The Best Shelves for Plants You Can Buy in 2020: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Few things are as satisfying as caring for a plant, and raising a healthy indoor garden is a source of pride and fulfillment. Having great plant shelves is a knockout way of showcasing their beauty, but also helps with getting the plants out of the way of household traffic, pets and kids. Today, we’re turning the spotlight on the best shelves you can buy for your indoor plants. Read on to see our top picks.

Types of Plant Shelves

Needless to say, one can get really creative with the different types of plant shelves that exist on the market. While there isn’t a specific “by the book” classification, different types of plant shelves have been given names throughout the years, so here are some that you are most likely to find when you search for plant shelves:

Ladder Plant Shelves

These are among the most common types of shelves that you’re now going to find. Whether you want to purchase them or look for some DIY projects that teach you how to make your own, the concept behind these shelves is to provide multiple tiers for placing pots of different sizes.

Normally, the upper shelf of a ladder-style construction has a smaller space that allows for tiny pots and planters, while space gradually increases with every additional shelf, the bottom one being the largest. This way, you have a construction that allows you to place multiple pot sizes, with some ladder style shelves being even foldable if you need to move them/store them out of sight. Ladder style shelves can be used for almost any type of plant that isn’t too tall and can actually fit in here. It could be anything from potted plants, small-sized succulents, or even herbs.

Stand

Another common plant shelf is considered the stand. Plant stands are made from a variety of materials, with the most common ones being metal and wood. Some are in the shape of plant pedestals, while others are stands made from copper wires. Ingenious DIY projects will even teach you how to make plant stands from old lampshades. Stands are used for all kinds of plants, and if you opt for sturdy pedestals, you can even place large potted plants, like figs, palms, spider plants, snake plants, etc.

Tables

While some would consider plant end tables as being part of the stands category, we do consider them a separate item. These are basically like small tables that are designed to host a single large pot. End tables are usually sturdy enough to hold medium plants, like Boston ferns, aloe veras, urn plants, but even some “creepers”, such as English ivy, or lipstick plants.

Glass

Even if wood and metal are the most common materials used to make plant shelves, some people prefer glass ones, and that’s perfectly understandable because the clear glass blends so well with the setup that the entire focus falls on the plants and not the shelves themselves. Besides, some people argue that glass shelves are easier to clean and have a fancier look overall.

The types of plants that you can put on glass shelves depend on the construction of the shelves. Do you have suspended glass shelves hanging from the ceiling? Are they mounted to a wall? Are they regular shelves with ground support? Depending on how much weight they can hold, glass shelves can hold pretty much anything from cacti to wax plants.

Top 6 Shelves for Plants

Now that we know a little bit more about the common types of plant shelves, let look at some of the products that have caught our attention through their price and specs enough that we felt the need to add them to this “best of” list.

Best glass plant shelf

You have to love the elegance of a glass plant shelf, especially when it sits quietly in a corner and can be used as support for your plants. This is a four-tier plant stand with shelves that can serve a multitude of purposes. Originally designed for bathroom corners, who’s to say these glass shelves won’t look just beautifully with potted flowers or succulents?

The shelves are made from tempered glass and are held together by rust-resistant stainless steel posts. They are designed to fit in room corners but you can let your imagination run wild and perhaps find a spot for them even outdoors. You also have the possibility to choose between clear glass shelves or black ones, which are just as elegant and worthy of buying as the clear glass ones.

Best for outdoor use

When you take a look at the Sorbus cart stand, you are going to fall in love with its adorable design and the way it distributed space to hold a variety of different plants. Available in both a black and a bronze finish, this flower cart is made from metal and has a powder-coated finish to make it more outdoor-resistant.

Due to its design, this flower stand can hold up to three medium-large pots on the lower part of the cart and another three on the top side. The cart does require a minimal amount of assembly and measures around 31” L x 10” W x 25.62” H when assembled.

If you’re worried about using the top spots because the cart feels lightweight for heavy plants, know that customers recommend balancing the weight of the plant places on the left and right side of the cart and you should have no problems in this aspect.

Best for different-sized pots

There are so many things that you are going to love about the COOGOU plant stand, with one of the main things being the fact that its shelves available in different sizes allow for placing variously-sized pots: from tiny succulents to snake plants. Made from renewable pinewood, this is a sturdy and really beautiful stand that measures 33.9” W x 28” H x 9.8” D when assembled.

As far as the spots you have for placing the flower pots, there are shelves placed at four different height levels, giving you enough room for about 4 small pots and 5 larger ones. The screws that come with the stand are made from durable carbon steel so that the overall structure can be more resistant.

Best end table-type stand

Take a look at this adorable set of two plant stands that are designed as end tables that can fit small and medium-sized pots. Each of the tabletops measures about 12 inches in diameter and they have an overall height of 15.8 inches. They are made from acacia wood and are available in either a walnut or a cherry finish.

They get their stability from three legs that can be attached to the tabletop without the need for any additional tools, making the assembly process a walk in the park. While it’s not particularly designed for outdoor use, the manufacturer promises that the acacia wood construction is crack-resistant up a point where you can leave these tables on the balcony without having to worry about damage caused by too much sunlight exposure.

Best iron shelf stand

We know that some of you are simply in love with the combination of the vintage look of iron elements that come in contrast with the lively green of plants that are thriving inside the home. For all those of you that feel that way, we have an awesome suggestion in terms of plant stands, and that’s the iron plant shelf stand sold by Unho.

With five different tiers for you to place your favorite flower pots, this is an asymmetrical design that’s perfect for vintage gardens, but also for balconies, hallways, and even living room corners that are designed in both traditional and modern styles.

Because it’s made with electroplating paint, the shelves are rust-resistant and perfectly capable of handling the weather when kept outdoors. The grills that make up each shelf will eliminate the need for water trays, as whatever leaks from the pot’s drainage hole can fall directly on the ground.

Best ladder stand

As we mentioned in the first part of the article, ladder stands are perfect because they allow you to place a variety of pots of different sizes while also helping you save some space. This particular product by COPREE does much more than that, which is why it’s earned its place into our “best of” list.

Aside from the three tiers that can hold smaller pots on the upper shelf and then expands the storage space to fit larger planters on the other two tiers, this construction comes with a top bad that grant space for hanging plants as well, which is a really cool feature that you don’t usually find in other ladder stands.

The ladder stand is made from bamboo and has a foldable construction that makes it easier to move the stand or store it out of sight when not in use. As for the spacing, you have the following specifications to guide you into knowing which plants and pots fit where: there are 26.18 inches of space between the top bar and the first shelf, 11 inches between the first and the second shelf, and another 15.4 inches between the second and the third shelf.

Bottom Line

Showcasing your plants has never been easier thanks to the wide variety of plant shelves that are now available for purchase. Whether you are a fan of glass, wooden, wire, or metal constructions, you can easily find a suitable plant rack, shelf, or stand that accommodates both your needs and your tastes. Remember that there are multiple shelf styles for you to look into, with stands now being among the most popular.