What makes a good display pot?
 

As a potter making display pots for orchids, I want to learn more about what growers are looking for in a display pot. Are there sizes, shapes, colors, or other aspects of a pot that have been difficult to find? What size or color do you use most commonly?

Which orchid? As it is, there are many types of orchids, thousands, all with different care. A vanda pot would not suit a phaphopedlium.

Is there a common size or shape that would be suitable for a lot of different orchids?

Speaking for myself, I would like a display pot (cache pot):

* that conveniently fits my plastic pots
* no attached saucers
* no interior glaze
* Square pots
* raised pad for my plastic pots to sit on

To be honest, I don't "display" my plants so they stay "undressed". I do like a pretty piece of pottery, though. I'm not likely to grow a plant directly in a display pot since I might have to break it when repotting (I currently have roots escaping plastic pots).

There have been some discussion in the http://www.orchidboard.com/community...and-repotting/ section about people's preferences, frequently heard terms are nets, slotted, holes, air circulation, etc. Peruse some of the supply vendor sites.

The bulk of my orchids are in round or square pots, 2" - 6". Pots need to have good drainage.

Thanks for pointing me to the rest of the threads on the Potting and Repotting topic. I'm a newby and had missed them. Just checked out the interesting topics and learned a bit.

The most common growing pots for display are:

A. Neofinetia falcata, see threads in the dedicated Neo forum.

B. Chinese Cymbidium, which go into tall skinny pots.

On the show table in North Jersey Orchid Society, you see a ton of different temporary display pots. However, most are used just for that evening, as many blooming orchids are top heavy and tend to topple over if just placed on the table in the growing pot.

Personally, I bought two sets of 3 each Chinese display pots in Chinatown (NYC). One set has drain hole + saucers, the other has no drain hole. When I bring plants inside, they go into display pots.

Unfortunately I have had to suspend this, since our latest feline is a mighty orchid flower eating champion.

Aside from the traditional Chinese pots and ornate pots for neofinittias, which were described earlier and used for the actual potting of the small plants, there are two different types of " display" pots or cachepots to place another pot into: 1) display for plants at home if the grower does not like the look of plastic; 2) display for plants entered in a show. For the first, the pots MUST be of a size to fit the conventional size of the plastic pots on the market. If they are for large plants grown outside, they must have a drain hole. The ones in the house can be more ornate and should have a tray. The ones outside can be much plainer. If a cachepot for show, they should NEVER distract from the flowers of the orchid. As a judge, I prefer not to see plants in cachepots on the general show benches as many are elaborately decorated and seriously detract from the plant. Many are also WAY too big for the plant shown and the effect is most distracting. An orchid show in the US is to show off the orchids, not the pots, lovely as they my be. :twocents:

Thanks for taking the time to provide details and pointers. I've read quite a bit in the other threads that were referenced and have done a couple of Google image searches. I've learned enough today to begin to get an idea of how much I don't know.