Best Plants for Outdoor Hanging Baskets

Transform your outdoor spaces into lush, vertical gardens with the perfect plants for hanging baskets. Whether you're aiming for a cascading waterfall of greenery or a vibrant display of flowers, choosing the right plants is key to creating a stunning, low-maintenance feature. Let's explore some of the best plants for outdoor hanging baskets, categorized by their growth habits and care requirements.

First, consider the type of hanging basket you'll be using. Macrame, wicker, or plastic baskets all have their unique charm, but they also dictate the size and type of plants that will thrive in them. Larger plants require sturdier, bigger baskets, while smaller plants can be accommodated in almost any type of hanging basket.

Trailing Plants for Abundant Greenery

Trailing plants are ideal for creating a lush, cascading effect in hanging baskets. They grow outwards and downwards, providing excellent coverage and a full, rounded shape. Here are two popular trailing plants perfect for outdoor hanging baskets:

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

The Boston Fern is a classic choice for hanging baskets, offering a delicate, airy texture that softens the look of any outdoor space. It thrives in partial shade and requires consistent moisture, making it an excellent choice for covered patios or shady balconies. Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged to prevent root rot.

To encourage bushier growth, pinch back the growing tips in early spring. Boston Ferns are also excellent at improving air quality, making them a great choice for urban environments.

Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet Potato Vines are vigorous growers that produce stunning foliage in various colors, from deep purple to chartreuse green. They thrive in full sun to partial shade and are drought-tolerant once established, making them low-maintenance additions to your hanging baskets. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings to prevent overwatering.

For a striking contrast, pair different colored Sweet Potato Vines together in the same basket. Their aggressive growth habit ensures a lush, full look throughout the growing season.

Flowering Plants for Colorful Displays

Add a pop of color to your outdoor spaces with these vibrant flowering plants, perfect for hanging baskets:

Petunias (Petunia × hybrida)

Petunias are classic choices for hanging baskets, offering a wide range of colors and flower forms. They thrive in full sun and well-draining soil, producing an abundance of flowers from spring until fall. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering and maintain a neat appearance.

For a full, rounded shape, choose cascading or multiflora petunia varieties. Grandiflora and milliflora types are also excellent choices for hanging baskets, providing a profusion of flowers in a more compact form.

Bacopa (Sutera cordata)

Bacopa, also known as water-wisteria, is a trailing annual that produces an abundance of small, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, or white. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and is drought-tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance choice for hanging baskets.

Bacopa grows quickly and produces a lush, cascading effect, perfect for adding color to shady spots or combining with other trailing plants in mixed baskets. Pinch back the growing tips in early spring to encourage bushier growth and more flowers.

Begonias (Begonia spp.)

Begonias come in various forms, but their trailing varieties are ideal for hanging baskets. They produce an abundance of flowers in shades of pink, red, or white, as well as attractive foliage in shades of green or bronze. Begonias thrive in partial shade and require consistent moisture, making them excellent choices for covered patios or shady balconies.

For a stunning display, combine different begonia varieties in the same basket, such as the cascading Angel Wing begonia and the mounding Dragon Wing begonia. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering and maintain a neat appearance.

When selecting plants for your outdoor hanging baskets, consider their mature size, growth habit, and care requirements. Mix and match trailing, mounding, and upright plants to create a lush, balanced display. Don't forget to provide adequate drainage and water your plants consistently to ensure their health and longevity. Happy gardening!