Plant Pots with Drainage

Virago Small 3.5" Porcelain Plant Pot

with drainage hole and saucer

$17.95
Colors: Black
Style
Drainage hole
Saucer Included
30-day return policy

The Virago Small is a 3.5-inch porcelain plant pot for the plant that has outgrown the plastic it came in but earned nothing larger. For years everyone who walked into the studio bought the white one. We made other colors. Nobody moved them. So we built the line in white out of spite, and the white sold first, which was not the lesson we set out to teach.

Porcelain at this size is overkill, which is the point. It fires denser and less porous than standard ceramic, so it keeps its matte finish and shrugs off chips through years of indoor use. The center drainage hole and detachable saucer do the rest.

Small pots punish overwatering faster than large ones, because there is less soil to forgive you. A single succulent, a rooted cutting, a supermarket herb you have somehow kept alive: this is the pot they graduate into. Named for a strong, brave woman, sized for a plant still deciding what it wants to be.

Product detail
  • Color: Black, Blue Grey, Olive, Soft Pink, Clay Terracotta, White
  • Material: Porcelain
  • Glaze finish: Matte/Textured Porcelain
  • Finish variation: Natural variation between pieces
  • Drainage: Included
  • Saucer: Matching saucer included
  • Dishwasher safe: Yes
  • Indoor / Outdoor: For indoor use and covered outdoor temperate weather use
  • Designed by: Chive Studio
  • Year Designed: 2017
Dimension
  • Diameter: 3.5 inches
  • Height: 3.5 inches
  • Fits most standard 3" nursery transplants
  • Saucer diameter: approximately 4 inches
  • Weight: approximately 0.9 lbs (pot + saucer)
Plants that love this pot

small succulents

cacti

pothos cuttings

peperomia

string of pearls

air plants

haworthia

young snake plants

Potting Tips

  1. Repot in the evening.
  2. Wait 1–2 days after watering, then repot.
  3. Buy potting mix. Not backyard dirt.
  4. Move the top layer of soil from the old pot into the new one. It's a little ecosystem.
  5. Never go more than one inch bigger.
  6. Soil line sits an inch below the rim. Leca or small rocks at the bottom for drainage.

Which pot size for my plant? →

Full Repotting guide →
Pot Care instructions
  1. Dishwasher-safe. Can also be hand-washed with warm soapy water and a soft cloth.
  2. Glazed pots are dipped and kiln-fired — they are sealed, durable, and not looking for trouble. No special cleaning products required.
  3. For pots with saucers empty the saucer periodically. Standing water in the saucer defeats the purpose of having a drainage hole, which is a thing we feel strongly about.
  4. Not frost-safe. Designed for indoor use and covered outdoor temperate weather use. Freezing temperatures are not recommended.
Shipping & returns

Shipping

  • Free shipping: On qualifying US orders — threshold shown at checkout
  • Standard: 5–8 business days Express2–3 business days (at checkout)
  • International Ships: to 40 countries — rates at checkout
  • Packaging Ships: in outer box to protect gift box

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Returns

We accept returns within 30 days of delivery on unused items in original packaging. If your piece arrives damaged, contact us within 14 days with a photo and we will replace it at no charge.

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Wholesale Inquires

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Virago Porcelain Large Indoor Pot With Drainage Hole And Saucer - Chive Ceramics Studio - Pots - Chive US

A 3.5-Inch Porcelain Pot Built Like It Has Something to Prove

The Virago Small is a 3.5-inch porcelain plant pot, which is an unremarkable phrase for a thing we reached by a fairly unreasonable route. The name is Latin. A virago is a strong, brave woman, and we did not pick it because it was gentle. We picked it because the pot is built from more material than its size requires, in a matte texture that took an embarrassing number of attempts, and sold mostly in a color we produced out of spite.

At three and a half inches it is the size for the plant still deciding what it wants to be: the propagation that has finally rooted, the supermarket succulent that deserves better than the pot it came in, the kitchen-sill herb you have, against your own expectations, kept alive. The drainage hole sits at the base where it belongs, and the detachable saucer catches what comes through.

Small pots punish overwatering faster than large ones, because there is less soil to forgive you, so the drainage is not decoration here. It is the whole survival strategy. Porcelain at this size is genuinely overkill. It is also why this pot will outlast the plant in it, the windowsill it sits on, and at least one apartment you have not moved into yet.

Potting a plant with Chive

  1. It's best to repot your plant in the evening. Trust us, we know.
  2. Repot 1–2 days after watering — keeps the same rhythm going and won't shock it.
  3. Potting soil is not the dirt from your backyard. Go buy good, nutrient-rich soil.
  4. The top layer of soil in your current pot should be the top layer in the new pot too. It's a little ecosystem your plant likes.
  5. Never go more than one inch bigger than your existing pot. "It'll grow into it" is not correct, and you will kill it.
  6. Keep the soil line about an inch below the top of the pot. Add some leca or small rocks to the bottom for better aeration.
Repotting plants with Chive | Chive Studio

The Ultimate Repotting Guide

For those who have killed a plant. Or several. Or, frankly, many.

Before you put a plant into your new pot, you have to get it out of the nursery pot — a process that ends badly more often than any gardening influencer will admit. We wrote a full guide: when to repot (early spring, and not when you're feeling impulsive in October), which soil to use, how to tell your plant is root-bound, and how to avoid the three mistakes that kill perfectly healthy plants within a week of a well-intentioned repotting.

It is the guide we wish someone had handed us twenty-five years ago. It is written by people who have personally committed most of the errors in it.

Read the guide we wish we had
Virago 3.5" Porcelain Pot With Drainage Hole And Saucer - Chive Ceramics Studio - Pots - Chive Ceramics Studio

The Virago Comes in Three Sizes

The Virago Small has relatives, the same hand and the same finish drawn larger and smaller for the plant you actually own.

Shop the Virago Medium 5"

Shop the Virago Large

Pots with drainage by chive studio

Repotting a Plant Into Something That Drains

Beyond the Virago Small, the full plant pot collection carries the same idea across every size a plant might ask for.

Shop the Ryan Self-Watering Pot

Shop all pots with drainage

Shido Seeds packets styled in soil with sunlight — Chive Studio

Start Something From Seed

If the Virago Small is waiting on a plant, Shido Seeds are where one begins, vacuum-sealed for years of viability in packaging worth keeping.

Shop Shido Seeds

The New York Botanical Garden Worked This Out Early

Chive Studio has made pots and ceramic flowers for over two decades. Every pot begins as a sketch and an argument, because we are incapable of making something we do not mean, which is a fine principle and an inconvenient way to run a studio. A piece usually starts as a disagreement about a curve and ends, months later, as an object we are finally willing to put our name on.

We have never fully understood why botanical institutions keep choosing the work, except that the people who run their shops can tell at a glance whether an object is what it claims to be. The New York Botanical Garden has carried Chive for over ten years. So have Denver Botanic Gardens and Longwood Gardens. Exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for 14 consecutive years, receiving the 5-star booth award, the highest designation the show offers. We ship to over 40 countries, which continues to surprise us a little, and we have never sold through a big-box retailer.

About Our Story

Plant Tips from Chive Studio

Quick tips, straight answers, and the occasional reminder that overwatering kills more houseplants than neglect does.

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How to Repot a Plant: Watch for the Linen

— Todd Newgren
How to repot a plant comes down to three signs, one rule, and one soil decision that most people get wrong. Chive Studio has been making drainage pots since 1999. The neighbor i...
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Are Ceramic Pots Good for Plants?

— Todd Newgren
Ceramic pots for plants outperform plastic on drainage, weight, and longevity — when they have a drainage hole. Chive has spent 25 years getting that detail right, and the pots ...
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Frequently asked questions

What is the Virago pot used for?

The Virago is a porcelain pot for indoor plants. It works well for pothos, snake plants, peace lilies, philodendrons, and small ferns and suits modern, boho, and minimalist rooms. As a 3.5 inch porcelain pot, the Virago fits a shelf, sill, or desk and pairs cleanly with the rest of the Chive pot range. It comes in several colorways to match different rooms.

Does the Virago pot have a drainage hole?

Yes, the Virago is a porcelain plant pot with a drainage hole and a matching saucer. The drainage hole lets excess water escape so roots are not left sitting in water, which is the most common cause of root rot indoors. Water until you see a little drain into the saucer, then empty it. For a porcelain pot with drainage, the Virago keeps watering simple.

What size plant fits the Virago 3.5 inch?

The Virago 3.5 inch is a porcelain pot that holds a nursery plant of a similar width, so match the grower pot to the opening rather than the mature size of the plant. Good choices include pothos, snake plants, peace lilies, philodendrons, and small ferns. For a 3.5 inch indoor plant pot, size up by about an inch when you repot so roots have room without swimming in soil.

Does the Virago come with a saucer?

Yes, the Virago ships with a matching porcelain saucer, so it arrives as a complete pot and saucer set. The saucer catches water that drains through and protects shelves and sills from rings and moisture. Both pieces are finished to match, which is why the Virago reads as one considered object rather than a pot with a random tray underneath.

Is the Virago pot porcelain?

Yes, the Virago is a porcelain plant pot. Porcelain is fired hard, holds glaze color well, and does not break down with watering the way untreated materials can, which makes porcelain plant pots a reliable choice for indoor plants. The Virago is glazed to seal the surface, so it wipes clean and keeps its finish on a sill, shelf, or table.

How do I water a plant in the Virago?

To water the Virago, add water until a little runs into the saucer, then tip out what collects so roots are not left standing in it. Because this porcelain pot has a drainage hole, you can water thoroughly and let the excess go, which encourages even root growth. Check the top inch of soil before watering again rather than watering on a fixed schedule.

Is the Virago good for snake plants?

The Virago is a good porcelain pot for snake plants. It drains freely, so the roots get water and air in the right balance. For anyone searching for a porcelain pot for snake plants, the Virago covers both looks and function. Match the nursery pot to the opening and the plant settles in without fuss.

Is the Virago a good gift for a plant lover?

The Virago makes a practical gift for a plant lover because it is a finished porcelain pot that solves a real problem rather than adding clutter. It arrives as a pot and saucer set and suits most modern interiors. For a plant pot gift that gets used, the Virago is an easy choice, and it suits anyone building an indoor plant collection.
Shido Vegetable and Flower Seeds Vacuum sealed for peak freshness

The pot is sorted. Now what goes in it?

Shido seeds come vacuum-sealed, non-GMO, and packaged well enough that people keep the packets after the seeds are gone. Which is either a design success or a problem, depending on how you look at it.

Your new pot is waiting.

Explore Shido seeds