If you want to have healthy and beautiful orchids, then it is of vital importance to select the right orchid pots for them. Orchid roots have rotted and plants have perished because they were placed in the wrong kind of pot. Nowadays, many variations of orchid pots have been custom-designed. Some orchid pots are patterned for air to flow freely and others are translucent to allow the process of photosynthesis to transpire spontaneously within the plant. However, the size and type of pot to use need to be carefully considered depending on the orchid type and the growing conditions.The three basic types of orchid pots available; terracotta or clay pots, plastic pots and basket style pots. Here is a quick overview of the pros and cons of each of these types of pots to help you make the right choice. Orchid Pots of Plastic For plants that require a constantly damp growing medium, pots made out of plastic are the perfect orchid pots to purchase. Plastic pots are lightweight and come with numerous drainage holes to serve the needs of the orchid plants for moist but not waterlogged compost. If there isn't enough drainage you can always puncture the bottom of the plastic pot accordingly to fit your orchid's needs. The main disadvantage of plastic pots is that the potting medium your orchids grow in tends to stay wet longer and doesn't dry out as quickly as it would if placed in a clay or basket pot. Terracotta or Clay Orchid PotsCymbidiums and other epiphytic orchids that can easily tolerate drought conditions grow extremely well in clay or terracotta orchid pots. It can be very unhealthy for certain varieties of orchids to stay in a water-logged environment and so clay or terracotta containers made of porous material and with drainage holes at the bottom are ideal as they let water evaporate for more healthy growing conditions. But perhaps the best advantage of using terracotta pots is that they are heavy, and this makes them much more stable for growing orchids outdoors. Orchid BasketsSome growers prefer to plant their orchids in basket pots that are made of either wood, mesh or wire, particularly when planting sprawling varieties, such as the Gongora and the Acineta Stanhopea, both of which have flowers that are like pendants. These types of orchids need a lot of sunlight to penetrate their root systems, as well as good air circulation, both of which are important for producing the beautiful blooms these orchids are known for. Basket type pots are excellent providers of air circulation and sunlight.. However, baskets tend to dry out more easily so proper care should be taken in respect to watering them. A variety of materials, shapes and sizes are used in the manufacture of basket pots. You will almost always find basket pots for orchids that are meant to be hung from some type of support structure. All of the above orchid pots are suitable to plant your orchids into. It is simply a good idea to find out before purchasing what the ideal growing container is for a particular type of orchid. Different orchid plants typically require different types of pots and different growing conditions. If you research your plant ahead of time you will be able to select the best type of orchid pots for your plants.