Gifting a token of appreciation to employees and business clients makes them feel valued. But aren’t traditional presents like mugs and candles a bit of a passe? If you feel that way, you can embrace the latest trend of corporate plant gifts to convey your care, gratitude, and sustainability mindset to clients, employees, and partners alike.

Plants enamor you with their beauty, green aesthetic appeal, and air-enhancing properties. They can be an excellent gift for employees to decorate their work station or start an indoor garden at home. Furthermore, gifting live houseplants can be the perfect way to strengthen important business partnerships. 

There are so many gorgeous indoor plant varieties to choose from that you may feel overwhelmed. So, read on to find the best corporate plant gift ideas for the right occasion.   

Why Live Plants Make the Perfect Corporate Gift 

Corporate gifting is essential for successful businesses, fostering positive relationships with clients, partners, and employees. It helps build good rapport, trust, and loyalty. Showing subordinates and business associates that they are valued and appreciated helps strengthen new and existing corporate and working relationships. 

Corporate gifts also boost brand visibility and reputation, and can easily make your company stand out from competitors. Businesses that prioritize corporate gifting and focus on carefully selected presents, be it to reward their outstanding management or to say ‘thank you’ to a generous sponsor, always gain returns on their thoughtful investment. 

On that note, giving plants as gifts is a relatively new way for companies to scale up their corporate gifting game. And for a good reason! After all, corporate plant gifts check all the boxes and more. Here’s why:

• Special meaning: Certain plants are symbolic, representing prosperity, good luck, success, friendship, and more. They’re also believed to bring a positive energy flow. Plants like the money tree, for instance, convey the message of wealth and fortune - much-desired in the corporate world.
• Sustainable gift: Unlike artifacts, made of plastic, a living plant is sustainable and eco-friendly. It brightens up homes and offices, adding a touch of nature to interior spaces. It also improves indoor air quality and humidity levels, showing your commitment to improving the environment.
• Long-lasting reminder: Old-school gifts like pens, branded t-shirts, mugs, candles, etc., are boring and forgettable. On the other hand, plant gifts are innovative, unique, and lasting reminders of appreciation and gratitude.
• Aesthetic appeal: Plants have an aesthetic appeal that livens up any space with different hues of green and other colors - bringing nature indoors. Besides offering stress-relieving benefits, boosting mood and improving focus, they can be great decorative elements on work desks, or on shelves in the home.

Employee Plant Gifts: Uplift Morale in a Sustainable Fashion

Gifting plants to employees is an impactful way to appreciate their hard work, excellent job performance, and loyalty. Plants boost morale and productivity by making your staff feel valued, which helps with employee retention.

New job plant gifts showcase the ethos of the company right in the beginning. They establish the existing culture of fostering good relationships in a sustainable, lasting way.  Being a reminder of your thoughtfulness and support, a new job gift uplifts the employee’s spirits during their onboarding. 

Employee plant gifting is also ideal for work anniversaries, corporate events, and holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving. You can present plants during employee offboarding processes and retirement parties, as well. Plants make great gifts for employee recognition while announcing promotions and achievements. 

11 Houseplants to Green up Your Corporate Gifting Strategy 

While selecting the right corporate gift plants, consider factors like the meaning you want to convey. Also, take into account the plant’s size and the level of care it requires. Aesthetically pleasing, low-maintenance, and affordable plants are often the ideal corporate gift that also stays within the company budget. Remember to pick plants that work for office spaces and the recipients’ homes alike. 

Here’s a list of popular corporate plant gift ideas, including indoor and outdoor varieties: 

1. Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata)

Meaning: Success, good luck, prosperity, friendship

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

The Jade Plant is an evergreen succulent with lush foliage. Its round leaves look like coins, and Feng Shui principles say it attracts fortune. Its sturdy trunk and leaf structure make it look like a mini tree. With proper care, it can last for 50+ years, showcasing endurance.

2. Money Tree (Pachira Aquatica)

Meaning: Financial luck, abundance, motivation, positivity

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Non-toxic

The tropical beauty - the Money Tree, is known for its stunning braided trunk and dense leaves. It’s also a Feng Shui symbol of prosperity and it is a great gift for a new client or employee. It thrives in bright but indirect light. This low-maintenance plant purifies air and promotes positive energy. 

3. Lucky Bamboo Plant (Dracaena Sanderiana)

Meaning: Good luck, wealth, stability, security

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to touch

The Lucky Bamboo gets its name from the slender stems resembling bamboo shoots, even though it’s a member of the water lily family. According to Feng Shui, it's believed to promote good energy and good fortune - becoming an excellent gift before new ventures.

4. Lemon Tree (Citrus Limon)

Meaning: Luck, abundance, longevity, healing, optimism

Care level: Moderate

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

Citrus plants are lucky plants for business, and Lemon Trees, in particular, bring good luck and abundance. As a popular corporate gift, they promote a sense of optimism, healing, good health, and positivity. They’re great for outdoor spaces like patios or balconies and sunny indoor spots.

5. Ficus Ginseng (Ficus Microcarpa 'Ginseng')

Meaning: Tranquility, harmony, patience, simplicity, unity, good luck, prosperity 

Care level: Moderate

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

The first thing you’ll notice about the Ficus Ginseng plant is its wide trunk and exposed roots. And the thick canopy can be shaped to fit any space. It’s a Feng Shui symbol of balance, good luck, and prosperity. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and regulates blood sugar.  

6. Rubber Plant (Ficus Elastica)

Meaning: Abundance, happiness, wealth, positivity

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

The Rubber Plant is a versatile plant that’s easy to maintain. Its glossy leaves and aerial roots give it a tropical vibe. Believed to bring prosperity and promote positive energy, this plant thrives in bright, indirect light. It’s an excellent gift to inspire creativity and convey wishes for growth. 

7. Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)

Meaning: Determination, success

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

The Amaryllis comes in a wide range of colors, like red, white, orange, yellow, pink, and purple. Every color represents a set of positive qualities. But in general, this flowering plant stands for success and determination. It’s a stunning addition to a work desk and requires minimum care.

8. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum Aureus)

Meaning: Ambitiousness, achievement, wealth, good luck

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

The Golden Pothos’ long vines signify shooting for the stars, making it a motivating gift for your employees and associates. It removes harmful air pollutants and can improve productivity. It’s also an excellent starter plant since it’s practically indestructible, earning it the nickname Devil's Ivy. 

9. Philodendron Pink Princess (Philodendron Erubescens 'Pink Princess')

Meaning: Health, abundance

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to touch

The Pink Princess Philodendron is a rare plant with breathtaking pink and green leaves. It can uplift any space with raw energy and beauty, inspiring creativity in the minds of your employees, clients, and partners. Philodendron plants are the perfect corporate gift for a new venture. 

10. Silver Dollar Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Pulverulenta ‘Baby Blue’)

Meaning: Prosperity, motivation, creativity, wealth

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Toxic to ingest

The Silver Dollar Eucalyptus can easily grow up to 30’ when placed outdoors, whereas it can reach 6’-10’ indoors. Its icy blue leaves make it a great choice for a green space with flowering plants. The scented leaves are also used in teas or drinks. Eucalyptus plants are great gifts of prosperity. 

11. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)

Meaning: Prosperity, abundance, wealth

Care level: Easy

Pet-friendliness: Non-toxic

According to Feng Shui, the Chinese Money Plant brings good fortune and wealth. This is mainly because the round leaves look like coins. The plant goes well with modern interiors and is perfect for workplaces where the decor is sleek and minimalistic. It’s a non-toxic and pet-friendly plant, so it can be an ideal corporate gift for people who have pets.

Conclusion 

There are many other plant options for corporate gift ideas, like snake plants, exotic palms, or gorgeous feathery ferns. When selecting your plant gifts, pay attention to the presentation and arrangement. Pretty plant pots, hanging planters, and plant gift baskets are perfect for professional settings.

Also, consider necessary customization options like engraved or branded, customized planters, and special greeting cards with a personalized message. Last but not least, you can also enhance your corporate gift by adding plant care instructions and guides.