Ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Whether you’re from an Irish heritage or not, St. Patrick’s Day is always an occasion to have fun, decorate your home, and celebrate Irish culture with friends and family. Associated with good luck, pots of gold, leprechauns, shamrock, and the color green, St. Patrick’s Day also reminds us of spring knocking on our doorstep.

So, what better way to celebrate this beautiful Irish holiday than by inviting Nature at home with lucky evergreen plants to complement your shamrock-themed decor? 

But first things first. Let’s learn more about the history of St. Patrick’s Day and its symbolic and cultural significance.

History of St. Patrick's Day 

St. Patrick's Day history is deeply rooted in the commemoration of Patrick - a Christian missionary in the 5th century who devoted his life to spreading Christianity in Ireland. His death on the 17th of March led to observing St. Patrick’s Day as a religious holiday on this date since the 17th century. Religious services and feasts are held across Ireland and Irish communities in different countries in honor of this Irish Saint.

What Is St. Patrick’s Day?

Nowadays, St. Patrick's Day has evolved beyond its religious significance among Christians. In many countries, including the USA, the 17th of March is recognized as a secular, non-religious holiday celebrating Irish culture and heritage. From trying Irish dishes and beverages to performing traditional rituals, like “wetting the shamrock” for good luck, folks immerse themselves in various festive activities, hold parties, and participate in official parades on the streets.

What Is The Official Color for St. Patrick's Day?

While Green is considered the official color of St. Patrick's Day, white, gold, orange, and blue are also associated with Ireland, its history, and its tradition. Hence, people incorporate them in their festive decor and think of St. Patrick’s Day ideas for gifts featuring these specific colors. 

Here’s what each St Patrick’s Day color means:

• Green: It reminisces the lush and vibrant Irish landscapes and rolling green hills; it is also associated with Catholicism. 

• Orange: Many Irish people are Protestants, and orange is associated with this branch of the Christian religion.

• White: Reflecting the hope for peace and unity between all Irish, regardless of their religion, white is the 3rd color on the National flag of Ireland, apart from green and orange.

• Blue: Blue is the color of the late 18th century Order of St. Patrick, hence, it’s also honored on this day.

• Gold: Leprecheuns are associated with Irish mythology and heritage; they are famous for their love of gold.

What Is the Name of the St Patrick's Day Flower? 

As the National plant of Ireland is the lucky shamrock (Trifolium dubium), it has become one of the main symbols of St. Patrick's Day. This three-leaved plant resembles a clover as it belongs to the same genus. 

So what does the shamrock mean on St. Patrick's Day? Well, the legend says that St. Patrick tried to convert the Irish to Christianity by explaining the concept of the Holy Trinity with the trefoil shamrock plant. Furthermore, the Irish treasured this plant for its medicinal properties and associated it with the arrival of spring.

The symbolic meaning of the shamrock today goes beyond its religious significance in the past. This lucky plant is associated with the St. Patrick’s Day festivities and is used as a theme in decorations, gifts, and clothing.

How to Decorate for St. Patrick's Day

Bring the spirit of Ireland into your home with cheerful St. Patrick’s decorations, and make this special holiday memorable and full of joy. Enjoy the festivities by incorporating shamrock motifs, lucky pots of gold, rainbow stickers, and green St Patrick’s Day plants as decorative elements. 

Let the festive cheer infuse your home with these St Patrick’s Day decoration ideas:

• St. Patrick’s Day color scheme: From orange and green fabrics and vibrant spring wreaths to gold and green mantle decorations, focus on using the vivid symbolic Irish colors.

• Festive tables and shelves: Set up the dinner table with green and orange tableware, napkins, and live greenery as centerpieces; decorate the shelves with cheeky leprechauns, pots of gold, and Irish harps.

• Lights and candles: Enhance the festive feel with warm lighting, golden candles, and green-tinted lanterns.

• Shamrock-themed decorations: Incorporate decorative items with shamrock motifs to emphasize St. Patrick’s Day's spiritual meaning and symbolism.

• Good luck greenery: Decorate with green St. Patrick’s Day plants, associated with good luck and prosperity, in shamrock pots to elevate your home or office interior.

10 Plants for St. Patrick's Day That Will Bring You Luck

Styling your interior with lush, green houseplants for St. Patrick’s Day celebration will create a welcoming space and bring positive energy into your home. We’ve selected 10 beautiful lucky plants in tune with the good-fortune theme of the holiday, which are perfect for greening up living spaces and outdoor areas in the first days of spring.

1. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) 

Everyone’s favorite Golden Pothos boasts beautiful heart-shaped foliage with golden variegation. It’s popular for its aesthetics and air-purifying qualities. Consider getting this vibrant St Patrick’s Day plant to enjoy prosperity and good luck.

2. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

The  English Ivy is a timeless and versatile evergreen beauty associated with friendship and loyalty. It’s often considered a symbol of good fortune in relationships. Place it on a shelf to add more green to vertical spaces this St. Patrick’s Day holiday! 

3. Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Also known as Mother-in-law's Tongue, this resilient variegated Snake Plant variety can be the perfect plant for St. Patrick’s Day, as it is believed to bring success and good luck, warding off all negativity from your life. 

4. Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)

The  Money Tree is a popular Feng Shui plant, believed to attract financial prosperity, abundance, and wealth. If the trunk is braided and some stems have 7 leaves, your Money Tree’s symbolic meaning of money coming your way is even stronger.

5. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

This lush fern with feathery fronds also aligns with the St. Patrick’s Day theme of good luck and prosperity. The Boston Fern is a vibrant green and easy-care plant that can enhance your space beyond this special Ireland-honoring occasion.

6. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides) 

Get the lucky Chinese Money Plant for St. Patrick’s Day to increase your chances of having a prosperous year ahead! Considered a symbol of good fortune and wealth, this beauty is unpretentious, low-maintenance, and pet-safe.

7. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)

Popular for its delicately scented white blooms and vivid green foliage, the Peace Lily symbolizes peace, lucky new beginnings, and prosperity. So, why not grow it at home this St. Patrick’s Day? You can enjoy its symbolic meaning, elegance, and grace beyond the Irish holiday, as it’s also the perfect plant for Easter.

8. Umbrella Tree (Schefflera arboricola)

The Umbrella Tree is a tropical favorite among plant enthusiasts, believed to capture positive energy and attract wealth in Chinese culture. It features glossy leaves that resemble an umbrella. It thrives in bright, indirect light and medium humidity.

9. Succulents

Plants like Echeveria succulents are compact and hardy plants that don’t need much water, making them the perfect St Patrick’s Day gifts for friends and loved ones. Echeveria also symbolize everlasting love and a prosperous life, so they are ideal to add to your festive decor and boost the positivity in your home.

10. Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)

And here’s another lucky green companion for you - the Jade Plant. With its cute, fleshy, and oval leaves, it is thought to attract financial success and good fortune. The Crassula ovata is a low-maintenance plant and can also be a great St Patrick’s Day gift and a lucky charm for the recipient.

Happy St. Patrick's Day: FAQs

Q: Do you give gifts on St. Patrick's Day?

A: Every holiday is perfect for gifting friends and family with something special, and St. Patrick’s Day is no exception. From shamrock- and Irish-themed presents to green-colored items, you can celebrate the occasion by exchanging small tokens that bring luck and joy. And what better way to honor the Patron of Ireland than by offering live green plants as gifts to loved ones? 

Q: Why do we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the USA?

A: St. Patrick's Day, brought by Irish immigrants in the 17th century to the USA, celebrates the country’s culture and heritage, apart from the holiday’s religious significance. In modern days, people from various backgrounds are happy to honor Ireland’s National Patron, participating in parades and holding parties at home. However, St. Patrick’s Day is a legal holiday only in two locations, in the states of Georgia and Massachusetts.

Q: Is a shamrock good luck?

A: The 3-leaved shamrock symbolizes good luck and has always been associated with St. Patrick's Day. It is the National plant of Ireland, treasured by the Irish people and worn on clothes or depicted on everyday items. It should not be confused with clover - a different plant from the same genus.

Q: What is the difference between shamrock and clover?

A: Both shamrock and clover belong to the same genus - Trifolium but they differ from each other. Clover can be found to have 4 leaves occasionally, which is rare and considered very lucky. The St Patrick’s Day shamrock has always 3 leaves, on the other hand. 

Conclusion

Honor this St. Patrick's Day by incorporating the good-luck and green theme into your festive decor at home! Choose lush greenery from our 10 St Patrick’s Day plant list and invite Nature and the symbolic significance of this special holiday into your space! 

Consider our St Patrick’s Day gift ideas and decoration suggestions to make the festivities unforgettable and joyous. Embrace the celebration’s spiritual meaning and cultural symbolism while honoring the Irish Patron and this proud nation’s heritage. Happy St. Patrick's Day!