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Sun loving plants for hanging baskets


Best Hanging Baskets for Full Sun

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5 min read | Apr 4, 2017 | Plants 

Looking to add a colorful touch to your sunny porch or garden this spring or summer? A perfectly placed hanging basket filled with bountiful blooms could do the trick!

Full Sun Hanging Plants for Your Home

Not all hanging plants will be suitable for your porch. The right plant depends, in part, on the amount and intensity of sunlight received each day. (So if you’re in a shady spot, check out our blog on the best hanging baskets for shade!)

By selecting the right hanging plant and the right location, you can be sure of lasting color that spills out all season long. In this blog, we’re reviewing a few of our favorite full sun hanging plants that we recommend adding to your porch or yard! These hanging plants love full sun conditions and require at least 5 or more hours of direct sunlight each day.

1. Petunias

Petunias are a timeless garden favorite because they offer so many color choices and varieties. The Trailing and Grandiflora petunias are great options for hanging baskets, but you can also find varieties that work well in containers or as ground cover.

Petunias make this list because while they will grow in part sun they tend to bloom most prolifically in full sun. In full sun, it is important not to let the soil dry out when caring for these hanging plants outdoors. These plants like to be watered every day and sometimes twice a day in hotter months. Add fertilizer every two to three weeks for the best results.

Fairview Garden Center is regularly adding new varieties, so visit us this spring to find your perfect petunia!

2.

Million Bells

Million Bells are a gorgeous mounding and trailing summer annual. This popular plant blooms mini-petunia shaped flowers that come in a wide spectrum of colors. These bright flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your front porch or garden.

Like the petunia, million bells enjoy full sun to part sun; however, they tend to bloom more prolifically in full sun, making them one of the best plants for hanging baskets in full sun. The soil should be kept moist, especially in the hot summer months. Simply allow the surface soil to dry between waterings to avoid over-watering.

We’re happy to help you find the right million bells for your porch during your visit to our garden center.

3. Bougainvillea

The bougainvillea is a popular evergreen, shrubby vine that blossoms into colorful flower bracts. This sub-tropical vine is a riot of purple and red color when in bloom. New cultivars are beginning to bloom in apricot, orange, white, and yellow.

This full sun hanging plant can be trained to stand alone as a shrub or cover walls and spill out of beautiful hanging baskets. It can grow from 10 to 20 feet in a single growing season, but here in the Triangle, it won’t reach quite these lengths.

Bougainvillea requires full sun. As a drought-tolerant plant, it actually performs best when its soil is left a little dry. Come browse this hardy plant and other plants at our garden center today!

4. Portulaca

Portulaca comes in many vibrant colors like reds and pinks for full sun areas. As you shop for portulaca, you may find that it is also called yubi, purslane, or moss rose.

This plant is ideal for those who may not have as much time this spring and summer to water and fertilize on a regular basis. Portulaca is the perfect full sun hanging plant because it is extremely heat and drought tolerant. You won’t have to worry about this one!

To see our wide selection of portulaca, visit our Raleigh garden center. And if you’re looking for more inspiration and gardening tips, check out our blog.

5. Dragon Wing Begonia

The begonia is known for being a true workhorse. At Fairview Garden Center we carry many types of begonias, but one of our favorite full sun varieties is the dragon wing begonia.

This highly popular plant is incredibly easy to grow. As a heat-tolerant plant, the dragon wing begonia is one of the best hanging baskets for full sun. The dragon wing begonia’s dark-colored flowers flower profusely all season long, blooming very quickly and growing from spring through frost.

6. Sunpatiens

Impatiens are no longer just for your grandma’s shady garden! There is a wide variety of gorgeous hybrid impatiens that are perfect for the sun, shade, and everywhere in between.

Sunpatiens are a new type of impatiens that is unlike other traditional varieties, as it thrives in hot and sunny conditions. Although sunpatiens do not have a trailing habit, they provide high impact blooms from spring through frost and are great paired with other trailing plants in mixed baskets. Consider sunpatiens when looking for full sun hanging plants that will add color and variety to your garden!

Visit Us At Fairview Garden Center

These are just a few of our Fairview favorite full sun hanging plants for spring and summer. Contact us today or stop by in-person to browse our greenhouses filled with beautiful blooms and pick your favorites from our many varieties. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff is here to help you pick the perfect full-sun basket for your space and lifestyle!

Page updated on July 19, 2022

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15 Hanging Plants for Full Sun — Bustling Nest

Do you have a spot in your backyard or on your patio you’re looking to decorate with a hanging plant? Or maybe even a window indoors that has too much light for many houseplants? If so, this list of hanging plants will be helpful! All of the following plants thrive in full sun locations and work well indoors or outside.

Benefits of Hanging Plants that Require Full Sun

Areas of your yard or garden that are baked with more than eight hours of bright sunlight every day can often be a little too harsh for many plants. Thankfully, though, many hanging plants thrive in the sunlight. They also offer other benefits besides bringing color to the space.

Special Considerations For Hanging Plants Grown in Full Sun

Hanging Plants That Thrive in Full Sun

All of the following plants on this list grow well as annuals. To keep everything easy to understand, the USDA hardiness zone information listed is for growing the plant as a perennial to keep everything easy to understand. In cooler climates, you can bring plants indoors, nurse them through the winter, or discard them and replant them the following spring.

1. Lantana (

Lantana camara)

USDA Zones: 7 to 11

A member of the verbena family, cheerful flower clusters on lantana plants bloom nonstop from spring to fall in Northern climates and nearly year-round in water climates. Flowers come in a rainbow of multiple hues or single colors, depending upon the species. Plants are considered invasive in areas, so growing them in containers keeps them from spreading and taking over.

2. Petunias (

Petunia × hybrida)

USDA Zones: 9 to 11

Petunias are a classic plant for adding color to hanging baskets, especially if wave petunias are used to cascade over the sides. Some may feel they are over-rated, but the truth is they are great if you want colorful plants for full sun. A bonus is they are available in almost every color and various flower sizes. 

3. String of Pearls (​​

Senecio rowleyanus)

USDA Zones: 9 to 12

String of Pearls plants grow quickly and do well both indoors and outside in containers or hanging baskets. Tiny pea-shaped leaves grow on long trailing stems that spill over the sides of their container. Plants can put on 12-15” of growth every year and propagate easily via stem cuttings. They may produce small white flowers that smell like cinnamon when grown outdoors.

4. Bougainvillea (

Bougainvillea spp. )

USDA Zones: 9 to 11

Typically grown as beautiful climbing vines, dwarf bougainvilleas are great options for hanging baskets as it contains them into a space. These popular evergreen vines usually come in purple or red blooms, but new cultivars are becoming available in white, yellow, orange, and apricot. The tough-as-nails bougainvillea puts on a spectacular color show.

5. Portulaca (

Portulaca grandiflora)

USDA Zones: N/A

Portulaca is a small succulent that is consistently grown as an annual plant. These fast-growing plants have long branched stems that grow upright or will drape over the sides of hanging baskets. Flowers in bright reds, pinks, yellows, or white don’t open when it’s rainy or cloudy and close from sunset to sunrise.

6. Air Plant (

Tillandsia spp.)

USDA Zones: 9 to 11

Many people don’t think air plants are good options for hanging baskets, but certain varieties work really well. Species with thicker, full leaves can tolerate full sun because they hold moisture better. A stylish air plant is easy to care for and makes a lovely display when grown in wire or macrame hangers.

7. Spider Plant (

Chlorophytum comosum)

USDA Zones: 9 to 11

Spider plants are most commonly grown indoors as houseplants, but they make beautiful hanging plants outside in warmer areas. They love the full sun and are easy to grow. Their minimalist foliage is either bright green or variegated with green and white stripes. It gets its common name from the spiderette “babies” that hang down from long stems. 

8. Madagascar Jasmine (

Stephanotis floribunda)

USDA Zones: 10 to 11

The Madagascar jasmine produces delicate white flowers in the spring, summer, and fall, adding an intoxicating fragrance to your indoor or outdoor space. This beautiful hanging plant is often called a waxflower or bridal wreath. As a woody evergreen vine, it can be trained to grow up a trellis or drape from a basket.

9. Burro’s Tail (

Sedum morganianum)

USDA Zones: 9 to 11

Burro’s tail is a succulent perennial, sometimes known as a “donkey tail” plant, with trailing stems growing up to two feet long. Their fleshy, thick leaves allow them to retain moisture for long stretches, so they are incredibly drought-tolerant. Foliage in shades of blue-green gives way to pink or red flowers in the summer.

10. Purple Heart Plant (

Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’)

USDA Zones: 7 to 11

With stunning foliage in bright purple and clusters of tiny pink flowers on trailing stems, purple heard plants look fantastic when added to baskets with plants in neutral color schemes. They love to be in hanging planters where they can get full sun and grow full and bushy when you pinch the plant’s stems back. 

11. Sweet Alyssum (

Lobularia maritima)

USDA Zones: 

Sweet alyssum is commonly used as edging plants or “filler” plants in containers. Their dainty white, cream, pink, or purple blossoms have made them a long-time favorite with gardeners. Blooms have a light honey-scented fragrance and draw all kinds of pollinators to your yard. This older variety blooms abundantly in spring and fall, taking a break during the heat of summer.   

12. Sweet Potato Vine (

Ipomoea batatas)

USDA Zones: 8 to 11

While the sweet potato vine doesn’t produce edible tubers like its cousin, it is often grown as an ornamental plant because of its vining habit and attractive leaves. Its foliage comes in a range of colors (blue, green, purple, and burgundy) and forms, making the plant a classic in containers and baskets. Plants love lots of sun and heat.

13. Sun Coleus (

Solenostemon scutellarioides)

USDA Zones: 10 to 11

Another immensely popular container plant, the sun coleus, comes in a wide range of leaf shapes, colors, and sizes. Plants are easy to grow, and their stunning foliage always looks great. The gorgeous velvety leaves are usually multi-hued in combinations of burgundy, bright red, pink, yellows, green, brown, and bronze, with contrasting colors on the leaf margin and midrib.

14. Black-Eyed Susan Vine (

Thunbergia alata)

USDA Zones: 10 to 11

Unlike the traditional black-eyed Susan that creates clumps of upright stems, the black-eyed Susan vine is a climbing or vining plant known to grow eight feet in length. It blooms nonstop through the growing season. Flowers almost look daisy-like at a distance—commonly in shades of white, yellow, red, or orange—and have the iconic brownish-purple center disk.

15. Mandevilla (

Mandevilla spp.)

USDA Zones: 9 to 11

Also known as the rocktrumpet, mandevilla is a classic tropical vine with big, showy blooms in shades of pink, red, white, and apricot. These low-maintenance plants thrive in containers, adding a splash of vibrant, tropical color to any vertical garden space. It’s commonly grown as an annual but is a frost-tender perennial plant blooming from late spring until the fall frost.

selection of plants and flowers for the balcony, their location

Plants grown in a hanging container - pots, are called ampelous. German Ampel means hanging vase. Increasingly, this method of gardening is found on balconies, verandas, and gardens. A hanging basket with flowers saves space, makes the flower arrangement noticeable from any angle and just looks very beautiful and festive.

Contents

Which plants are suitable for hanging growing

Colorful plants are chosen for hanging growing , beautifully flowering, or with long shoots hanging from the pot. Nasturtium or petunias have this property to some extent. And viola, snapdragon and pelargonium (geranium) are not curly or drooping, but colorful and meet all the requirements of ampelous floriculture. Either way, all varieties are very suitable for decorative purposes when grown in hanging baskets. Nowadays, even small shrubs are used for planting in a hanging vase.

Most popular and well-known pot plants are listed in the following list.

  1. Petunia is distinguished by a variety of colors, long flowering throughout the summer, and ease of care.
  2. Pelargonium (geranium) is a popular plant. Its conditions are warm and sunny, watering is not too plentiful, it tolerates drought.
  3. Ampel begonia prefers a sunny place. In such conditions, it is most beautiful, blooming red flowers on long stems. The rest is not very demanding to care.
  4. Verbena is also easy to care for and blooms for a long time. It grows well on loosened fertile soil, loves the sun.
  5. Campanula belongs to the Campanula family, has stems over 20 centimeters, hanging down. The flowers are white, light blue or slightly purple in color. The plant blooms very profusely and looks beautiful at the same time. A composition of two flowerpots with white and blue flowers is called "bride and groom". Hang on the window - as close as possible to natural light. But it does not tolerate strong sunlight.
  6. Ampel fuchsia is an indoor beautiful flowering perennial plant. Graceful white-pink or purple flowers appear in autumn. Prefers moist soil, but not excessively. It is not recommended to expose it to direct sunlight.
  7. Viola - "pansies" is distinguished by pleasant-looking flowers with rich and varied colors, very decorative. There are special ampel varieties of this plant.

In addition to the above, in this type of floral design, hanging flowers for planters are widely used, the names of which are less known.

The fact that some ampelous plants are not known to everyone does not diminish the importance of such a culture in decoration.

How to choose the right plants for your garden

Flowers or plants of the same species look great in a hanging planter. But you can plant two or more species in one basket. Then it will be possible to combine plants and make whole compositions. Plants are distinguished by species and growing conditions.

We list the ampelous plants for the garden. Their names, depending on the method of cultivation, are as follows.

If they were transferred to the garden for the summer period, and usually winter in a room, then these are perennials: pelargonium, begonia.

Both plants can or should be placed in shaded areas.

Orchard annuals should be sown in early spring or take ready-made seedlings.

Ampelous flowers for the garden, the names of which were not listed, these are also viola, nasturtium, balsam, nolana, diasia, bindweed, scaevola.

Hanging flower vases are easy to move to a new place, creating a new look for an old garden landscape. Dull or boring areas are enlivened with planters. When used outdoors, annual flowering plants are often used. They grow quickly, requiring only the simplest rules of care. So, for example, plants that love moisture and are resistant to drought are not planted in one pot. And also light-loving and shade-loving.

Balcony plants

In the interior, indoor plant species are used for ampel cultivation. In the summer, they can be moved to the balcony, veranda. These are begonia, fuchsia, campanula, geranium, the perennials listed earlier. For a colorful and colorful decoration of the balcony, petunia, nasturtium and other annuals are sown. Sowing is done in a pot with soil or a balcony box. A hanging vase is convenient in that it can be moved from place to place, changing the look of the veranda. Just like in the garden, from petunia, lubelia and surfinia, they make flowering balls or cascades on terraces and balconies. Balcony boxes should be well fixed or stably placed.

Plants for hanging pots

Equal-leaved campanula, fuchsia, ampelous begonia are well known to lovers of indoor plants. When hung in the summer on balconies and verandas, these chic representatives should still receive appropriate care . It is necessary to loosen and moisten the soil, protect from direct sunlight, acting for a long time. For long-term flowering of Campanula, wilted flowers are removed in time.

Outdoors in summer, annuals are used: petunia, snapdragon, viola, especially climbing varieties, nasturtium. These plants can be planted without being combined with other plants. The compositions are made up of geraniums and petunias. Begonia and fuchsia are combined with lubelia. Petunia is complemented by verbena or dichondra.

How to arrange hanging plants

Ways to decorate the area with hanging plants and flowers are subject to the rules of .

  1. The location of the vases should not interfere with movement.
  2. The interior or space of the garden is updated by changing the positions of the pots.
  3. Hanging plant container can be placed on stands or fixed on a balcony, but in a stable manner, using a secure fit.
  4. Old things are used to create compositions: movable or broken carts, bicycles, hanging kettles. It gives things a second life and makes the garden interesting.

Following the general rules, you need to consider where this or that crop grows best: in the light or in the shade. Consider drought tolerance when regular maintenance is not possible, wind resistance . First of all, you should be interested in these parameters in order to extend the life of the ampel "masterpieces".

Ampelous nasturtium

Nasturtium is distinguished by its decorative originality, having flowers of the original form with red and yellow colors. Flowering is pleasantly complemented by contrasting leaves. Nasturtium does not grow in the room and is an annual garden plant . Many flower growers have paid attention to its diversity, willingly cultivate it. Depending on the variety, nasturtium is more or less climbing, often winding, or vice versa, similar to a grassy bush.

Although this flower requires sufficient sun, it can also live in partial shade. Often grown in garden vases, it also looks elegant in hanging vases. Ampelous nasturtium gives rather long shoots, more than a meter. A beautiful view is obtained from a combination of red, orange and yellow flowers. But there are also terry varieties. The plant is easy to sow and sprout, but this should be done in May, when frosts are excluded. To the soil, this culture is unpretentious.

Conclusions about ampelous floriculture

Hanging baskets, flowering balls and cascades decorating interiors, gardens and even city streets have become commonplace. Making life more beautiful, ampelous plants attract with the possibility of convenient hanging with a significant decorative effect. All they require to maintain their beauty is regular watering and a little care. By choosing this method of plant breeding for landscaping, flower growers will be able not only to impress others, but also to get delighted with the result for themselves.

Ampelous flowers for pots