What finish to use on a Red Mallee burl bowl?

I have just finished turning a bowl that will be used as a planter, not for food. What oils or finishes should I use that would show off the grain to best advantage

I would use an antique oil and Watco Danish Oil for 3 coats and then I'd top coat it with polyurethane after the oil has sat to cure for at least 3 days. But that's just me. :)

You will probably be using a watertight container in the bowl to actually hold the plant, so any finish would probably work. If you are not using a watertight container in the bowl, any finish will probably fail over time.

On Tim Yoder's show a while back he made a fountain out of a few bowls with water flowing from one down into the next. Pretty slick setup. He sealed the inside of the bowls with a couple coats of 2-part epoxy. He didn't say how long it would hold up, but it should be impervious to water. For the outside I might consider a coat of black aniline dye sanded back to set off the grain. Then as Dennis said, poly over a few coats of Danish oil.

Thanks everyone