How to Wrap a Plant for a Gift | Greenstreet Gardens (2025)

A great gift starts with great wrapping, but wrapping a potted plant is not so intuitive. You can’t just place it in a box and bust out the gift wrap and ribbon. The plant still needs light and air, and the shape of the pot presents a creative challenge. Fortunately, it’s a simple art to master!

How to Gift Wrap a Potted Plant

Before we get into the artistic details, let’s take a look at the basic techniques. We all know how to fold paper neatly around a box, but wrapping a cylindrical object involves more nuance. The challenge lies in wrapping a square piece of paper around a rounded pot. You don’t want to scrunch the paper at random! Instead, you can make pleats or fold the paper like an envelope. Here are the details:

Option 1: The Pleated Wrap

• How to Start: Start with the pot at the center of a large square piece of wrapper paper. Generally, you want to use enough paper to cover the pot and base of the plant while leaving most of the leaves of the plant exposed. If you’re wrapping a plant like a poinsettia, and wish to leave more foliage visible, simply use a smaller square.
• What to Do: Once the plant is centered, start by lifting one corner of paper vertically along the pot. As you hold this corner against the pot, take up another edge of paper beside it, allowing the paper to form a pleat. As you hold these two in place, pick up another edge and form another pleat. Continue this process as you work your way around the pot. The key to forming attractive pleats is to bring each piece of the paper vertically straight upwards—not at an odd angle—with the pot.
• How to Finish: Place a rubber band over the wrapping to lock the pleats in place before tying a ribbon around the pot. You can cover the rubber band with the ribbon or tie the ribbon tightly and carefully remove the rubber band afterward. Trim away any pieces of paper that look out of place.

Option 2: The Folded Wrap

• How to Start: Start with a large square of wrapping paper. It should be the same size as described above. Before you place the pot in the center, fold one corner of the paper to the opposite corner and make a crease. Unfold it back into a square. Then fold the corner next to it toward the opposite side and make a crease. Unfold it back into a square again. Your flat piece of paper should now have two crossed-over diagonal creases from corner to corner. They will make the next step a lot easier.
• What to Do: Once the pot is centered, bring the two front corners of the paper up to the pot. As you hold them in place, bring the two rear corners up to the pot. Smooth the front and back sides of the paper along the pot and fold the four corners towards each other like an envelope.
• How to Finish: Tie a bow around the pot or base of the plant.
  

You don’t want to scrunch the paper at random! Instead, you can make pleats or fold the paper like an envelope.

Tips for Tying the Ribbon

• As with the first method, use a rubber band to hold the paper in place while you position your ribbon.
• Measure and cut the ribbon beforehand so you have it ready to tie when needed.
• Tie the bow in front of the most attractive side of the plant. That way, your recipient will see the plant’s best angle as they unwrap it.

• As with the first method, use a rubber band to hold the paper in place while you position your ribbon.
• Measure and cut the ribbon beforehand so you have it ready to tie when needed.
• Tie the bow in front of the most attractive side of the plant. That way, your recipient will see the plant’s best angle as they unwrap it.

Getting Creative with Wrapping Materials

You can’t go wrong with your classic wrapping paper. Some people opt for tissue paper or cellophane, or a combination of the two. Both are thin enough to let you use two or more sheets of paper with different colors, which adds extra interest to the finished look. If you do that, try crisscrossing the squares so you expose both colors. Foil wrap is also popular for plants. Fabrics like burlap present yet another possibility, usually giving the gift a more rustic feel. As for your bow material, you can use string, twine, or ribbon where you see fit.

Unlike other gifts, you can’t just wrap a plant, put it under the tree, and forget about it. Plants need air, water, and sunlight both before and after they are exchanged.

How to Care for a Houseplant Before You Gift It

Unlike other gifts, you can’t just wrap a plant, put it under the tree, and forget about it. Plants need air, water, and sunlight both before and after they are exchanged. That means you’ll need to plan how you’re going to take care of your gift until the date of the exchange. If you’re giving it to someone in your household, ideally you should find a spot with ample sunlight where they won’t see it beforehand. That might involve some creativity!

Above all, it’s important to give the plant the best care possible, as you don’t want to give away a struggling plant. Plus, you want the plant to thrive in its new home! If you have questions about plant care, the experts at our garden centers in Virginia and Maryland would be happy to advise you when you’re making your selections. We recommend including some plant care information in the envelope with your holiday greeting card!

How to Prepare a Plant Before Wrapping It

As the big day approaches, make sure the plant has had enough moisture to survive the move and the first few days of its new residence. You don’t want water seeping out on your wrapping paper, so don’t wait until the last minute to water it. Be proactive and make sure the plant gets some water a day or two before wrapping it in paper. If you’re using cellophane or foil wrap, a few drops of water shouldn’t be an issue.

Receiving a poorly-wrapped gift doesn’t necessarily make the gift less thoughtful, but a beautifully wrapped gift will instantly light up your loved one’s face. Fortunately, this art form is easy to learn. With the two methods above, you can gift wrap any plant like a professional!