Flowerpot

A flowerpot is any container (such as a pot) in which plants are cultivated. Terra cotta is often used to make flowerpots but they are also often made from plastic, wood, or stone. Sometimes there is a small hole in the bottom, which takes excess water away to a plate that is placed under flowerpot. The plant can use this water with its root system, as needed. Recently, some flowerpots have an automatic watering system, using a reservoir.

Through the centuries, the use of flowerpots has influenced the history of horticulture, which "blossomed" once people had the ability to move plants from one environment to another.The Egyptians were among the first to use pots this way. The Romans were the first to bring potted plants inside in cold weather. In the 1700s, pots allowed breadfruit seedlings to be transported from Tahiti to the West Indies, and geraniums made the journey from Africa to North America. Orchids and African violets have also traveled long distances in containers.

See also