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Orchids are beautiful and exotic flowers that can live for up to a century with the right care. Knowing which pots work best for your blooms makes a difference to how well they will thrive in your greenhouse or home.
I’ve handpicked the best orchid pots on the market to help you find the most suitable for your fragrant flower. Plus, I’ll illustrate what you need to look out for when choosing one in my handy buyer’s guide.
The Best Pots and Containers for Your Precious Orchids
Here are my recommendations:
Best Plastic Orchid Pots — Clear Orchid Pots by rePotme
I find that these 8x8 pots are the best for my orchids.
A lot of orchid growers including myself like clear plastic pots because you can easily monitor if the roots are getting root-bound to the pot.
Starting at the top, the rim is reinforced to provide pot stability and prevent your top-heavy orchid from tipping over. On the sides, you’ll find slots for maximum air circulation and root growth. These slots are also suitably sized so that your bark mix doesn’t escape.
At the base, a sufficient number of drainage holes should prevent waterlogging and root damage.
Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 8
Pros
One purchase gets you 3 pots
Perfect for all orchid types, as well as African Violets
Excellent airflow
Clear plastic for easy monitoring of bark mix and root growth
UV-protected plastic so you can avoid burnt roots
They’re made from plastic but they’re good quality
Available in 3 more colors translucent colors
Cons
Drainage saucers not included
rePotme 4 x 6 Hexagon Ceramic Orchid Pot in Teal Jade
If you want something more aesthetic, you could choose ceramic pots. Look at this gorgeous glazed design. The classy color goes well with any plant and home decor in case you have your orchid indoors.
In addition to its aesthetic shape, the pretty cutout designs are actually functional and also double as ventilation holes. The bottom also has drainage holes, and the pot comes with a free saucer.
Dimensions: 4 x 5.5 x 6 inches
Pros
Tasteful design
Best for small orchids
Handmade product
Decorative cutouts for air circulation
Attached saucer and holes provide good drainage
The saucer has padded feet so it will not scratch surfaces
The other color variants are beautiful, too
Cons
The saucer is rather small and water might over spill. It’s best to add a protective layer to the table or cabinet you have this in especially if you have your plant indoors.
The inner plastic pot is cheap and too small
Best Clear Orchid Pots - ELIT Orchid
Elit Orchid sells one of the best clear orchid pots on the market. The pots are ultra-breathable with a design that allows proper air circulation and drainage for the best substrate moisture.
As mentioned earlier, choosing to pot your orchids in clear plastic pots has several advantages. Primarily, they’re transparent so you can see everything that’s going on with your plant. You can see if the roots are getting bound to the pot, or if your mix is getting too compacted or even breaking down.
Also, being plastic, they’re very lightweight. You’d expect them to be flimsy but they’re actually durable.
This set comes with four pieces and is available in three sizes.
Dimensions: 4.5, 5.5, or 6.5 inches.
Pros
Well-ventilated pots
Transparent for root control
The bottom is raised so it works out if/when you sit your pot in water
Durable plastic
Cons
Some drainage holes may require punching out manually
The actual pots are not as clear plastic like in the photo; they have a white-ish cast or hue
Best Slotted Orchid Pots - Mkono 7 inch
The best slotted orchid pots provide an enhanced rate of water and nutrient uptake. For slotted pots, I would recommend checking out the Mkono.
This package contains a duo of inner and outer planters. Both feature holes in the bottom to allow for better drainage. Although this is specially designed for the Orchid family, it will also house other common indoor plants.
So why the slotted sides? These permit better aeration, which promotes the growth of orchids. It also allows for lateral roots to grow better and distribute more uniformly. They’re manufactured from high-quality PP plastic, which should make these hard-wearing.
Dimensions: 7.5 (W) x 6.75 (H) inches
Pros
Best for those looking for bigger planters
Enhances aeration
Tough plastic
Each section can be used separately
Pots can be locked together
Cons
Included water tray could be bigger
Best Mesh Pots for Orchids - LINK SOLAR
These are one of the most generous sized pots on the market and one of the best mesh pots for orchids. The holes at the base provide excellent drainage and airflow for healthy root growth.
They are ROHS-approved and made from polypropylene (PP) material, plus these are anti-corrosive and heat resistant. This means they should last a long while.
The package contains one inner net pot and an outer pot. The former has multiple holes for extra air circulation, while the latter has just enough for drainage at the bottom.
Dimensions: 8 (Inner D) x 7 (H) inches
Pros
Reliable drainage from outer pot
Inner pot geared for better airflow
The outer pot is very easy to remove if you prefer to do this during watering
ROHS-approved materials, meaning they don’t have any banned harmful substances
Choice of three colors (brown/white/black)
Cons
Doesn’t include a water tray and because the outer pot also has drainage holes at the bottom, you really need to provide your own drain pan or saucer
Best Self Watering Orchid Pot - Vencer
Out of all the self-watering pots online, I’ve found Vencer to be one of the best brands. The package contains three different sizes for your diverse purposes.
They’re fantastic if you’re forgetful about watering or often travel for short periods. The bottom section of this pot stores excess water to serve it for a few weeks. To know when it’s time to top up the reservoir is straightforward — all you need to do is check the water level on the window.
The minimalist design works great for all styles and can beautify your home rather nicely.
Dimensions: Large 5.9 (D) x 7.3 (H) inches, Medium 4.9 (D) x 6.1 (H) inches, Small 3.7 (D) x 4.7 (H) inches.
Pros
Self-watering feature for up to 4 weeks
Proper air circulation
Tough PP plastic material
Simple design that goes well with any plant and home decor
Tall enough to have stability
Great price given how well they work
Cons
Water reservoir may need to be topped up more than expected
Best Stylish Orchid Pot - FEIAA 6 inch
Orchids are beautiful on their own but put them in this stunning pot and I would say, you’ve got yourself a conversation starter. This is my choice for the best stylish orchid pot, and I’m sure it will add life to your room.
The marble look is enhanced by the gold streaks to make this pot a real eye-catcher. On the bottom, you’ll find a drainage tray that works quite well. From the outside, it looks like a decorative golden round rim that complements the marble texture.
What I like the most about this pot is how it balances aesthetics and function. It’s made from ceramic, but it’s also hard-wearing. It focuses on creating an attractive marble look, yet retains a practical side with holes for adequate air circulation.
On top of all this, it has a self-watering feature that’s especially useful if you are traveling or tend to be forgetful about watering.
Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 8 inches.
Pros
Gorgeous design; actually looks better than the photo
Self-watering feature works well
Hard-wearing materials
Available in three colors
Cons
Gold wrap will tarnish if you get it wet often
The Best Orchid Pots Buying Guide
You might be wondering why you’d actually buy an orchid pot, not just any regular planter. Well, the fact is that orchids are very vulnerable plants. Ventilation, root care, and proper watering are areas in which orchids need special attention.
The best orchid pots offer proper air circulation and include drainers to manage the water level. Some are transparent to allow you a better view and more control over root growth.
How to Pot up an Orchid
Just like any flower pot, you start by filling your base with the growing medium. For orchids, bark mix is quite efficient. Place in your orchid root ball, then add in some more bark mix to fill around it.
You may notice some large holes or slots around your pot. These are perfect for airflow. However, they can be troublesome when filling the growing medium, so it’s best if you use a liner to keep your bark mix inside the pot.
For sustainable orchid growing, start with a small pot suitable to your orchid size, then move on to larger planters as your flower grows. Some orchid pots come as packs with different sizes to accommodate this.
Watch this short video demonstrating how to repot an orchid:
If you’re a beginner to repotting orchids, you should read up on a guide I wrote up that’s been very helpful to other orchid enthusiasts. You can check it out HERE.
Factors to Consider When Searching for the Perfect Orchid Pot
These delicate flowers require attention to detail in every step of the way. One of the most important is picking the pot, which is essentially their home.
Here’s what to think about when making your choice:
Drainage
Orchids and water have somewhat of a complicated relationship. They like water, surely, all plants do, but too much moisture is not good either. Soggy soil is lethal for orchids. While this is controllable by the amount of water you use, it’s not the most efficient way.
The best orchid pots have drainage holes in the bottom. They allow excess water to flow downward through the growing medium and leave the pot. With sufficient drainage, your soil will never be waterlogged, even if you accidentally overwater.
Transparency
Sunlight is excellent for orchids. It provides them with energy to grow and thrive. You can increase the amount of sunlight orchids receive, especially on their roots, by using transparent pots.
By using this type, you’ll have a clear view of the roots. This means you can track their growth, check how healthy they look, and spot any problems.
Issues such as compaction of roots can be easily identified and resolved before they harm your orchid. Likewise, if your bark mix begins to deteriorate, it could suffocate your roots. You can refresh the bark immediately before any further damage occurs.
Unfortunately, when going for this type, you’ll lose out on those eye-catching ceramics. One trade-off is using transparent pots for your younger orchids, then moving them into decorative planters once they’ve established good roots.
Size
Orchids need a pot that would be just cozy enough without being too tight or too big. If you purchase a pot smaller than you need, there will be no room for your orchid to grow. Conversely, too much space will overwhelm your plant, and they’ll have a hard time finding air and light.
Choosing the right pot size depends on your current stage of growth. For smaller orchids, it’s prudent to purchase a set of different sizes. Just make sure the size range fits your orchid.
Material
If you want transparency, then you’re limited to either glass or plastic. Admittedly, the former sounds fancier, but it’s actually a bit problematic. First of all, this material is heavier and more fragile than it’s see-through counterpart.
Additionally, it’s difficult to create holes for airflow in glass than it is for plastic. You can even poke plastic at home to improve ventilation.
You also have the option of wooden or terra cotta baskets that create ventilation by nature and are actually friendlier to the environment. Ceramic is a perfectly stylish option, but ventilation is tricky and transparency is impossible.
Top of the Pots
Deciding on the best orchid pot wasn’t easy. Although I was impressed by the stylish look of a couple of products, in the end, I decided to go for functionality.
I believe this orchid pot by rePotme is filled with amazing features that will help your plants thrive.
It’s a set of different sizes, which I think is perfect for a young orchid. Slots allow for excellent ventilation and their clear nature allows for optimum root control. Plus, the plastic material is built to withstand sun exposure. For me, all these features tipped the balance in its favor.
If you want to bump up the aesthetic of plastic pots or want to show off a particular orchid, you can buy a beautiful ceramic or terracotta pot and then just slide your plastic pot inside.
Just make sure it fits though! I’ve found that straight pots rather than those that taper are what work best.
Learn More About Orchids
