Root-Bound Plant
A plant that has outgrown its pot shows a specific set of signs beyond slow growth, and catching it early makes repotting far less stressful for the plant.
Common causes
Roots circling the pot
Slide the plant out and check — roots wrapping densely around the inside of the pot, rather than spreading through the soil, confirm it’s root-bound. Repot into a container one size larger.
Roots emerging from drainage holes
Visible roots pushing out of the bottom of the pot mean there’s no room left to grow. This is one of the clearest external signs without needing to unpot the plant.
Water running straight through
A dense root mass leaves little soil left to hold moisture, so water passes through too quickly to be absorbed. This is often mistaken for a drainage or soil problem rather than a sizing one.