I think sending succulents is a great idea! Something besides the typical floral bouquet (sorry Amy). Just another choice for gift giving. They do, if packed correctly, travel well and their need for little water is one reason they make a great shipping plant. That reason and the fact that we are being exposed to more and more cool varieties makes these a fun group of plants. Also the acceptance by people that beauty in plants can come from form, texture, and leaf color also helps.

That being said, it is a trend. They will diminish in importance when the next "new" thing comes around.

As far as the eco-promotion that we see going on, companies want to be in on what's cool and they will say anything to have you believe they are eco-conscious. Just this month Sunset magazine, very popular here on the west coast, released their "green issue". I loved it when they made the claim that they have been at the fore front of eco-consciousness because they published a story about Yosemite in the late 1800's. Never mind those blasted subscription cards that fall out all over the place.

lol :o) my point exactly Trey. Most businesses like this will push one point where they are doing something great for the environment yet when it comes under closer scrutiny there is always something that shows they're not.

I think it's great idea. I rarely send flowers, so I don't think I would send succulents either... but I sure wouldn't mind receiving one, ha.

I think succulents as gifts are great. I love succulents and there are many different colors and shapes. They are easy to take care of and last a long time. Even though it is a great idea flowers will never go out of fad. It's just a tradition and mostly everyone loves flowers. Maybe instead of cut flowers actual plants will be sold instead. One new trend I wish would go away is the gluing of fake flowers on the plants. I don't know who thought of that but they shouldn't have.

I'd love to get succulents instead of flowers but I'd hesitate sending them because I don't know that many other people who are crazy about them yet. I can add though that when I pot them up here for sale they sell out almost immediately!

OOOOh, I've loved succulents for many years, and I think it would be just so great to be sent some or brought some by my longsuffering spouse. The whole 'Green' mantra is entertaining, because the word is in the process of losing any real meaning, like "natural" "organic", 'classic', etc: They're so overused, misused and abused that they don't mean anything anymore.

Actually, I gave my husband a succulent arrangement last year for Valentine's Day. Obviously, I think it's a great idea.

hmm, I guess I'm the dissenting voice here, but I don't think the two are interchangeable.

If I received a succulent bouquet, I would feel obliged to continue to care for it, rather than toss it. After a couple birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, that'd be a lot of succulents cluttering up your windowsill.

I think part of the attraction of flowers is their transience - they'll be pretty for a while, make a special time special, then go to the compost heap.

(I do wish there were more options/awareness for environmentally conscious florists)

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I think I would send succulents instead of flowers. The only problem is what the lady would think of it...

Stuart! I love the idea of sending live vs. cut flowers. I'm a big fan of succulents too. Thanks for posting that link. I'm all over it!

My fiance and I recently purchased a collection of succulents to plant together and I think they are more beautiful then traditional cut flowers and of course they last infinitely longer.

N.

http://badhuman.wordpress.com

This place in Sydney appears to do this http://www.flowerstobe.com.au/show_cat.php?catid=6

Can't find a Melbourne one :(

send me succulents!

Good idea about sending the succulents as gifts. I'm always wishing I coul dsend plants easier in the mail and succulents would work great. Thanks for the idea. I think succulents are the "next big thing"!!
Rees Cowden