Best Orchid Pots for Healthy Growth

Learn all about how to choose the best Orchid Pots in this article.

Orchids are fussy about where they grow and how they grow.

Your choice of pot can make all the difference to your orchids health and length of life.

With incorrect potting they will fail to thrive, bloom and often suffer root rot.

Understanding Orchid natural life style will help you pick a better container for your orchid plant.

• In nature Orchids climb trees in hot humid tropical forests. Strong reaching roots cling to the bark and obtain food from the soil in small crevasses of the tree bark.
• Orchid roots are often thick and leathery. This helps them retain water through times of drought.
• Most Orchids are epiphytes and grow without much soil. They depend on the tiny amounts of digestible nutrients they find.
• Orchid roots absorb their food from the humid air and very little else.
• Orchids require a porous orchid potting mix with bark so the roots can breathe.

What Pots do Orchids need to Stay Healthy?

Orchid roots are uniquely designed for the life they live in the wild. Orchids have thick roots that love sunlight and air. We need to provide them with pots that support those requirements if we want healthy plants.

The tree climbers (about 70% of all orchids) need dry potting mix that leaves the roots almost dry except for humidity they absorb from the air. And the occasional drenching.

Orchid roots are susceptible to root rot when put in a planter with no drainage, air or light. They can accept a certain amount of root binding in a small pot if the conditions are correct.

Our Complete Guide To Repotting your Orchid successfully will take you through every step of planting your plant in its new Orchid pot.

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Best Pots for Orchids:

• slitted pots provide air flow to orchid roots
• Transparent planters allow needed sunlight on orchid roots
• The best containers for orchids allow excellent drainage.
• Use a well drained transparent pot in a heavy ceramic or terra cotta pot so it stays upright.

Plastic Pots:

I’m not a fan of plastic in general. But plastic orchid pots do have several advantages to think about. You can try to find transparent glass pots. I haven’t had much luck with that. So I went with plastic for the following reasons.

• Plastic Orchid containers with holes and slits will allow Orchid roots ways to access light and air.
• A transparent pot with holes in the bottom and sides of the pot is a good choice for orchids.
• Plastic mesh orchid pots are great inner conatiner for heavier cover planters that will provide a weighted base for the unwieldy orchid top growth without falling over.
• The liner pot is easily removed to easily examine the roots for health.
• You can also see the potting mix and it’s condition. This is important since over time (about two years the potting mixes will break down and require refreshing. Transparent pots let you see whats going on below the soil line.

These are the plastic pots I use for orchids and aroids.

This is an interesting plastic carousel orchid planter by Repot me company. The carousel design offers all the benefits for Orchid growth and a unique design. It has it’s own removable drainage plate and needs no cover pot.

The carousel is Available in several colors. It has a good dimension for supporting the top weight of a fully bloomed tall orchid. Be sure to add weight to the bottom of this pot if you have a top heavy orchid.

Ceramic Orchid Pots,

I set the plastic pot into this lovely ceramic orchid planter. The style of this ceramic planter works perfectly with my home decor and my phalaenopsis is happy with the light, air and drainage this pot provides.

It’s easy to take the liner pot out weekly and water and drain it. Then I slip it back into this ceramic pot. Happy orchid. Happy me.

There are many interesting ceramic orchid pots out there to complement your home decor and keep your orchid happy. This one also caught my eye.

Orchids are very top heavy when the long stems are fully bloomed. Since Orchids bloom for several months at a time they need pots with bottom weight to balance the top and keep them upright. Heavy Ceramic is a good choice.

Mesh Orchid Pots:

Mesh or netting is cheap, easily available and will keep your Orchid happy. They can easily hang like the one pictured below. Attach them to outdoor trees or other places where they can get indirect light, humidity, air and sufficient warmth.

Orchid Baskets:

Many people enjoy setting orchids in baskets rather than planters. A well styled Orchid looks elegant on a table with a low open basket. A rustic style like the one pictured below is perfect for warm climate patios.

Pots for Orchid Collections:

There are many types of pots to show off a single stunning orchid in a special place in your home. Chose one that suits your decor AND provides the Orchids what it needs. Then you will be happy and so will your plant.

If you enjoy a good orchid collection consider the ideas below.

The following two groupings of orchids are adorable. What a cute way to display an Orchid collection.

The pots are mesh pots inside the cover pots. So the orchids can breathe and be removed for watering.

I found similar Orchid pots with liners from Santino. They come in different colors, are self watering and have clear windows to see into. These pots would make a fun grouping for several blooming orchids.

Grouping blooming orchids ramps up their stunning visuals.

These orchids look spectacular all through the blooming season on your window sill or orchid shelf.

Read our Complete Orchid Care Guide to find everything you’ll need to keep your beautiful orchid healthy for years to come.

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