The 6 best places to buy plants online, according to experts

NBC News

14-04-2025

I love plant shopping as much as the next gardener — when I'm running errands, I love grabbing a new bloom from my local grocer, plant shop, or even at clothing stores like Uniqlo. However, buying plants online eliminates the need to lug them home on the train or bus (which is usually my dilemma). It also opens you up to plant varieties you may not come across in your local shop, and, like all online shopping, gives you plenty of time to browse and research before making a choice.
If you want to skip the lines without sacrificing plant quality, I asked Julie Bawden-Davis, an expert gardener and the author of multiple gardening books, including Southern California Vegetable Gardening, for online plant shopping guidance. I also gathered a list of online plant retailers to shop, either recommended by Bawden-Davis or NBC Select staff who have used them.
How I picked the best online plant stores
Variety: I only included stores that have a wide variety of options. All of the retailers listed below offer not only houseplants, but outdoor plants, flowers, tools and accessories as well. They're designed to be one-stop shops for all of your planting needs.
Warranty: Ordering plants from a retailer with a warranty/return policy is really important — it can protect your purchase from issues like damage while in transit or certain plant growth challenges. The warranty policies for the retailers below range from 30 to 90 days.
Packaging: Plant-safe packaging helps to protect your plant during shipping. This can include extra insulation, fortified boxes, and even heat packets in the winter.
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The best places to buy plants online in 2025
Below, I rounded up the best places to buy plants online, including recommendations from a gardening expert and suggestions from NBC Select staff.
Editor's pick: The Sill
NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider recommends The Sill for people who want aesthetically-pleasing accessories to go with their plants and an easy user experience. The retailer sells outdoor, artificial and indoor options, including the beginner-friendly Aglaonema Siam. It's drought-tolerant with pink and red-tinted leaves, which are great for adding a bit of brightness to your space. It's also low-maintenance and grows well in low to moderate light, according to the brand. The Sill also sells plant care supplies and tools, like planters, moisture meters and potting mix.
Best overall: Easyplant
Easyplant's self-watering plants are best for those without a green thumb. NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio received an Easyplant as a housewarming gift four years ago, and says she's been obsessed ever since. 'I now have four plants from the brand in my apartment,' she says. 'As someone who tends to overwater (and accidentally kill) her plants, I love Easyplant's self-watering pots.' The pots only have to be refilled once a month, and the plant will extract the exact amount of water it needs over time, according to the brand. Easyplant carries plants ranging in size from six to 60 inches, including low-light and pet-friendly options.
This money tree is pet-friendly, and can grow up to eight feet indoors, according to the brand. It grows best in bright, direct light (but can survive well in indirect light), and should be left in one spot for best results, so the plant can properly adjust to the area.
Bloomscape is another favorite retailer of Schneider's, who likes the site's user-friendly search controls. 'The site is easy to sort through with my filters based on how much light my space gets, my level of experience, etc.,' she says. 'I just find the experience very easy and pleasurable.' Bloomscape also sells plant care tools and accessories, and has a 30 day guarantee on plant purchases, according to the brand.
My monstera plant is one of my favorite parts of my living room — they have wide, large tropical leaves that stand tall and add a welcome touch of greenery to the space. This monstera from Bloomscape can grow up to 26 inches tall, and grows best in indirect light (it can be low or bright), according to the brand. It's also pet-friendly, and helps to filter toxins out of the air.
Bawden-Davis likes using Plant Addicts for her online plant purchases because she says they 'tend to have very healthy plants and don't misrepresent them.' The retailer offers plants, planters and decor of all kinds, including bushes, perennials, annuals, trees, houseplants and more, according to the brand. They carry over 4,000 plants, grown in their own greenhouses, and have an arrival guarantee on all orders, including a warranty on plants and planters that ranges between 30 days to ten years, depending on the product category. Plant Addicts also offers a care guide with tips and advice on how best to grow your plants, and an option to pre-order your plants for the spring based on your growing zone, according to the brand.
Pothos is a low-maintenance plant that's great for even the most green gardeners. The heart-shaped leaves fall down in a cascading pattern and can grow up to 11 inches, according to the brand. It needs bright or medium indirect light, and grows very well in average or more humid temperatures.
Logee's is a home and garden plant retailer that sells potted plants online in three sizes — two point five-inch pots, four-inch pots, and six-inch pots, according to the brand. They offer over 1,500 types of plants, most of which are propagated in the brand's own greenhouses. Bawden-Davis likes that Logee's carries rare houseplants, and that the plants tend to be in healthy shape when they arrive. Every order (aside from a few rare plant exceptions) is covered by a 60 day guarantee, which allows for replacement, refund or store credit in the event of any plant-growing issues, according to Logee's. The brand also includes unpacking instructions, for guidance on how best to get started once your order arrives.
Sansevieria is one of Logee's rarer plants — it has striped, green and yellow leaves, and acts as a natural air purifier, according to the brand. It only needs to be watered a few times a month, and grows well in both full sun and partial shade. For best growth results, Logee's suggests letting the plant's soil get fully dry between waterings.
Home Depot is one of our favorite retailers, and the brand's Garden Center is well-stocked with plants for all your needs. You can find both indoor and outdoor varieties organized by type/species, features, and lighting conditions, which makes it easier to browse for the plant that best suits you. You can also shop from a wide range of brands, rather than choosing solely from an in-house brand like other plant retailers. However, most plants are still covered by a 90-day return policy, which extends to one year for perennials, trees, roses and shrubs, according to the brand. Home Depot also carries everything you need for a successful gardening season, including plant pots, gardening tools, soil and more.
This species of bonsai is known to be easy to maintain and great for indoor spaces, according to the brand.
How to shop for plants online
I asked Bawden-Davis to share her tips for buying plants online, including things to keep in mind and look out for, such as refund policies, plant sourcing and reading the fine print.
Do your research: This includes checking out reviews and shipping information, like packaging. 'Ensure they have a good reputation for selling plants that are healthy,' she says. 'Plants are perishable, so packaging is key.'
Read the fine print: When selling plants online, suppliers often share photos of a plant looking its best; they'll look very healthy, and will often be a good size. However, Bawden-Davis says this can be misleading, and they may actually be selling you a plant of a smaller size or different composition. This is why it's important to carefully read the product descriptions and fine print, so you know exactly what you're purchasing.
Try to see if the plants are grown in-house: Bawden-Davis suggests checking if the retailer grows the plants themselves, or if they're sourcing from elsewhere. Although you may not always be able to readily find this info, she says it can be useful to keep in mind. If the plants are grown elsewhere, there's a chance they may not be as healthy as you'd want, 'since it's changing so many hands before arriving at your doorstep,' she says.
Check the refund policy: Without a refund or money-back guarantee policy, you may leave yourself open to risky purchases, including plants that aren't of the best quality. 'For instance, they could send you a sickly plant and you are stuck with it and out of money,' says Bawden-Davis. Although all retailers may not have full money-back guarantees, she encourages looking for retailers with clear refund policies to avoid any confusion.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Why trust NBC Select?
I'm an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select who's been covering the wellness and lifestyle space for over a year, including stories on the best weeding tools and the best Amazon gardening tools. I'm also an avid gardener and have been growing my own plants in my local community garden for over two years now. For this story, I spoke to a gardening expert about the best places to buy plants online, including retailer recommendations and shopping tips.