Our trees are shipped in a state called "semi-bareroot." We remove the soil around the root of the plant and replace it with a moisture retaining gel called Terrasorb. This keeps the roots moist during transit and lessens the weight of the tree for ease of planting when you receive it. Large orders may be shipped via freight carriers and the trees may be left in the containers. Container grown trees can be shipped in the pots if you request and are willing to pay for the additional freight charges. Freighted trees are sometimes (not always) shipped in pots.