A wrought iron planter is a structure that supports plants and soil; it can be made into a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate different applications. Wrought iron is a strong material that is often worked into ornate patterns and structures by hand. Some wrought iron planter designs feature elaborate curves, ornate features such as crests or spikes, and other designs that heighten the visual appeal. Real wrought iron can be quite expensive because making structures from this material is labor-intensive, so some planters that are marketed as a wrought iron planter are actually cast iron made to appear as wrought iron.
Most iron products today are not made from wrought iron at all, since the practice has been replaced by more efficient and faster methods. A true wrought iron planter, therefore, is likely to be quite a bit more expensive than other planters, though to the untrained eye, it will be difficult to tell the difference between wrought iron and other types of iron. Wrought iron often features a grain that looks similar to some woods, since the metal is often stretched nearly to the point of failure when it is heated. This adds to the aesthetic of the structure.
Planters support the weight and bulk of soil and plants, though a wrought iron planter is often made with bars that allow soil to fall through it. The planter is therefore used in conjunction with some sort of liner within the planter to prevent soil from falling through. Liners may be synthetic or natural; some types of moss are often used to prevent soil from falling through while still maintaining the overall visual appeal of the planter structure.
The design of the wrought iron planter will vary significantly according to the builder's preference. Some planters are free-standing and feature legs that support a bowl-shaped or box-shaped planter. Others may hang from railings or even window sills, and still others may simply be a wrought iron hook that is mounted to a solid surface, from which a plant on a hook can be hung. Most wrought iron planters are black, as this is the traditional color of wrought iron, but the iron can be modified during the working process to appear a different color such as silver or brown.