Ficus elastica Melany - Rubber Plant

Plant Pot Size Guide For Houseplants

Plant pots come in all shapes and sizes, however finding the right size plant pot to fit your plant is simple. Just follow our easy measurement guide.

Step 1: Select your plant and note the diameter of the growing pot it is planted in, as given on the product page. Please note: plant heights are approximate and are provided for indicative purposes only. The key size in determining the maturity of a plant is the diameter of the grow pot. Plant heights include the height of the grow pot and the height/length of the foliage. The height of the grow pot can vary slightly, but is usually about the same as its diameter.

Step 2: Compare the diameter of the plant's grow pot to the size of the opening (or width) of your chosen decorative pot, to ensure the plant/grow pot can be inserted through the opening, see diagram below.

Tip: Pick a decorative pot that has an opening diameter about 1cm larger than the size of the plant's grow pot so you can insert the plant in the pot. For smaller plants (up to 14cm grow pots) you should choose slightly smaller and for larger plants (above 24cm) you can add 2-3cm without the pot looking too large for the plant.

Important:The opening diameter of the decorative pot is the size of the access hole for inserting the plant's grow pot as well as an indication of the liner size to insert if you are repotting the plant from it's grow pot. It is not the same as the external diameter of the pot which is the overall outer size of the pot, see diagram below. Please note all measurements are approximate and can vary slightly due to the handmade nature of our pots.

We show the size of the plant pot openings for each pot as you click the different pot options, see diagram below.

View The Complete Guide To Planting Houseplants

Note: Liners are "squashy," so a taller liner can be cut down to size with scissors and pushed below the rim of a small opening to fill a larger space below e.g. in the case of a ball shaped plant pot.

View Plant Pot Liners

For round shaped decorative pots we provide the external diameter of the widest point so you get a sense of how large the pot is on the outside, as well as the diameter of the opening (opening diameter). We also provide the height so you understand how tall the pot is.

For square, rectangular and oval planters we provide the external dimensions for Length x Width x Height, plus the access width (internal width), as these are often displayed with a mix of plants.

Liners: Modern pots and planters come in all types of materials from ceramic, natural, composite, metal and fibreglass to create that wow factor in their setting. However not all are designed to be waterproof. To keep pots looking pristine and avoiding damage to floors and furnishings the solution is to include a flexible liner inside the pot.

Liners come in various sizes to fit the internal dimensions of the pot and can be trimmed down to size to create an unobtrusive barrier for the plant and soil to be potted into, whilst protecting the pot from unsightly calcium or fertiliser deposits from the soil.

In taller planters they allow for the soil to be contained to an appropriate depth for the plant, without needing to fill the entire vessel with soil. This ensures the root system is surrounded in optimum moisture content rather than it draining to the bottom beyond the roots.

View Plant Pot Liners

Drainage: Traditional indoor plant pots have drainage holes and stand in saucers to allow excess water to drain freely. For modern decorative plant pots without drainage holes the grow pot could be stood inside the pot on a saucer, or in a pot liner for extra protection. Alternatively, for a professional design look, the plant can be repotted directly into a pot liner with a layer of hydrogranules to provide both a drainage layer and a reservoir for the plant. The roots above the granules will pull the water gently out of the granules (capillary action) to keep them moist but not wet.

Soil Depth: When repotting allow a little room for the roots to spread. The soil should not be so shallow that without drainage the roots will sit in water, nor so deep that the water drains below the roots leaving the plant to dry out.

View Indoor Potting Mixes

Tall Planters: Fill the base of the planter with polystyrene foam or other packaging material that will not compress, up to the required height, then sit the plant liner on top with the repotted plant in the liner.