Head Planter Pots: How to Choose a Head or Face Plant Pot

Short answer: A head planter is a plant pot sculpted as a face, head or bust, with the planting opening at the top so the plant becomes the hair. Choose by three things: the opening (it decides which plant fits, not the overall size), whether there is a drainage hole, and whether the piece is for indoors or a sheltered spot outside.

Ready to compare? See all our head planters and face plant pots, each sculpted and painted by hand in the Lake District.

How big is the opening on a head plant pot?

Smaller than you might think. The opening, not the height, decides which plant fits. Measure your nursery pot across the rim and compare it with the opening on the product page. Examples from our range:

Head planter	Size (h × w × d)	Opening	Where
Golden Grace	23 × 16 × 14 cm (9 × 6¼ × 5½ in)	about 7–8 cm; no drainage hole	indoors
Afro Woman Head Planter	20 × 15 × 17 cm (7¾ × 6 × 6¾ in)	about 9 cm	indoors, or a sheltered spot outside
The Motherboard	23 × 12 × 14 cm (9 × 4¾ × 5½ in)	about 7–8 cm, tall and narrow	indoors, or a sheltered spot outside
Aristotle.exe Greek bust planter	23 × 21 × 22 cm (9 × 8¼ × 8¾ in)	about 14 cm	indoors

A 6–7 cm nursery pot fits a 7–8 cm opening. For a fuller plant, look for a wider opening like Aristotle.exe's.

Does a face plant pot need a drainage hole?

The plant does; the pot does not have to. The RHS calls drainage holes essential for plants in containers. When a head planter has no hole, as Golden Grace does not, keep the plant in its plastic nursery pot, sit that inside the head, and lift it out to water and drain. Some of our heads, such as the African head planter, have a drainage hole and can be planted straight in. Each product page says which.

Which plant suits a head planter?

Trailing plants fall like hair; upright plants give a crown; small succulents keep the face clear. String of pearls and string of hearts like a very bright spot out of midday summer sun; golden pothos tolerates shade (Gardeners' World). The Motherboard's narrow bowl suits upright plants such as a snake plant. Our best plants for head planters guide goes through the options.

Can a head planter go outside?

Only where its own page says so. Several of ours are for indoors only, to look after the hand-painted finish; others can stand outside in a sheltered spot. Outside, stand it level, out of standing water, and bring it in during harsh weather.

Is a head planter a good gift?

It is a piece of art first and a plant pot second, so it works even for a friend who is not sure about plants: it looks finished empty on a shelf. Check the size against the shelf you have in mind, and add a small plant in a nursery pot if you know the light they have.

Matte-black turban planter