Choosing a pot for a plant this size: drainage first, style second

The pot gets chosen for how it looks far more often than for what it does, and for a plant that has just travelled from Thailand, what it does matters more for the first few months than how it looks.

A drainage hole is not optional

Nothing about a nice glazed pot changes the fact that roots sitting in standing water will rot. If a pot you love has no hole, use it as a cover pot: keep the plant in its nursery or a plain drained pot, and set that inside the decorative one, lifting it out to water.

Sizing: two to three centimetres, not a leap

A pot much wider than the root ball holds far more soil than the roots can use, and that unused wet soil is where rot starts. Go up two to three centimetres in diameter from what the plant is currently in — enough room for a season or two of growth, not a permanent home.

Material changes how often you water

• Terracotta and other unglazed clay breathe and dry faster — forgiving for anyone prone to overwatering.
• Glazed ceramic and plastic hold moisture longer — better for a plant that prefers to stay evenly damp, or for a drier home.

Neither is wrong; matching the material to your own watering habits matters more than the material itself.

What we check before recommending one

A hole that actually drains rather than a token dimple, a saucer that will not overflow onto the floor, and a size that gives the roots room without drowning them. Style is real, but it is the last of the three, not the first.