Plant culture receptacle

A plant is cultivated in a nearly sealed transparent receptacle, which comprises air holes through the well thereof and a culture medium at the bottom. Inside of the receptacle is kept such it is humid and suitable atmosphere for cultivating plants, so that a plant is cultivated without much human labor. The plant culture receptacle according to the present invention is effective for decorating and cultivating plants.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTS 
Generally, decoration plants such as cut flowers and cut branches are put 
in a base with water filled therein. And, plants such as the one with a 
root or bonsai (a potted dwarf tree) are put in a flowerpot with soil 
filled therein. 
The disadvantage of the cut flowers and cut branches described above is 
that they do not last long and their lives are considerably short. The 
disadvantage of the plant with a root and bonsai is such that it is 
necessary to supply water to them so often that they require a lot of 
human labor. 
The object of the present invention therefore is to provide a plant culture 
receptacle which enables to cultivate plants with a root or without a root 
for a long time without much human labor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
A plant culture receptacle according to the present invention comprises a 
main body 1 of the receptacle and a plug 2. The main body 1 is transparent 
and it is nearly sealed, comprising air holes 3 through the wall thereof 
and an opening 4. The main body 1 is provided with a culture medium 5 at 
the bottom thereof, and a plant 6, the bottom portion thereof being put 
into the culture medium 5. The plug 2 seals the opening 4 of the main body 
1. 
It is advantageous to comprise air holes 3 at the upper portion and the 
lower portion of the transparent main body 1. It is also advantageous to 
have an opening 4 at the bottom portion of the main body 1. The plug 2 can 
be provided with a concave 11 (FIG. 5), and natural soil can be put in the 
concave 11 as a culture medium 5. Water 7 may be filled over the culture 
medium 5 at the bottom of the main body. Further, the plug 2 may be 
provided with vertical hollows 9 (FIG. 6) to put water 7, plant 6 and 
perfumes 8 in each of the vertical hollow 9. A tube-like container 10 may 
be inserted into each vertical hollow 9. The plug is preferably made of 
cork board or material. 
Culture medium 5 and a plant 6 are placed in the main body 1 through the 
opening 4. After the placement, the opening 4 is sealed with the plug 2. 
Thereafter, water 7 is supplied into the main body 1 through the air holes 
3. Then, the plant 6 in the main body 1 lives for a long time, scarcely 
requiring a supply of new water and human care. That is, the inside of the 
main body 1 is communicated to the outside only by the narrow air holes 3, 
so that moisture of the culture medium 5 hardly evaporate, and the inside 
of the main body 1 is kept highly humid for a long period of time which is 
a suitable atmosphere for cultivating a plant 6, and that bacterias are 
nearly kept out. Therefore, water may be supplied to the culture medium 5 
only once in several weeks. In general, plants are well cultivated when 
water is supplied not only through their roots but also through their 
leaves and branches. In such sense, according to the present invention, 
the main body 1 is kept highly humid, so that water(moisture) is naturally 
and constantly supplied to leaves and branches of a plant 6, which is a 
desirable atmosphere for cultivating a plant. Further, since leaves and 
branches of a plant 6 are well supplied with water, the plant 6 is rightly 
wet and exhibits its bright and charming color. 
A plant culture receptacle according to the present invention, the main 
body 1 thereof is arranged to be transparent, so that a plant 6 cultivated 
in the main body 1 can be clearly appreciated both in an indoor and an 
outdoor just like other regular plants. The main body 1 is provided with 
air holes 3, so that air flows in the main body 1, which prevents the 
transparent main body 1 from being dimmed. Therefore, the plant 6 inside 
the main body 1 can be vividly appreciated as it is. 
By providing a number of air holes 3 at the upper and lower portions of the 
main body 1, the air flows more smoothly, so that the plant 6 inside the 
main body 1 can be enjoyed in a better condition. With a plant culture 
receptacle having air holes 3 as described above, water can be supplied to 
the culture medium with a syringe through an air hole 3 at the lower 
portion of the main body 1. By filling some water 7 over the culture 
medium 5, it is unnecessary to supply water for several months to a few 
years. 
According to the present invention, a plant 6 is put in a nearly 
air-tightly sealed receptacle, main body 1, so that even a plant having a 
root is prevented from normal growth, which obviates human care such as 
trimming of the leaves and branches. The fact that the plant scarcely 
grows in the nearly sealed receptacle seems to be derived from the 
instinct plants normally have. That is, plant 6 instinctively feels that 
it is put in a nearly sealed receptacle, the main body 1, and it saves its 
growth by itself to live in the limited space. 
By providing a concavity 11 (FIG. 5) to a plug 2 and providing a culture 
medium 5 in the concavity 11, a plant 6 is put in the plug 2 in advance, 
then the plant 6 and the plug 2, as a unit, can be attached to the main 
body 1, which makes the work of putting the plant 6 in the main body 1 
easire. 
A plant culture receptacle according to the present invention, the plug 2 
may be provided with a vertical hollow 9, (FIG. 6) and water 7 and a plant 
6 may be put in the vertical hollow 9, which obviates a culture medium 5. 
Further, the plug 2 may be provided with a plural number of vertical 
hollows 9, and, for example, by putting a cut flower and water 7 in one 
vertical hollow 9 and perfumes 8 suitable for the cut flower in another 
vertical hollow 9, the smell of the perfumes 8 flows out through the air 
holes 3, so that not only the outlook of the plant 6 can be enjoyed but 
also the sweet-smell thereof can be enjoyed. By placing a tube-like 
container in each vertical hollow 9, water leak is completely prevented. 
A plug 2 may be made of cork material. The cork moderately absorbs the 
water of the culture medium 5 and it contains air inside thereof, so that 
a root of a plant 6 can be prevented from being spoiled. A cork turns out 
to be white in its color when it dries, so that by checking the color of 
the cork, water can be supplied to the culture medium 5, which makes the 
maintenance easier. 
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
The sectional view of the preferred embodiment shaped like a spade. It 
comprises a main body 1 and a plug 2. The main body 1 is provided with 
three air holes 3 at the upper portion thereof and four air holes 3 at the 
lower portion thereof. It is also provided with a culture medium 5 
composed of natural soil at the bottom thereof, and a pine tree with a 
root is put in the culture medium 5. The plug 2 is made of cork. 
Since the main body 1 comprises air holes 3 both at the upper and the lower 
portion thereof, the air in the main body 1 flows smoothly and the inside 
wall of the main body 1 does not dim. Water can be supplied in the main 
body 1 through the air holes 3 at the lower portion thereof. In general, 
it is necessary to give water to a pine tree in a flowerpot every day. 
However, according to the plant culture receptacle of the present 
invention, water should be supplied only once several days, which 
eliminates daily human care. 
The main body 1 is made of glass. The transparency of glass is superb, so 
that it is effective to be used as a decoration receptacle containing a 
plant therein. Reinforced glass and heat-resistant reinforced glass are 
suitable materials of the main body 1, as they are resistable against a 
shock. The main body 1 according to the present invention is preferably 
made of glass, but it may be made of other materials such as a plastic. 
The plug 2 in the preferred embodiment is made of cork. Cork naturally has 
eminent absorption and elasticity, so that it is easily attached to and 
removed from the main body 1, and that it is suitable as a plug 2. 
However, the plug 2 according to the present invention is not limited to 
the cork, and it can be composed of such materials as rubber and glass. 
According to the preferred embodiment, the culture medium 5 is composed of 
natural soil, although, it can be made of other materials such as 
rockwool. 
FIG. 4 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
This discloses an art that a cut branch is stood on a culture medium 5, and 
some water 7 is provided on the culture medium 5. Generally, a cut branch 
having no roots dies in a couple of weeks even if it is put in a flower 
vase with water filled therein. A plant culture receptacle according to 
the present invention, on the other hand, enables such plant to live at 
least a few months, and depending on plants, it makes some of them let 
their roots begin to grow. Such plants live much longer. When a cut flower 
is placed in a plant culture receptacle according to the present 
invention, it is understood that such cut flower lives a few times longer 
than the one put in a flower vase, according to an experiment. In general, 
an orchid, for example, requires a lot of human care when it is 
cultivated. However, with a plant culture receptacle according to the 
present invention, such orchid grows smoothly scarcely requiring human 
care. 
According to this preferred embodiment, air holes 3 are provided only in 
the upper portion of the main body 1, although, air holes 3 may be 
provided at the lower portion thereof (slightly above the upper level of 
the water 7), so that air smoothly flows in the main body 1, and the 
inside wall thereof will be effectively prevented from being dimmed. 
FIG. 5 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
The characteristic of this plant culture receptacle is that the plug 2 
thereof comprises a concavity 11, and natural soil is put in the concavity 
11, providing a culture medium 5. With such construction, a plant 6 can be 
stood on the culture medium 5 of the plug 2 in advance, and a unit of the 
plant 6 and the plug 2 can be attached to the main body 1 at once, so that 
putting a plant 6 in a main body 1 can be performed easily. 
FIG. 6 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
According to this embodiment, the plug 2 comprises a plural number of 
vertical hollows 9, and a tube-like container 10 is placed in each of the 
vertical hollows 9. A cut flower, an orchid, and water 7 are put in the 
vertical hollow 9 located in the center, and perfumes 8 of an orchid are 
put in the rest of the vertical hollows 9. By arranging so, not only the 
beauty of the orchid but also the scent thereof can be enjoyed. In this 
preferred embodiment, tube-like containers 10 are utilized. However, 
according to the present invention, the tube-like containers 10 can be 
removed, and water 7, plant 6 and perfumes 8 can be put directly into the 
vertical hollows 9. 
The main body 1 in the preferred embodiment shaped like a spade, however, a 
plant culture receptacle according to the present invention is not limited 
to such shape, and it may shape any type such as a globe, a column, a 
square pillar and a polygon. That is, a main body 1 according to the 
present invention may be any shape of nearly sealed container which 
comprises at least air holes 3 and an opening 4. 
Further, according to the present invention, a whole portion of the main 
body 1 is not necessarily transparent, but at least a portion through 
which a plant 6 can be seen should be transparent. 
According to the preferred embodiment disclosed above, the opening 4 is 
formed at the bottom of the main body 1, however, the present invention 
does not limit the opening 4 to be formed at the bottom. The opening 4 may 
be provided to the top or side portion of the main body 1. The air holes 3 
may also be formed at any portion of the main body 1, instead of the upper 
and lower portions of the main body 1. 
A plant culture receptacle according to the present invention, is such that 
a plant 6 is cultivated in a nearly sealed transparent receptacle having 
air holes 3, so that human care such as water supply and trimming can be 
avoided, and that the plant 6 can live for a long time, which are 
extremely effective for appreciation and cultivation of plants.