Plants that thrive in hanging baskets are one of the most charming ways to add greenery to your house, patio, or garden. It adds not just color and texture, but a hint of fun to the space and not at the cost of a minimal floor area.
For gardeners with limited space or fans of vertical gardens, hanging baskets are the perfect answer.
Whatever it is that you may require, like trailing blooms, fragrant herbs, or beautiful foliage, there’s a sure plant for you that will thrive well in the hanging baskets.
At Tiny Cottage Garden, we feel plants need a second chance, and gardening should be easy and fun to get that rewarding experience.
Here we have for you a list of 30 stunning plants that thrive well in hanging baskets, along with some useful tips to help you do so.
The Reason Hanging Baskets Are Great
But before we jump into our list, let’s talk about why hanging baskets are such a great garden solution:
- Space: They are perfect for growing plants in small spaces – like a balcony, small backyard, or even inside.
- Interest: Trailing plants add depth and a whole lot of interest visually.
- Health: Many plants grow better when they have good airflow (like they do in hanging baskets), which helps prevent fungal issues.
- Accessibility: Baskets can be hung at a level that makes watering and harvesting your plant (if it’s an herb) super easy.
To be successful, hanging baskets need well-draining soil, good watering habits, and the right amount of sun. Using a basket with a liner or made from moss can help keep water in check, and picking the right trailing or compact plants will guarantee they don’t get too overgrown.
Characteristics to Consider when Selecting Hanging Basket Plants
- Think about the growth of a plant: Trailing, cascading, or mounding types of plants are good options.
- Be aware of the sun: You need to be aware of the position of the sun, whether it will be full sun, partial sun, or shade.
- Watering Requirements: Hanging baskets dry faster than regular pots. You should choose plants that can tolerate this situation. Otherwise, consider plants that can be easily watered.
- Size: Opt for small-sized plants, so the basket doesn’t look overcrowded. Here are all the items on the requirements list and 30 pretty plants perfect for hanging baskets.
1. Petunias
Although Petunias vigorously blossom and trail beautifully, they perform best with regular deadheading. This is the removal of old, withered flowers.
By doing this, you will be promoting the growth of new flowers. The aesthetic appeal is also better as the plant looks more filled-out.
Plant your Petunias in a spot with full sunlight. Water them daily, especially during hot weather. Planting them with lobelia or bacopa creates a cascading sea of beautiful flowers.
2. Fuchsias
Fuchsias prefer partial shade and consistent moisture.
Too much sun can scorch their delicate flowers, so they do best placed near an east-facing window or under a pergola. This is one of those plants that attract hummingbirds, which makes them perfect if you want your hanging baskets to draw wildlife into your garden.
Feed every 2-3 weeks during the growing season for very abundant blooms.
3. Lobelia
Lobelia is a spreading, low-growing plant that produces bright blue, purple, or white blossoms. It has a preference for partial sun and cool conditions.
Lobelia is a perfect match to bright petunias and can make a great, colorful, multilayered basket. Prune occasionally to keep the plant shaped and to remove faded blooms.
4. Bacopa
Ideal for softening the edge of hanging baskets, Bacopa likes its soil to be moist at all times, and it should be well-draining. Prefers part sun.
Use with trailing geraniums or petunias for an attractive cascading effect. Pinch the stems for bushier growth and to avoid spindly stems.
5. Geraniums
Trailing or Ivy-leaf geraniums come in a variety of colors. These tough plants like to be in full sun to part shade and require moderate watering.
Sweet alyssum or lobelia looks nice with geraniums. Fertilize every 3-4 weeks for continuous bloom.
6. Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
Resembling tiny petunias, Million Bells are abundant bloomers that come in a variety of cheerful colors such as pink, purple, red, and yellow. They love sunlight and well-draining soil.
Unlike the thicker stems of regular petunias, these delicate little ones are less resilient to heavy rain, making a partially sheltered spot for your hanging basket a good idea.
Fertilize them weekly with liquid bloom fertilizer, and Million Bells will keep on rewarding you with blooms all season long. They look especially pretty together with lobelia or bacopa.
7. Nasturtiums
Perfect for a casual, cottage-style basket, these cheery, edible flowers like full sun but will tolerate partial shade. In fact, in very hot climates, they may prefer a little respite from the harsh midday rays.
Plant them in lighter soil, rather than rich potting mixes. The more sparse the growing conditions, the less foliage nasturtiums will produce, resulting in more flowers.
Trailing varieties are excellent for hanging baskets, their limbs cascading over the sides in an elegantly untamed fashion. Both leaves and flowers are edible, adding an attractive and tasty element to your herb-garden style basket in the kitchen.
8. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Calibrachoa is a staple in the Proven Winners line of annuals because of its vigorous growth and heavy bloom. It loves full sun, but also does well in partial shade.
Let the soil dry out slightly between watering, as calibrachoa is susceptible to rot in soggy conditions. These blooms work well in any style of basket, from formal to cottage, either spilling abundantly over the sides of hanging baskets or adding rich color to window boxes.
9. Ivy (Hedera helix)
This is a hardy, vining plant that will do well in both outdoor and indoor hanging baskets.
Ivy performs best in partial shade or filtered light, making it an excellent option for patios, porches, or indoors near a window. Its trailing vines give any basket a lush, full look with a graceful cascading habit.
Ivy is quite drought-tolerant for a flowering plant; however, occasional irrigation will ensure a nice, even color and growth. Prune as needed to keep the plant in check and maintain the desired shape.
10. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Creeping Jenny is prized for its bright chartreuse foliage, making it a stellar component plant in mixed hanging baskets. Creeping Jenny prefers partial sun to shade and consistently moist soil.
This is a very vigorous, fast-growing plant that will require regular shearing to keep it in check and prevent it from smothering its neighbors in the basket.
It works well with other flowering plants like fuchsia, geranium, and bacopa, as it gives a colorful, trailing feature that spills over the sides of the hanging basket and attracts the eye to the edges of the basket.
11. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
String of Pearls is the perfect choice thanks to its distinct leaves shaped in beads that cascade elegantly from the extra space provided by hanging baskets. The fun and modern look it offers will surely brighten up any space. This succulent requires bright, indirect light for it to thrive.
Soil: Well-draining soil is required; like all succulents, it is essential not to overwater this one either and let it dry slightly between waterings.
Indoor hanging baskets do well in filtered sunlight near a window. An occasional pruning will help create a fuller plant and prevent spindly, leggy strands.
String of Pearls can also look great combined with other succulents, which have the same water, care, and maintenance needs.
12. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
The Spider Plant is arguably the best example of an indoor plant that you would have to actively try to kill. With its long, arched leaves and hanging babies, it can bring a sense of movement and life to any room, especially if you put it in a hanging pot. This is the perfect plant for a complete novice since they are very low maintenance, don’t mind if you forget to water them and do well in fairly low light.
Although they’re low-maintenance, spider plants benefit from the occasional trim of browning leaf tips, as well as a monthly dose of liquid fertilizer during each spring/summer of active growth.
Spider Plants are also extremely easy to propagate, as they grow “babies” on long, dangling stems that can be simply snipped off and replanted.
13. Hoya (Wax Plant)
Hoyas are semi-succulent climbers, having thick, waxy leaves and star-shaped flowers. They like brilliant indirect light and to dry out ever so slightly between waterings.
Hanging baskets are ideal for their long, trailing vines to cascade down and make a pretty scene.
Hoyas flower more when their roots are a little cramped and water-stressed slightly. They do well with a quarter rotation every time you water to keep all parts of the plant healthy and in the light.
14. Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)
A favorite for its trailing, lush, and colorful foliage, the sweet potato vine is available in a number of shades of green, purple, or bronze.
The colors in a variegated leaf will remain much more vibrant if it gets regular watering.
Fast-growing, you may have to trim it from time to time so it won’t swallow the small companions in the same container. Excellent to plant with flowering plants since it provides a great contrasting texture and color.
15. Coleus
Coleus, a plant valued for its multicolored, multifaceted foliage rather than its flowers, thrives in partial shade and consistently moist soil.
For hanging baskets, look for trailing coleus varieties that will allow their stunning leaves to spill attractively over the side. Pinch plants back to encourage bushier growth. Coleus will perform its best when it’s not leggy.
Pair this foliage plant with white or pale flowers that will allow its colorful leaves to take center stage. Protect from hot, direct sun, which can scorch the leaves of this tender plant.
16. Begonias (Trailing Varieties)
Begonias make up for their lack of hardiness with brightly colored blooms and thrive in partial shade. Keep soil moist but not overly saturated.
Prune plants regularly to promote more vibrant blooms and keep the plant from getting leggy. Pair begonias with fuschias or bacopa to add bursts of color to the foliage of coleus.
17. Verbena
A beautiful plant that thrives in full sun and is characterized by small, clustered flowers that cascade.
Regular deadheading will keep the plant blooming all summer long. Perfect for pots, hanging baskets, or window boxes
18. Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)
Pothos can survive in environments from low to bright light and doesn’t require frequent watering.
Its long cascading vines can grow several feet making a dramatic statement in any room. Perfect for entry halls or reception areas.
19. Spiderwort (Tradescantia)
Spiderwort is a very fast-growing alternative to add to your indoor garden. It features variegated or striped foliage and will thrive best under bright, indirect light, in slightly damp soil conditions.
Pruning it regularly helps to maintain a nice, rounded appearance and prevent it from becoming overgrown. Planted together in pots or baskets with other plants adds great texture and color contrast.
20. Variegated Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)
A cultivar of the popular spider plant, this little beauty boasts pretty leaves striped in white and prefers bright indirect light. Water it only when necessary.
This type of plant produces plantlets that trail down and that, when cut off and propagated, can give you as many new little plants as you want.
21. Angelonia
Often called summer snapdragon, Angelonia has spires of pink, purple, or white flowers and likes full sun with well-drained soil.
Deadhead regularly, and it will blossom from spring until fall. The beautiful cascading nature of this annual makes it an attractive inhabitant in baskets with trailers like ‘Bacopa’ or ‘Million Bells’.
22. Diascia
Another beauty with spilling, delicate flowers is Diascia. It prefers part sun and moist soils.
This annual flowers excellently with regular deadheading and is a perfect candidate for flowers spilling over the edges of containers. Try growing it with some ivy and sweet alyssum.
23. Verbascum (Trailing Varieties)
With long, remarkably interesting stems covered in clusters of flowers of many colors, Verbascum thrives in the sun and does well with a moderate amount of water.
Verbascum trails, rugs, and gives you your ‘height’ and ‘upright’ for mixed baskets, so all things being equal, err on the side of growth, rather than compactness, and it’ll look fabulous with the shorter, trailing plants like Bacopa.
24. Portulaca (Moss Rose)
Looking more and more fabulous in hot, sunny conditions, the hotter and sunnier it is, the more Portulaca seems to thrive!
So, if your baskets bake in the sun, look out for these brightly colorful flowers that come in reds, yellows, and pinks and flop deliciously over the edge of the baskets.
Once it has been watered sufficiently to become established, Portulaca is a great ‘forget me not’ plant, tolerating drought better than most. But this is the one for low-maintenance hanging color.
25. Wishbone flower (Torenia)
The flowers of the wishbone flower are small, trumpet-shaped, and vary in different shades of purple, pink, and white.
It requires a part to full shade position and moist, well-draining soil to thrive in a container on the patio.
Also suitable as a filler in a mixed planter with other trailing vines with attractive foliage, such as Creeping Jenny or Ivy.
26. Caladium
These plants have heart-shaped leaves, which are often brightly patterned in red, pink, white, and/or green.
Part shade and well-draining, moist soil are needed. They are a wonderful choice for a hanging basket, as their colorful, fleshy leaves are the main attraction.
Partner them with some equally attractive drapey leaves, such as ivy or Creeping Jenny. Should not be placed in direct sunlight.
27. Trailing Fatsia Japonica
The glossy, green, dramatic, large leaves of Fatsia will cascade over the edges of baskets.
Fatsia prefers partial shade. Since Fatsia has a tendency for root rot, drainage of the soil is important.
The bold foliage will provide a perfect contrast with other smaller flowering plants and will add to the texture and depth of the basket. Regular pruning will ensure that the growth is well under control if used in combination with other plants.
28. Heuchera
This plant is recognized by its beautiful, frequently brilliant leaf colors ranging from purple to silver, red, or green hues; it also thrives in partial shade. Soil should be kept moist.
The trailing forms of Heuchera have the perfect habit to spill over the side of the baskets.
Interesting leaves of colors make them attractive, and the flowers are not even noticed. These go well with soft flowers such as bacopa and lobelia.
29. Impatiens
These flowers cascade nicely in hanging baskets situated in partial shade. They come in bright red, pinks, whites, and purples. They will not wilt unless receiving no water at all. Great for low light areas.
Complementary trailers balance the textural element of trailing in the basket and include foliage plants like Creeping Jenny or Ivy.
30. Verbena Bonariensis (Trailing Cultivars)
These trailing Verbena basket plants possess long-lasting, attractive flowers that trail magnificently. They thrive in full sunlight and well-drained soil.
Their long stems will add an attractive and flowing height feature to the basket, and will go beautifully with low-growing trailing flowers such as Sweet Alyssum or Million Bells.
Tips to Help Your Hanging Baskets Thrive
- Soil: Choose dry and light potting soil. You may add some fertilizer too.
- Watering: Since hanging baskets tend to dry out faster, water them daily. Water thoroughly enough that it drains out the bottom.
- Fertilizing: Apply liquid fertilizer to your baskets every couple of weeks.
- Pruning: Trailers also need to be pruned so they get bushier.
- Rotation: Give your baskets a rotation now and then.
Common Mistakes
- Overcrowding the Plants
- Overwatering the Plants
- Incorrect Plant Selection
- Poor Quality Soil
Avoid these mistakes, and you will be able to groom healthy and thriving hanging baskets.
Conclusion
As we discussed above, hanging baskets can be the perfect choice to ornament any space. It’s truly an amazing feeling to watch color and beauty grow and blossom in the air.
With a view from the kitchen window, looking at a stunning explosion of color and blooms, or the view from your balcony, breathing in the heavenly aroma, nothing can be better than that.
If you have any questions about what works best in your area or about your hanging baskets, please go to our Contact Us page. Any question you have will be answered in 2-3 days! We are there for you and for your garden to flourish!