UrbanStems Plant Delivery Review: Modern, Ethically-Sourced Plants for Gifting and the Home

UrbanStems is one of the country’s better-known flower and plant delivery companies—and with good reason. With fresh, modern arrangements for every occasion (or just for the everyday), quality planters, and the guarantee that your business supports farms and their workers—it’s hard to find a better company to sink your hard-earned cash into. Interestingly, they also offer a wide variety of tropical houseplants and succulents, which I was keen to explore. Here’s an honest review of my experience ordering plants from UrbanStems, plus all the details you’ll want to know before placing your first order online.  

My Experience Ordering Plants from UrbanStems – The Essentials:

Style & Design:	Modern and stylish floral arrangements and plants set in fun ceramic planters.
Quality & Freshness:	One plant had some withering upon arrival but quickly perked up. The other two plants were in pristine condition.
Packaging:	Robust, recyclable packaging that protected its contents without being over the top.
On-Time Delivery:	Arrived within the specified delivery window.
Ease of Ordering:	Easy online ordering process.
Value For Money:	The overall value at $32 to $85 per arrangement is good considering what goes into it: Healthy, ethically sourced plants in high-quality ceramic planters. The company also has regular sales for additional savings.
Overall Score:	4.5 out of 5

About UrbanStems Plant Delivery

UrbanStems is a US-based company on a mission to bring flowers into the everyday. They do this by offering a range of everyday floral gifts that go beyond your standard “special occasion” deliveries. In our in-depth UrbanStems flower delivery review, we loved their modern and creative floral designs.

Founded as a local florist serving New York City and Washington D.C., the company has since expanded operations and is able to provide deliveries all across the U.S., barring Hawaii and Alaska. They still offer same-day delivery from their NYC, DC, and LA offices. 

Besides offering both fresh and dried bouquets, the company also provides a variety of potted plants and arrangements. All of their arrangements are known for being modern, and farm-fresh. Many of their potted plants come in fun and funky ceramic planters that can be reused for years to come. 

The company works hard to be eco-friendly: Their shipping waste is minimal, and besides the reusable planters, they also collaborate exclusively with Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms to ensure all of their flowers and plants are ethically sourced.  

My UrbanStems Plant Delivery Experience 

Overall, I had a very positive experience with UrbanStems. The plants arrived in good condition, on time, and the planters were even cuter in person than they looked on the website. Here are a few more details you’ll want to know before you start shopping. 

The Plants I Ordered from UrbanStems:

I ordered three live plants from UrbanStems for this plant delivery review. Here’s what they looked like on the UrbanStems website at the time of ordering.

• The Cathy ($50)-  is a large air-plant in a ceramic planter with a cute little face painted on it!

• The Demeter ($55)- is a four-inch Swiss Cheese Plant in a ceramic terracotta planter. 

• The Bosco ($75)- is a six-inch ZZ Plant in a black and white ceramic planter. 

The Online Ordering Experience at UrbanStems 

Ordering at UrbanStems is super easy. The site is easy to navigate, and nearly all the plants and bouquets can be found in multiple ways. That’s because you can search for plants or flowers and shop by occasion, by plant or flower type, and even by its attributes (if you don’t know what a plant or flower is called, but know the look you want). I found this to be super helpful, especially since ordering plants online is something I often find myself doing on a whim or as a last-minute gift. 

Talking Delivery 

The order arrived on time and in good condition. In fact, the only reason I knocked 0.5 stars off the final score is because one of the plants arrived slightly shaken up. The Demeter, aka Swiss Cheese, has since been making a full recovery. 

Barring this, everything about the delivery was spectacular. I always appreciate when florists label their boxes “this side up,” as I do believe it actually helps things arrive safely. 

But the packaging was as smart inside as it was outside. All plants had a bamboo stake securing them in the pot, as well as a small envelope containing a plant care and gift note. There was minimal trash, and yet just enough of everything to keep plants secure. 

Even The Demeter, although its leaves looked a little worse for the wear, was still very much protected by the reusable gauze gift bag it came in. There was minimal soil spillage despite the fact that it looked like the mailman had given him a good thrashing. 

Setting Up My UrbanStems Plants at Home

Besides Demeter, who needed some TLC, all of the plants were ready to display out of the box. In fact, Cathy—who I’ve since renamed to Judy, has (as the description suggests) been my “perfect desk companion” ever since her unboxing. 

UrbanStems Plant Delivery Review – The Verdict 

Overall, I was pretty happy with my plants. Although, at first glance, the price point seems high, you’d be hard-pressed to find healthy, ethically sourced plants in planters of this caliber for much less. All of the plants arrived in excellent condition, except The Demeter, which has since sprung back to life after some water, light, and no additional exposure to the post office. 

The other thing I liked about these plants (and another reason for my high score) is that they strongly resembled the photos online. They’ve continued to look as good (in the case of Judy, aka Cathy) or even better—as is the case for both Demeter and Bosco. 

Best Occasions to Order Live Plants from UrbanStems

Plants from UrbanStems would be perfect for many settings and occasions. Whether you needed a new plant for your coffee table or desk or wanted to give a pick-me-up gift to a friend or loved one. I think their variety of plant and floral offerings make it so that you can order from UrbanStems for just about all your flower or plant delivery needs. 

For more, see UrbanStems latest plant collections here.

Alternatives 

• Lively Root: If you’re looking for another eco-friendly plant company, I highly recommend Lively Root. They offer a vast selection of ethically sourced indoor and outdoor plants. For more, see our in-depth Lively Root review.
• Bloomscape: One of the most popular online plant delivery services in America. Bloomscape offers an incredible selection of plant species, pots, tools, and indoor gardening supplies. For more, see our Bloomscape review.
• Léon & George: For trendy, ornamental houseplants from some of the best domestic growers, this houseplant specialist is an excellent option for those with flexible budgets.
• The Sill: A trendy spot for modern houseplants, orchids, and some very chic potting vessels. Nationwide delivery is available as well.
• Plants.com: I’ve found plants.com to be a very convenient spot for tropical houseplants for gifting and the home. Plus, they offer speedy delivery options nationwide.

UrbanStems Plant Delivery Buying Guide: