Hilchos Shabbos - Plants

QUESTION: Are plants muktza?

ANSWER: If a plant is in a flowerpot that has a hole on the bottom, or if the branches or leaves of the plant extend beyond the sides of the pot, then moving the plant outside can be a melacha on Shabbos. This is because in these cases the plant is viewed as drawing some of its nourishment from the ground. Lifting it up is like detaching it from the ground (Kotzer), and placing it back down is like replanting it (Zorei’a). Even moving it from shade to sun where it will grow better would be an issur of planting on Shabbos. Therefore, one may not move plants on Shabbos in these scenarios. Moreover, poskim write that a live plant is muktza and should not be moved even if the flowerpot does not have a hole and the leaves do not extend beyond the pot (see Shemiras Shabbos K’Hilchasa 26:2).

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