Plant Encyclopedia

Keep a blooming mum in a pot close to its nursery root ball, usually only 1 inch wider if repotting is necessary. The rounded flower canopy is much wider than the roots and should not determine diameter.

Choose a stable pot only 1–2 inches wider than the measured root ball. Long flower tassels and a broad canopy need clearance, but they do not justify a large reservoir of wet potting mix.

Choose a ventilated orchid pot that closely fits the roots while leaving modest space for the next pseudobulb. Oncidiums grow sideways from a rhizome; pot direction matters more than surrounding the existing clump with excess bark.

Use a modest, relatively shallow-compatible pot about 1 inch wider than the rooted stem cluster. Jewel Orchid is terrestrial and spreading; it should not be potted like an epiphytic Phalaenopsis simply because both are orchids.

Choose a small pot only about 1 inch wider than the fine root ball. Persian Violet is naturally compact; its dome of flowers can be much wider than the roots and should not be used to select container diameter.

Use a compact pot about 1 inch wider than the root mass. Lace Flower Vine spreads by stolons and trails well beyond the rim, but stem length is not a reason to add a large volume of wet soil.

Choose a modest pot about 1 inch wider than the root mass. Cape Primrose carries broad leaves and tall flower stems above a relatively compact crown, so bloom spread should not determine diameter.

Choose a pot about 1 inch wider than the measured root ball or grouped nursery plugs. Impatiens grows quickly and drinks readily in bloom, but roots still need oxygen and a drainage path.

Choose a stable pot about 1–2 inches wider than the measured root ball. False Aralia grows tall and airy, but canopy height does not justify surrounding a modest root system with a large mass of wet mix.