Assembling your own hanging basket with flowers and plants that match your style can be a satisfying experience.
But what flowers are best for hanging baskets?
I’ve been growing plants on our greenhouse farm for over 2 decades, and it’s clear that some plants grow great in hanging baskets…and some do not.
This post is a compilation of some of the top plants that are well-suited for hanging baskets, based on our experience of growing plants here in Pennsylvania.
Read on for some of the top flowers and plants to use in your next hanging basket.
Hanging basket flowers
Planting flowers in a hanging basket presents a challenge: choosing plants that will perform well, despite the limited growing room.
Fortunately, many varieties of annuals and perennials are a suitable choice for hanging basket flowers.
At Homestead Gardens, we grow hundreds of hanging baskets every spring for customers in Lancaster, PA, and the surrounding areas. Through the years, we’ve discovered a few types of plants that tend to grow especially well in a hanging basket.
Here’s our list of some of the best plants to grow in your hanging basket.
Top 20 plants to grow in a hanging basket
While many annuals and perennials can be grown in hanging baskets successfully, this list contains plants that we have found to be popular for their ease of care and beauty when planted in hanging baskets.
1. Ferns
Ferns are some of the most popular shade-loving plants for hanging baskets.
Since many hanging baskets are hung in shady areas like under a tree or a porch, ferns are a perfect option.
Given the proper care and length of the growing season, ferns will grow to be large and busy — making them stand out in a hanging basket.
Since they’ll grow to be large, make sure that you choose hanging basket companions that will be able to fend for their own. Typically, ferns are grown by themselves in hanging baskets.
Here’s how to water ferns.
2. Petunias
Petunias, including wave petunias, can be great for hanging baskets as they tend to mound and pour out over the sides of the basket. The cascading effect of petunias, along with their plentiful blooms, makes for a beautiful addition to your home!
Wave petunia baskets are especially good for hanging baskets as they don’t require any deadheading.
Supertunia Vista Bubblegum can also be used in hanging baskets, but be careful you don’t overcrowd them, as these plants are even more vigorous growers than Wave petunias.
Here’s how to water petunias.
3. Begonias
Most varieties of begonias grow great in sun or shade, making them a great, easy-care choice for a hanging basket.
Begonias are great for providing a full, spilling effect to your hanging basket. Some varieties, such as Dragon Wing begonias and BIG begonias will grow 2-3 feet tall and branch out with 5-inch long leaves.
Here’s how to water begonias.
4. Impatiens
Impatiens are shade-loving plants, so they grow great in hanging baskets in areas that don’t get hit by the sun in the heat of the day.
Depending on the area, some Impatiens have been prone to Downy Mildew disease, so make sure this isn’t a common occurrence in your area. You can also find newer varieties of impatiens that are resistant to the disease.
Here’s how to water impatiens.
5. Fuchsia
Fuchsia plants have a unique flower design and love the shade (too much exposure to the sun will require more watering to avoid wilting down).
Fuchsia are normally grown when container gardening or in a hanging basket.
Here’s how to water fuchsia plants.
6. Succulents
Succulents are certainly a growing trend in the gardening world. Their desert origin allows them to withstand heat fairly well (depending on the variety), and their looks add beauty to your hanging basket.
7. Lantana
Lantana plants are beautiful mounding spreaders. These plants will produce small clusters of blooms with bright colors.
Due to their spreading nature, they are perfect for hanging baskets, as they’ll reach out over the edge and drape down the side of the basket.
Similar to succulents, lantana plants are drought resistant due to their origin, so they’ll want full sun in a hanging basket. If you have your lantana basket in part sun/part shade you may notice it doesn’t grow as many flowers.
Here’s how to water lantana.
8. Pansies
Looking to grow a hanging basket in the early spring or fall? Pansies are a great option for this time of year.
Pansies are known for their hardiness with cold temperatures and they don’t grow the best in the heat so they are a great option for hanging baskets that are started early or later in the summer.
Here’s how to water pansies.
9. Verbena
Similar to lantana, verbena will spread out in a hanging basket and produce flowers vigorously.
Here’s how to water verbena.
9. Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum, also called “lobularia maritima,” is known for its beautiful mini blooms that range from white to pink to purple.
Here’s how to water alyssum.
10. Grasses
Most types of grasses are great for hanging baskets. Some people like to have a thriller, a spiller, and a filler in their hanging basket, so adding ornamental grass helps to provide the height that a thriller would provide.
Here’s how to water grasses.
11. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Calibrachoa, also known as Million Bells, is a favorite for hanging baskets. A 10″ hanging basket with just 3 Million Bells plants can make for a dazzling display of color and blooms.
Here’s how to water calibrachoa.
12. Lobelia
Lobelia‘s popular blue flowers and green foliage can make any hanging basket stand out.
Here’s how to water lobelia.
13. Portulaca
Portulaca is a great choice for hanging basket flowers.
Their blooms’ wide variety of colors and succulent-like vines are often used for container gardening and filling a hanging basket up.
Here’s how to water portulaca.
14. Sweet potato vines
Sweet potato vines are chosen as the spillers of many containers of flowers. Their vines can come in black, lime green, or darker green.
Here’s how to water sweet potato vines.
15. Vegetables or fruit
Many produce vegetables and fruit plants will grow great in a hanging basket, especially strawberries, tomatoes, mini cucumbers, and lettuce.
16. Herbs
Mint, chives, sage, oregano, thyme — all these herbs can all grow great in a hanging basket container.
Some growers will even start their herbs from cuttings and then pot them into a hanging basket.
Here’s how to water herbs.
17. Geraniums
Geraniums are good for hanging baskets as they add height and plenty of color with their large clusters of blooms.
Here’s how to water geraniums.
18. Ivy & vines
Similar to sweet potato vines, ivy is perfect for hanging baskets. Their beautiful foliage and lengthy vines can add a neat look to your porch.
19. Black-eyed Susan vine
Black-Eyed Susan plants, sometimes called thunbergia, can really look fantastic in a hanging basket. These plants will climb all over the basket, sometimes so much that you aren’t even able to see the basket.
20. New Guinea impatiens
New Guinea impatiens are similar to impatiens but take slightly different care.
When growing your New Guinea impatiens, make sure to hang the basket in a shadier location. You’ll want to choose companion plants that can handle shade as well.
New Guinea impatiens will also grow well in other types of pots.
Here’s how to water New Guinea impatiens.
21. Mandevillas
22. SunPatiens
23. Dichondra
24. Supertunias
25. Sun Coleus
26. Marigolds
27. Creeping Jenny
28. Snapdragons
29. Salvia
30. Dusty Miller
31. Portulaca
32. Celosia
33. Coleus
34. Zinnias
35. Gerbera Daisies
36. Mexican heather
37. Spikes
38. Bacopa
39. New Guinea Impatiens
40. Vinca
How many plants do you put in a hanging basket?
Another thing to consider is the size of the hanging basket. If you have a 10” (in diameter from the top) hanging basket, then you won’t be able to fit nearly as many plants in as you would a 13”+ hanging basket.
Below is a helpful guide to how many plants to put in your hanging basket:
- 10” hanging basket: 1-3 plants
- 11” hanging basket: 1-5 plants
- 12” hanging basket: 1-6 plants
- 13”+: fill in the areas that you can.
When to buy hanging flower baskets
If you opt to purchase your hanging basket already planted, you’ll want to purchase your hanging basket as early as you safely can.
The advantage of having a hanging basket is that you can take the plant inside if you see it’s going to frost one night in early spring.
After the chances of frost are gone, hanging baskets are great to be outside. The earlier you get your hanging basket purchased or planted, the more of its beauty you’ll be able to enjoy.
If you are buying plants to put in a hanging basket, make sure to wait until a good time to plant them outside.
Bonus: best hanging basket flowers to attract hummingbirds
Hummingbirds love flowers that provide them with the sweet nectar they crave. There are certainly some flowers that provide more nectar than others. Here’s a list of some popular flowers that hummingbirds love — you can plant these in your hanging baskets to attract these birds:
- Fuschia: this shade loving plant is great for adding a pop of color to those darker areas of your lawn. Hummingbirds love the nectar these plants provide. These plants also have a unique flower type, which is attractive to both hummingbirds and humans alike!
- Geraniums: geraniums grow great in hanging baskets and also help attract hummingbirds with their large clusters of striking flowers. Whether you are growing red, pink, white, or orange geraniums, they are great at attracting hummingbirds.
- Mini petunias (Calibroachia): these plants provide hundreds of mini blooms to make up an impressive display of flowers. Hummingbirds enjoy feasting off the nectar on mini petunias.
