unplant

Unplant (verb): to remove a plant from its growing location, either by uprooting it from soil or by removing a plant from a container. The term is used in gardening, farming, and ecological restoration to describe the act of taking a plant out of place, often with the intention of replacing it, transplanting it elsewhere, or clearing land.

In horticulture, unplanting may be performed to replace dying or undersized specimens, to prepare a bed for seasonal changes, or to salvage plants before construction. The process typically involves loosening the soil around the plant's root zone, extracting the root ball with care to avoid excessive damage, and either replanting in a new location or disposing of the plant.

Ecological restoration uses unplanting to remove non-native, invasive, or diseased plants that threaten native communities, often followed by restoration of native vegetation.

Care must be taken to minimize soil disturbance, protect the remaining plant roots, and consider ecological consequences of removal. The term overlaps with uproot, extract, or transplant, and is not always preferred in professional horticulture, where 'transplant' or 'remove' may be used depending on whether the plant is relocated.

Because unplanting changes plant communities and soil structure, it is typically planned as part of garden design or restoration projects, with attention to seasonality, moisture, and re-establishment success.