Elevate Your Flower Power: 10 Best Flowers For Hanging Baskets

Hanging baskets are loved for adding color, texture, and appeal to outdoor spaces. Breathing new life into otherwise drab porches and patios, decorative planters can be designed to fit almost any garden aesthetic. Selecting the best flowers for hanging baskets requires some consideration of their cultural needs.

So what are the best flowers for hanging baskets? Some growers will want full sun hanging baskets for patios, while others will be looking for plants that can flourish in quieter corners and produce the best flowers for hanging baskets in shade. Whatever your hanging container aspirations, these 10 flowering plants will provide a stunning medley of vibrant blooms.

1. Fuchsia

Among the best flowering plants for hanging baskets are those that produce lasting, dependable color. Anyone who grows fuchsia will appreciate its extended bloom period and its ease of growth. These plants perform best when they receive bright, indirect light throughout the day.

Routine watering for consistent moisture is important if you want the best flowering plants for hanging baskets. Though fuchsias are well adapted to a wide range of growing conditions, the plants will prefer temperatures that remain relatively mild.

2. Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa is an excellent choice for hanging baskets, easily filling containers with sensational color. Small, bell-like blooms grow best in cooler climates, where they receive full sun.

While growing calibrachoa is fairly easy, these plants can often fail to perform when grown in regions that are especially hot or humid, so bear this in mind when locating your baskets. As the plant is considered self-cleaning, deadheading is not required to promote blooms.

3. Impatiens

Impatiens are a perfect candidate for container culture. Available in a wide range of colors, you can grow impatiens flowers well throughout the entire gardening season. Though the plant will behave as a tender perennial in regions free of frost, impatiens can be grown as an annual in most gardens.

Impatiens are among the best flowers for hanging baskets in shady spots, due to their shallow root system and distinct ability to thrive under low-light conditions. That's why they're not only one of our gardening experts' favorite flowers for hanging baskets, but they're also on our list of the top 15 flowering plants for shade.

4. Geraniums (Pelargoniums)

Among the best perennial flowers for hanging baskets, pelargoniums afford growers a prolonged period of bloom and unforgettable fragrance. Though hardy to USDA zones 9-12, it’s best to grow geraniums where conditions are mild.

Many breeds can struggle under high heat or humidity. That said, certain cultivars, such as Maverick Mix geraniums by Park Seed, available in the Gardening Know How Shop, can cope with hot summer days. Pelargoniums can be grown as an annual. However, bringing plants indoors for overwintering is also quite popular.

5. Sweet Alyssum

Sweet alyssums are ideal for containers due to their unique trailing habit. Highly attractive to pollinators and other beneficial insects, potted alyssum plants serve as a much-needed source of nectar during the growing season.

Alyssums such as Snow Crystals from Park Seed, available in the Gardening Know How Shop, can be started easily from seed. Alternatively, plants are available for sale at garden centers in spring. Baskets grow best in full sun, receiving at least six hours of direct light each day.

6. Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are noted among the best fall flowers for hanging baskets. Mums are known for their late-season blooms and vibrant color palette. Their flowering period relates directly to day length, making them extremely useful in adding seasonal autumn color to porches and patios.

Dwarf varieties or those specifically suited to container culture are the best option for hanging baskets. You can grow chrysanthemums from cuttings in early spring, or buy as more established plants in late summer.

7. Petunias

Considered a classic addition to container gardens, petunias are equally at home in hanging baskets. Trailing varieties have been used to create dynamic focal pieces that are sure to garner the attention of passers-by. Try botrytis-resistant Tidal Wave Red Velour and storm-sturdy Double Cascade Mix Hybrid Double petunia seeds, both available at the Gardening Know How Shop.

These plants are highly adaptable, flourishing under a wide range of conditions, including both heat and humidity. With ample sun and routine water, growers of hanging petunia containers can expect each plant to bloom prolifically.

8. Lobelia

Lobelia offers gardeners non-stop color throughout the entirety of summer. Delicate, trailing stems are ideal for adding a light and airy feel to hanging baskets. You will find when growing potted lobelia that plants perform best where conditions are mild.

Should lobelia stop blooming due to heat-related stress, you can rest assured it will resume producing buds once the temperatures have cooled. However, consistent moisture throughout summer is vital for these flowers to flourish.

9. Trailing Verbena

Trailing verbena is a good choice in mixed borders, containers and hanging baskets. Spreading quickly, this attractive groundcover is known for its color and ability to attract pollinators. Growers who experience mild summer conditions have the best results, as plants may struggle where temperatures are especially warm.

You should find that trailing verbenas yield the most flowers where the plants can receive full sun. That said, they will benefit from brief periods of shade throughout the afternoon.

10. Osteospermum (African Daisies)

African daisies are highly regarded for their ease of growth and tolerance to drought. Still, routine watering and other maintenance, like deadheading, can help to keep osteospermum plants looking at their best.

These daisies require full sun to ensure that each bloom is able to open completely. Flowers may fail to open where conditions are especially shady or where the plants do not receive enough light.

Gorgeous Hanging Basket and Container Ideas

• Want to know the most gorgeous trailing annuals to grace hanging containers? Make sure you select the best trailing plants for hanging baskets to last all summer.
• Feeling fruity and looking to fill your vertical containers with some edible treasures? Find out why a strawberry hanging basket is right for you – and how to make one.
• Placing a pollinator-friendly container above ground is a great way to attract some enchanting visitors. Here’s how to make hanging baskets for hummingbirds.
• Make sure your essential container needs are covered – shop Pots and Planters in the Gardening Know How Shop for indoor, outdoor and self-watering options.

This article features products available from third party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop.