An apparatus for the gripping of plants (1) located in a contai­ner (3) is disclosed. This apparatus comprises a pushing element (9), which pushes the ball (2) of the plant upwardly from underneath, until the ball is released for a substantial part above the container. Then the ball is gripped by a number of gripping arms (18), movable in a horizontal direction, which transports the ball including the plant to its destination. To be able to push the ball upwards the continer comprises at location of each of the cavities for the balls a guiding channel (6) for the pushing element. This channel has a cross-section of a star-­like configuration, the number of points thereof coïnciding with the number of points of the pushing element.