Like a plant in difficulty — spots show this (3-5)

I believe the answer is:

pot-bound

'like a plant in difficulty' is the definition.

I don't understand the rest of the clue.

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.