Nephrolepis exaltata Vitale - Compact Sword Fern

How do we measure our indoor plants?

Plant sizes are shown as the grow pot diameter x the total height of the plant.

This means the diameter of the grow pot at the top of the rim x the total height of the plant, from the base of the grow pot to the tip of the longest or tallest point of foliage. It therefore includes the plant roots and soil as well as the height or length of the plant.

Please note: each plant is unique so available heights are approximate and the plant you receive may vary by ±10%

What is the Grow Pot Diameter?

This is a measurement of the diameter of the grow pot at the top from rim to rim.

The grow pot diameter is the best indicator of the maturity and fullness of the plant. A bigger pot means a bigger root system and therefore a bigger, fuller plant.

A bigger root system also makes plants more resistant to stress and neglect. Choose bigger sized grow pots for greater and longer lasting lushness.

What is the Total Height?

This is a measurement of the approximate highest or longest point of the plant to the base of the grow pot.

We measure from the base of the grow pot to the tip of its tallest stretched leaf. For trailing plants, we take the longest piece of foliage and measure from the tip to the base of the grow pot. This gives a really good idea of the plant's total size, from root to tip.

How do I choose the correct sized decorative pot?

Tip: If you plan to keep your plant in its original grow pot you’ll want to make sure that your grow pot diameter is smaller than the opening of your decorative pot.

Check that the size of the grow pot will fit through the opening of your chosen decorative pot.

We show the size of the opening for each decorative pot as you click the different size options or hover over the size buttons.

Tip: Pick a decorative pot that has an opening about 1cm larger than the size of the plant's grow pot. For smaller plants (up to 14cm grow pots) you should go slightly smaller and for larger plants (above 24cm) you can add 2-3cm without the pot looking too large for the plant.

Tip: A useful rule of thumb for a balanced look and to avoid a decorative pot that looks too small, is to aim for a combination where the height of the decorative pot makes up approximately one third of the total height of the plant and pot when assembled, unless you're opting for a tall planter style or the plant’s growth habit is trailing or compact.

Tip: The height of the grow pot can vary slightly but is usually slightly smaller or the same as its diameter. Check your decorative pot will be tall enough to hide the grow pot if you are not re-potting directly into the decorative pot (with a liner).

Tip: If the shape of the decorative pot tapers strongly at the base, it might not be wide enough for your plant to sit squarely at the bottom. In this case you can add a small layer of pebbles underneath a pot liner to increase the size of the base. However, this will raise the height of the plant slightly in the planter.

Why should I use a pot liner?

Whether you want to place your plant in its original grow pot inside your decorative pot or repot directly, we always advise the use of a waterproof liner.

Decorative pots are generally not fully waterproof so adding a flexible waterproof liner inside the pot will protect floors and furnishings from spills and leaks as well as protecting the surface of your decorative pot from a build-up of unsightly calcium or fertiliser deposits.

Liners come in various sizes and are "squashy" so they can be pushed through the opening to expand and fit closer to the pot wall once inside. They can also be trimmed down to size to create a hidden barrier below the rim of the pot.

Tip: If you are repotting your plant into a liner, add a drainage layer on the bottom of the liner using hydrogranules (expanded clay pebbles). The roots above will gently pull the water out of the granules (capillary action) to keep themselves moist but not wet.

Tip: For taller indoor planters fill the base with polystyrene foam or other packaging material that will not compress, up to the required height, then sit the pot liner on top with the re-potted plant in the liner.

Tip: When repotting, allow a little room for the roots to spread. The soil should not be so shallow that without drainage the roots will sit in water, nor so deep that the water drains below the roots leaving the plant to dry out.

Important: If you have chosen one of our HydroCare plants it must remain in its hydro grow pot and be placed inside a pot liner. The liner is essential to create the water reservoir at the base of the hydro grow pot.