Sending flowers? Consider a plant as a gift instead

If you're sending a floral gift, you might be wondering: Flowers or plants?

Good question. Not all flowers have to be cut flowers. Remember that you can also send flowering houseplants, green plants and bedding/garden plants. In fact, outdoor bedding/garden plants account for 48 percent of all consumer spending on flowers and plants (cut flowers are 29 percent).

Basically, consider the recipient's tastes when contemplating a floral gift.

"If Mom is very high-fashion and elegant, you might want to go with a flowering plant like an orchid," said Tracy Benelli of ProFlowers.com. "They have a lot of style and tend to last a long time. Or consider, for example, a potted hydrangea. Mom can replant that, so it has a longer 'gift life,' so to speak."