Plants for Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets put foliage and flowers at eye level and make use of verandahs, pergolas and small outdoor spaces. They also dry faster than garden beds, so the best choices combine a suitable growth habit with a watering routine you can realistically maintain. 10 plants in the library.
10 plants
Vine
Arrowhead plant
Arrowhead plant is a tropical climber grown for its patterned arrow-shaped juvenile leaves. It is especially good in pots, hanging baskets and bright indoor positions where you can let it trail or give it support to climb.
Ornamental
Coleus
Coleus is the fastest way to get colour into a shady spot. Cuttings root in a glass of water, plants fill out in weeks, and pinching the tips keeps them bushy instead of lanky.
Ornamental
Fan flower
A flower-rich spreading native with distinctive fan-shaped blooms in mauve, purple, pink or white. It suits sunny borders, rockeries, hanging pots and the tops of retaining walls.
Vine
Heartleaf philodendron
Heartleaf philodendron is an easy trailing or climbing aroid with glossy heart-shaped leaves. It suits shelves and hanging pots, or it can be trained up a support for larger leaves. It handles moderate indoor light well, although brighter filtered light gives denser growth.
Ornamental
Hoya carnosa
Hoya carnosa is the classic wax plant, grown for its thick leaves and clusters of fragrant, waxy flowers. It suits a hanging pot or small trellis indoors, on a veranda or outside in a warm sheltered garden.
Ornamental
Impatiens
Impatiens walleriana is the classic Busy Lizzie, grown for long flowering in bright shade and sheltered garden spots. In warm climates it can persist beyond one season.
Ornamental
Lysimachia 'Golden Bells'
Lysimachia 'Golden Bells' is a low spreading perennial with bright green-gold foliage and yellow flowers. It works well as a groundcover or trailing plant.
Succulent
Native pigface
Native pigface makes a low carpet of fleshy leaves and bright pink-purple flowers in hot, exposed sites. It handles salt, wind and dry soil, and the true native species also has edible fruit and leaves.
Vine
Running postman
Running postman is a low Australian native groundcover with vivid scarlet pea flowers in spring. Unlike many kennedias, it stays prostrate rather than climbing, so it can spill over banks, rocks, retaining walls and hanging baskets without adding much height.
Ornamental
Spider plant
Spider plant is an easy arching foliage plant that produces dangling stems covered in baby plants. It grows very well in pots, hanging baskets and bright shaded positions.
Before You Choose
Start with basket size. A small basket heats up and dries quickly, while a larger container gives the roots more room and holds moisture for longer. Use a quality potting mix and make sure excess water can drain freely.
Check the light where the basket will actually hang. Under a roof, bright indirect light can suit many foliage plants, but deep shade can reduce flowering. On an exposed edge, direct afternoon sun may be much stronger than expected. Wind also increases water loss and can damage long soft stems, so sheltered positions are useful for delicate trailers.
Water thoroughly rather than adding a small splash to the surface. Let the whole root ball become evenly moist, then allow excess water to drain. The exact frequency depends on the plant, basket size, season and weather. During hot or windy periods, baskets may need checking much more often.
Regular feeding can help because repeated watering gradually leaches nutrients from potting mix. Follow the fertiliser rate recommended for the plant. Trim dead or straggly growth and rotate baskets occasionally if one side receives much more light. The profiles below will help you compare light, climate, mature size and watering needs.
Hanging height matters too. Put baskets where you can water, feed and trim them without dragging out a ladder every few days. If a basket hangs above furniture or a doorway, check where excess water drains after a thorough soak. Grouping baskets with similar water and light needs can make routine care much quicker, especially during hot weather.