Long Cardboard Boxes for Tall Artificial Trees: A Buyer’s Guide
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We stock six long cardboard boxes: 44cm, 65cm and 86cm (all 16cm x 16cm in section), 100cm (19cm x 19cm), a wide 120cm (30cm x 30cm) and 165cm (22.5cm x 22.5cm). Choose the box by two checks: its length must exceed the tree's listed height with room for end protection, and its section must take the tree's pot. Note that orders containing packaging boxes ship only when the order is over £500 ex VAT, so plan boxes into a larger stock order.
Which long box fits which tree?
An artificial tree's branches fold in for transit, which reduces its width, but the trunk and pot set the length. Unless a product page says the tree comes apart, plan on the box being longer than the tree's listed height. Leave about 5cm at each end for end caps or crumpled fill so the pot and crown never press against the flaps; the full sizing method is in choosing the right cardboard box size for artificial trees and plants.
The second check catches more mistakes than the first: the pot. Our trees ship in plastic weighted pots, and the pot size is listed on every product page. A 17cm pot will not go into a 16cm x 16cm box however short the tree is. Listed box sizes are external dimensions, so the usable inside is slightly smaller; test one tree before you commit to a volume of boxes.
Compare all six boxes, with live stock, in our packaging boxes for plant retailers hub.
Our long boxes compared
| Box (L x W x H, cm) | Suits trees and plants up to about | Pot width it takes | Length + girth (cm) | Volumetric weight at 5,000 divisor (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 x 16 x 16 | 35cm to 38cm | Up to about 14cm | 108 | 2.3 |
| 65 x 16 x 16 | 55cm to 58cm | Up to about 14cm | 129 | 3.3 |
| 86 x 16 x 16 | 75cm to 78cm | Up to about 14cm | 150 | 4.4 |
| 100 x 19 x 19 | 90cm | Up to about 17cm | 176 | 7.2 |
| 120 x 30 x 30 (wide) | 110cm | Up to about 24cm, with room for padding | 240 | 21.6 |
| 165 x 22.5 x 22.5 | 150cm to 155cm | Up to about 20cm | 255 | 16.7 |
Length plus girth is length + 2 x (width + height). Volumetric weight is length x width x height divided by 5,000; some carriers use 4,000 or 6,000, so recalculate for yours. Height limits allow about 5cm of protection at each end.
Worked matches from our tree range
- 55cm plants in 12.5cm pots, such as the 55cm dark green arboricola: the 65cm long box (16cm x 16cm). The pot clears the section and there is room for end fill.
- 75cm plants in 17cm pots, such as the 75cm premium cactus: the pot is too wide for the 86cm box's 16cm section, so step up to the 100cm long box (19cm x 19cm). This is the commonest mismatch.
- 75cm to 78cm plants in 12cm to 14cm pots: the 86cm long box.
- 90cm trees in a 22cm pot, such as the 90cm deluxe olive tree: too wide for the 100cm box, so use the wide 120cm box (30cm x 30cm), which also suits bushy trees that do not fold narrow.
- 120cm to 150cm trees in 16cm to 18cm pots, such as the 150cm twisted trunk Japanese fruticosa style ficus (17cm pot), the 150cm natural look bamboo (16cm pot) or the 120cm bird of paradise (16cm pot): the 165cm long box (22.5cm x 22.5cm).
- Desk and shelf plants up to about 38cm: the 44cm long box.
Trees of 160cm and taller do not fit any of our long boxes, and most of our 180cm to 260cm trees also use a 22cm or larger pot. If you resell these trees online, plan a pallet or two-person courier service, or a box sourced elsewhere, and price that into the listing. In a physical shop, tall trees are usually better sold for collection or local delivery.
Protecting crown, pot and box ends
Tall trees fail in transit at three points: the tips of the crown, the joint where the trunk meets the pot, and the box ends where the weight of the pot lands when the box is stood on end. A quick packing checklist:
- Fold branches in towards the trunk and sleeve or bag the crown so tips cannot snag.
- Wrap the pot so it cannot move or split the box; tape a card collar around the trunk-to-pot joint.
- Fill each end with crumpled paper or card end caps so neither the pot nor the crown touches the flaps.
- Tape the full length of the seam and both ends, and mark the pot end so the parcel is stood the right way up.
- Put the dressing-out instructions (open out the branches after unpacking) on a card inside the box.
The full method is in how to package artificial plants for safe ecommerce shipping. Board strength is not listed in our product data; if you plan to stack heavy trees or pallet them, test a packed box first.
Carrier length limits
Long boxes often fall outside standard parcel bands even when they are light. Before you list a tree online, check three figures against your carrier's rules:
- Maximum length: the 120cm and 165cm boxes may exceed the limits of standard services.
- Length plus girth: 240cm for the wide 120cm box and 255cm for the 165cm box, both high.
- Volumetric weight: the wide 120cm box is 21.6kg at a 5,000 divisor even with a light tree inside, so it may cost more to send than the 165cm box.
If the numbers do not work, change the tree, not the box: a narrower tree may fit the 165cm box instead of the wide 120cm one, or a 120cm tree may avoid the long-parcel band altogether. For reducing damage claims across your range, see wholesale plant packaging: reducing damage and returns.
Ordering boxes: the £500 rule
Under our terms, orders containing packaging boxes only ship when the order is over £500 ex VAT. Boxes are bulky, so they travel palletised or flat-packed with a larger order. In practice:
- Buy boxes with a stock order of trees and plants, not on their own.
- Work out your box counts from your tree counts: one box per tree, plus spares for damaged boxes and returns.
- Check live stock for both the trees and the matching box size, and do not assume a box length will be there later; we do not reserve stock.
- All prices are ex VAT, with VAT added at checkout and a VAT invoice supplied. Payment is proforma.
Worked example (box mix for a first online range): if you list twenty 150cm fruticosa ficus, twenty 90cm deluxe olives and forty 55cm arboricola, you need twenty 165cm boxes, twenty wide 120cm boxes and forty 65cm boxes, plus about one in ten spare of each for damaged cartons and returns. That is 88 boxes in three sizes, ordered with the plants so the order clears £500 ex VAT and arrives on one delivery.
Our standard trade terms still apply to the rest of the order: a £150 ex VAT minimum, and free UK mainland delivery at £300 ex VAT and above. See ordering and delivery for the full terms.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I add boxes to a £200 order?
Orders containing packaging boxes ship only on orders over £500 ex VAT, because boxes are bulky and travel palletised or flat-packed. Add boxes when you place a larger stock order.
Do you stock a 180cm or 200cm box?
No. Our longest box is 165cm. Trees above about 155cm need another shipping method.
Are the boxes single or double wall?
Board grade is not listed in our product data. If it matters for your carrier or stacking, contact us before ordering, and test a packed box.
Will a tree fold down to fit a shorter box?
The branches fold in to reduce width, but the trunk and pot do not shorten. Choose a box longer than the tree's listed height unless the product page says the tree comes apart.
Which box do most small plants and bonsai use?
The 44cm and 65cm boxes suit plants up to about 38cm and 58cm, as long as the pot is no wider than about 14cm. Our 60cm ficus bonsai have 15cm pots, so test the fit or use the 100cm box.
Next steps
See all six boxes in the packaging boxes hub and the packaging boxes collection, and find trees by height and pot size in the artificial tree finder or the artificial trees collection. For the wider online selling toolkit, including product photography and stock feeds, see selling artificial plants online. More packaging questions are answered in the packaging boxes FAQ. Register online, log in to see trade prices. Register here.
