Unglazed Round Bonsai Pot, 143mm

What it is

An unglazed ceramic bonsai pot, round, with a band of raised studs around the outside and a footed base that lifts it clear of the bench. The inside measures 143mm across the rim and tapers to 120mm at the base, with 38mm of depth for the root mass.

Why unglazed

Unglazed clay is the traditional choice for conifers and for trees with rough or flaking bark, where a matte earth-toned pot sits behind the tree rather than competing with it. The bare clay surface also breathes, so the outside of the root ball dries at a similar rate to the rest of the pot.

Glazed pots are more usually paired with deciduous trees and flowering species, where the colour is chosen to pick up leaf or flower tones.

Drainage and tie-down holes

The base is drilled with a central drainage hole and smaller tie-down holes. Cover the drainage hole with a square of drainage mesh so the mix cannot wash through, then run a length of aluminium wire up through the tie-down holes and over the root ball to hold the tree steady while it roots in. A tree that rocks in the pot will not establish.

Matching the pot to the tree

A round pot suits an informal upright or a tree with a rounded canopy. As a starting point the pot is usually about two thirds the height of the tree, or two thirds its widest spread on a broad tree, though the balance matters more than the arithmetic.

At 143mm across and 38mm deep this holds roughly half a litre of substrate. A 5 litre bag will fill it several times over with enough left for a drainage layer.