Many people like to give live plants to their mothers for Mother’s Day so I did a little looking into it to see what the most common plants are to give this time of year.  Not a surprise I found carnation as the most popular cut flower. Did you know that you can also grow carnations in the flower garden?

Carnation is actually a species of Dianthus that will grow in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9. The plant prefers cooler summers so it would be best planted in an area that gets morning sun and shade during the hottest part of the day. In nature they bloom in the summer, so they won’t be blooming on Mother’s Day if planted in the garden now.

However, hydrangea plants are also on the list of plants to give on Mother’s Day and they usually begin blooming in May, depending on the species. The Hydrangea macrophylla or big leaf hydrangea is the one most common given and it comes in an array of different colors. The flowers may change color depending on the acidity of the soil, with blue flowers being common in soils with a pH between 5.0 and 5.5 and pink flowers being more common in soils with a higher pH (6.0 – 6.5). They also grow best when planted in dappled or light shade.

There are lots of other plants that can be given as gifts of appreciation on Mother’s Day. I do think however the best plant to give is one that will grow perfectly in each mother’s garden. They’re all different so pick what works best for her green space.