Home & Garden Garden The Best Plant Delivery Services Make your home greener By Lisa Jo Rudy Lisa Jo Rudy Writer Wesleyan University (BA) Harvard University (MDiv) Lisa has been writing for Dotdash Meredith since 2005 and works with a wide range of educational publishers, conservation nonprofits, and research institutions. She has written for science museums, nature centers, zoos, and state parks. Learn about our editorial process Updated February 2, 2023 Share Twitter Pinterest Email Home & Garden Planting Guides Indoor Gardening Urban Farms Insects We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Treehugger / Design by Amelia Manley The 6 Best Plant Delivery Services Best Overall: The Bouqs Co. Most Philanthropic: Léon & George Best Succulents: Lula’s Garden Best Nursery: Lively Root Most Upscale: UrbanStems Best Community-Minded: Horti Eco-friendliness is tricky to ensure when you’re buying cut flowers online. It can be easier, though, when you’re buying plants. That’s especially the case when you opt for plant delivery services that pride themselves on selling only plants that are sustainably-sourced and organically-grown. Of course, no delivery service can be perfectly green: Transportation almost always involves the use of fossil fuels, and many plants require special cooling, heating, or misting systems in transit. In addition, plants that will go in the garden should be selected carefully to avoid introducing exotic or invasive species. Below we've rounded up the best plant delivery services, any one of which would be an environmentally-friendly choice. Best Overall: The Bouqs Co. Buy on Bouqs.com Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: In addition to its eco-friendly practices, The Bouqs Co. has taken a pledge to make political change. It is working to eliminate racism and increase diversity within the company, and set up a team to amplify diversity and inclusion. What We Like: Affordable pricingA variety of plant optionsEco-friendly practices What We Don’t Like: Delivery can be pricey The Bouqs Co. is a wildly popular flower and plant delivery service that offers reasonable prices, ongoing support for plant owners, and a wide variety of options. It works directly with eco-friendly farms that minimize waste, recycle water, and use sustainable growing practices. In addition to plants, The Bouqs Co. offers gorgeous bouquets, arrangements, wreaths, miniature trees, cacti, and subscription services that deliver your choice of flowers and plants on a regular basis. Choose two heart-shaped “desert love” cacti in adorable pots for about $49, or a set of three unique orchids for roughly $74. The Bouqs Co. encourages you to call with any issues that arise and for immediate replacement of a plant; you can also ask for help with any plant-related problems. Most Philanthropic: Léon & George Léon & George Buy on Leonandgeorge.com Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Buy a plant from the curated selection available at Léon & George, and you’ll help pay for the company’s selected initiatives with the National Forest Foundation, the Equal Justice Initiative, and National Public Radio. You’ll also support native, local nurseries. What We Like: Your purchase supports important nonprofit projectsYou’ll find support online as you care for your plants What We Don’t Like: Plant selections are limitedPots are quite pricey, and you can’t buy a plant without one Based in San Francisco, Léon & George tout a selection of premium plants and great service. All of its plants are grown in the U.S. in native climates, and the company personally meets with suppliers and designers "to learn best practices and set fair prices." The company offers a mid-size range of plants, from small to large, and prices range accordingly. The least expensive options start at about $44, with the most expensive in excess of roughly $599. Each piece of greenery comes in a beautiful planter, and the largest one has both a pot and a wooden pot stand. The best part: You can select the pot color and wood stain. Léon & George emphasizes its customer care, so after you make your purchase, you’ll have access to a “team of plant doctors” who are ready, willing, and able to help you keep your plants thriving. Best Succulents: Lula’s Garden Lula's Garden Buy on Lulasgarden.com Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: With every sale, Lula’s Garden sends a donation to water.org, where every garden sold provides six months of safe water to one person in a developing country. What We Like: Locally-sourced plantsLow-cost, low-impact packingEach purchase sends water to people in need What We Don’t Like: Only succulents and cacti soldPremium gardens sold in Los Angeles onlyA limited selection of pots Succulents—including cactuses, jade plants, and zebra plants—are popular both for their unique beauty and their ease of care. Native to the desert, they can thrive in most indoor environments. Lula’s Garden sells miniature, succulent, and cactus gardens in adorable gift boxes that double as planters. The plants are grown locally in the Los Angeles area and are hand-planted. Succulents are relatively inexpensive plants, which means that Lula’s Garden can pass those low prices along to customers. “Petite” plants in pots cost about $28, while the most expensive multi-plant “gardens” are roughly $158. Best Nursery: Lively Root Lively Root Learn More Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Lively Root's plants are home-grown and the nursery only sells eco-friendly products. What We Like: Eco-friendly productsLocally-grown plantsWide range of options for outdoors and indoors What We Don’t Like: Expensive (i.e. roughly $39 for a single English ivy)A limited selection of plant pots, some of which are basic black plasticPlants include exotic and invasive species from around the world While many plant delivery services are essentially florists, Lively Root is much more. A horticultural organization with an environmentally-friendly mission, the nursery sells small plants, indoor plants, outdoor plants, large trees, and flowering shrubs, as well as organic fertilizers and soils. With its focus on sustainability, the nursery only sells eco-friendly products, so Lively Root is a great alternative to big-box garden centers. Plants range in price from about $13 to upwards of $200. All of them come in ceramic pots or with pot-covers of natural materials. Lively Root is also glad to provide consulting to blossoming horticulturalists, with suggestions about greenhouses, plant selection, and plant care. Most Upscale: UrbanStems Urban Stems Buy on Urbanstems.com Use promo code TREEHUG20 your next purchase from UrbanStems. Subscriptions are not included in this offer. Use TREEREPEAT for 10% off Seasonal and Classic Subscriptions and 15% off Luxe Subscriptions. Use HUG15 for 15% off your next order. Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: UrbanStems works directly with its Rainforest Alliance Certified farms and takes a hands-on approach to getting its flowers. What We Like: Dedication to sustainable gardens and gardenersFunky, unique presentationsHand-delivery in many locations What We Don’t Like: Limited range of optionsSomewhat priceyNot locally sourced With UrbanStems, discover trendy plants and pots in styles ranging from the adorable to the sophisticated and sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms—and (in many cases) hands-delivered by urban courier. The company is more upscale (and somewhat pricier) than other brands on this list, but it's a solid source of succulents, ivies, orchids, and seasonal greens. Unlike some of the other plant delivery options, UrbanStems does deliver cut flower arrangements of all sorts. And, when shopping with the company, you can also order plant and gift packages, dried flowers, and floral arrangements. UrbanStems' prices are in the middle range, from about $30 to upwards of roughly $85. Each plant comes in a unique and often beautiful pot (and some even take the shape of animals.) Best Community-Minded: Horti Horti Sign Up Now Why It’s a Fit for Treehugger: Horti is community-minded, providing local resources, supporting a gift-a-plant program, and selecting pots and plants with sustainability in mind. Its philosophy focuses on “greening,” with the physical and emotional well-being of customers in mind. What We Like: Lots of unique plantsPositive, environmentally-aware philosophyPlenty of support for new plant ownersLow-priced options available What We Don’t Like: Fewer resources if you’re not in New YorkLess practical focus on sustainability than some other options Horti allows you to “order a jungle” to turn your apartment into a green oasis. Its filters make it easy to choose plants that are both pet-friendly and hardy. The company offers a solid support service to provide buyers with the help they need to become confident plant owners. You can also purchase plants in self-watering pots, curated plant collections, DIY plant kits, plant subscriptions, and unique gifts such as the “nice smelling” plant kit that includes scented candles and fragrant plants. Horti is located in Brooklyn, New York, and if you happen to live or visit there, you can access PLAY, its “experiential green space, designed to help our community form connections with plants and also with plant-loving people.” If you buy a plant subscription, you can pick up your plants at PLAY's social events, giving you a chance to meet other plant-loving New Yorkers. Prices range dramatically, with some plants as low as roughly $16 and some multi-plant options for hundreds of dollars. You can buy plant supplies through Horti as well. Bottom Line We thoroughly researched each recommendation to be sure it offers what Treehugger readers value most. While there is no plant service that is absolutely dedicated to green and sustainable options, the services we’ve included are all serious about finding sustainably grown plants and supporting the benefits of a greener environment for all. The best option for you will depend on your budget, which types of plants you're looking to add to your home, and how much of a priority being eco-friendly falls on your list. How Are Plants Delivered? Delivery depends on your location and on the type of plant you’ve ordered. Sometimes they’re sent by mail or via a delivery service like UPS or FedEx; in other cases, they are delivered by bicycle courier or even by hand. What Are the Benefits of Having Live Plants in Your Home? Studies actually show that there are real emotional and physical benefits to having plants indoors, especially in urban settings. Plants can create a sense of calm while also filtering the air. In addition, decorating with living houseplants strengthens the energy of one particular feng shui element: wood. Can Live Plants Be Mailed? Yes, plants can be mailed and often are. It is important, however, to package plants properly so that they can survive and thrive. What Qualifies as a Sustainable, Environmentally-friendly Plant Delivery Service? There is no official definition of a sustainable or environmentally-friendly plant delivery service. In general, however, look for the following: plants that come from local farms or sources that maintain sustainable farming practices; ones that are delivered in sustainable containers made of materials such as ceramic, cardboard, glass, or wood; delivery services that give back to the environment through philanthropic gifts, tree planting, or other means; and delivery options by bicycle, foot, or other means that do not involve the use of fossil fuels. How We Chose the Best Plant Delivery Services We searched for plant delivery services that did more than simply package and send blooms or plants to customers. Our focus was on sustainability, environmental awareness, customer care, and an understanding of the significance of plants to the built and natural world. We also wanted to highlight some of the more innovative plant delivery services available to suit the needs of people looking for unique greenery.