any cyclamen. Cyclamen grow opposite of most plants, growing from the end of fall until spring. It can grow 6 to 9 inches tall and 9 to 13 inches wide.
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-11
- Part sun to shade
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Photo: Courtesy of Proven Winners – www.provenwinners.com.Edgy Hearts Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Horheart’ USPP 22,368)
A bicolor hydrangea, the Edgy Hearts hydrangea blooms in the summer with almost heart-shaped petals of bright pink edged in white. The plant can be used in mixed borders or cutting gardens. Its blooms are found on old wood, so wait until after flowering to shape and do not prune severely. Grows 2 to 4 feet tall and wide.
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9
- Part sun to shade
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Photo: Courtesy of Proven Winners – www.provenwinners.com.Valentine Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart (Valentine Dicentra spectabilis ‘Hordival’ USPP 22,739)
The Valentine cultivar of bleeding heart has the classic look of the plant but with red flowers. This woodland perennial attracts both bees and hummingbirds. It can be used as a border plant or in mass plantings and blooms in the spring. It grows 28 to 30 inches tall and wide
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
- Part shade to shade
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Photo: Courtesy of Proven Winners – www.provenwinners.com.Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black
A sweet potato vine that works well in the landscape as an annual groundcover or in containers as a spiller, this variety has dark purple heart-shaped leaves that appear almost black. It is heat tolerant and deadheading is not necessary. It grows 6 to 16 inches tall and 20 to 36 inches wide.
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 11a-11b
- Part sun to sun
