There are many types of containers from which to choose. A good container should be large enough to provide room for soil and roots, have sufficient head room for proper watering, provide bottom drainage, and be attractive without competing with the plant it holds. Headroom is the space between the soil level and the top of the pot that allows for watering a plant. Containers may be fabricated of ceramics, plastic, fiberglass, wood, aluminum, copper, brass, and many other materials. Clay and Ceramic Containers Unglazed and glazed porous clay pots with drainage holes are widely used.
Ornate containers are often nothing but an outer shell to cover the plain clay pot.
Clay pots absorb and lose moisture through their walls. Frequently the greatest accumulation of roots is next to the walls of the clay pot, because moisture and nutrients accumulate in the clay pores. Although easily broken, clay pots provide excellent aeration for plant roots and are considered by some to be the healthiest type of container for a plant. Ceramic pots are usually glazed on the outside, some-times also on the inside. They are frequently designed without drainage holes.