Top 39 Hanging Basket Plants for Sun

Putting together a hanging basket full of flowers can be a lot of fun.

One of the first things to consider is where you will be hanging your basket. If your hanging basket location will be getting part to full sun exposure, this list is for you. We put together this list of flowering plants that grow best in part to full sun.

Hanging your basket in a shady spot? Check out our list of shade-loving plants for hanging baskets.

With hanging baskets, you have many options for plants, including spillers and fillers. The combination makes for a beautiful display. For that reason, we grouped our “spillers” together in this list (#21 to #27).

The remaining plants, the fillers, pair well with these spillers. In most cases, you can also simply grow only “filler” plants in your hanging basket and avoid any spillers (although spillers are very popular for hanging baskets).

All of the flowers listed here can be grown as an annual in central PA and other northern regions in the United States. Check your plant’s tag for specific plant care instructions.

One last note: It’s important that you keep your hanging plants well-watered if it’s going to be in full sun. You can check if the plant needs to be watered by lifting the basket from underneath (it’ll feel noticeably light if it needs to be watered) or feeling the surface level of potting soil (the top inch of soil should be moist).

Now, on to our list! Below you’ll find our favorite 30 flowers for hanging baskets.

To jump to a specific plant on this list, click a link below:

1. Ivy geraniums
2. Lobelia
3. Lantana
4. Begonias
5. Scaevola
6. Black Eyed Susan Vine
7. Petunias
8. Calibrachoa
9. Alyssum
10. Pansies
11. Portulaca
12. Geraniums
13. Sunpatiens
14. Hens & Chicks
15. Marigolds
16. Verbena
17. Vinca
18. Dianthus
19. Osteospermums
20. Sun Coleus
21. Nierembergia (Cup Flower)
22. Diamond Series
23. Bacopa
24. Creeping Jenny
25. Sweet Potato Vine
26. Ivy
27. Dichondra
28. Vegetables
29. Mandevillas
30. Herbs

1. Ivy Geranium

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 12-30 inches
• Popular colors: Pink, red, salmon & white

2. Lobelia

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-9 inches
• Popular colors: Blue, pink, purple, white, cherry-red (depends on the variety of lobelia)

3. Lantana

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: Up to 6 feet spread & height (depends on the variety of lantana)
• Popular colors: Mix of orange, red, yellow, blue, white, pink

4. Begonias

• Sun exposure: Full sun or full shade (depends on the variety of begonia)
• Mature size: 6-18 inches
• Popular colors: Red, pink, salmon, yellow, and many more!

5. Fan Flower (Scaevola)

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-12 inches tall, up to 2 feet spread
• Popular colors: Blue, purple, white, pink

6. Black Eyed Susan Vine

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 3-8 feet high, 3-6 feet spread
• Popular colors: Red, orange, yellow, white

7. Petunias

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 6-24 inches tall, up to 3 feet spread
• Popular colors: Pink, purple, yellow, and many more!

Some popular petunias for hanging baskets include Supertunias or wave petunias. Curious about the difference between these two types of petunias? Here’s a quick guide.

8. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-12 inches tall, 12-24 inches spread (depends on the variety of calibrachoa)
• Popular colors: Coral, yellow, orange, red, pink, blue, purple, and many more!

9. Sweet Alyssum

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun (alyssum may not bloom as much with little sun)
• Mature size: 4-6 inches tall, 6-9 inches spread
• Popular colors: White, pink, purple

10. Pansies

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 4-8 inches tall, 4-6 inches spread
• Popular colors: White, yellow, purple, blue (depends on variety of the pansy)

11. Portulaca

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 3-9 inches tall, 6-12 inches spread
• Popular colors: White, red, pink, orange, yellow (depending on the variety of portulaca)

12. Geraniums

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 5-36 inches tall (depending on variety of geranium)
• Popular colors: Red, pink, orange, salmon, white, bi-colors, purple

13. Sunpatiens

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 18-48 inches tall
• Popular colors: Pink, red, white, and many more! (depends on the variety of Sunpatiens)

14. Hens & Chicks

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 3-6 inches tall, 6-12 inches spread
• Popular colors: Link pink to reddish-purple hues, green

15. Marigolds

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 4-36 inches tall, 6-18 inches wide
• Popular colors: Yellow, orange, white, red, gold, bi-color

16. Verbena

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: Up to 12 inches tall, 18 inches spread (depends on variety of verbena)
• Popular colors: Red, purple, pink, peach, white, and many more!

17. Vinca

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-18 inches tall, 6-18 inches spread
• Popular colors: White, pink, red

18. Dianthus

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 5 inches to 3 feet tall (depends on variety)
• Popular colors: White, lilac, red, pink

19. Osteospermum (African Daisies)

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 12-36 inches tall, 12-24 inches wide
• Popular colors: Yellow, pink, purple, bi-color, and many more!

20. Sun Coleus

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-36 inches tall, 6-36 inches spread
• Popular colors: Variety of multi-color leafs (depending on the variety of sun coleus)

21. Nierembergia (Cup Flower)

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 6-12 inches, up to 2 feet spread
• Popular colors: White, purple, blue

22. Diamond Series (Proven Winners)

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 12-36 inches tall, 12-36 inches spread
• Popular colors: White

23. Bacopa (Water Hyssop)

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: Up to 12 inches tall and spread
• Popular colors: White, light pink (depends on the variety of bacopa)

24. Creeping Jenny

• Sun exposure: Full shade to full sun (creeping jenny is very easy care)
• Mature size: 2-4 inches tall, 12-18+ inches spread
• Popular colors: Light yellow (in sun) to dark green (in shade)

25. Sweet potato vine

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-16 inches tall, up to 10 feet vine spread
• Popular colors: Yellow, black foliage (depends on the variety of sweet potato vine)

26. Ivy

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 6-8 inches, up to 15 feet vine spread
• Popular colors: Green, yellowish-green, bi-color

27. Dichondra

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: 2 inches tall, 3-4 feet vine spread
• Popular colors: Silver, green

28. Certain Vegetables (tomatoes, strawberries, etc.)

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: Varies
• Popular colors: Varies

29. Mandevillas

• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Mature size: 15-20 feet spread
• Popular colors: Red, white, apricot (depending on the variety of mandevilla)

30. Herbs

• Sun exposure: Part sun to full sun
• Mature size: Varies depending on the herb
• Popular colors: Different hues of green

31. Ornamental Grasses

32. Snapdragons

33. Salvia

34. Dusty Miller

35. Celosia

36. Zinnias

37. Gerbera Daisies

38. Mexican Heather

39. Spikes