Skip to Content

12 Low Maintenance Plants for Hanging Baskets

Please share!

*This post may have affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclaimer for additional details..

Hanging baskets are one way to beautify and maximize your outdoor space. Furthermore, you can shift them around and use different colors to decorate your patio or deck.  

Apart from knowing how to plant a hanging basket, you need to also get the right plants. Low-maintenance plants that have a long season of bloom and don’t require daily watering are the best choices.

If your climate is mild enough, you can also incorporate evergreen plants that can survive both during summer and in winter.  

Our detailed guide covers some of the best low-maintenance plants for hanging baskets. 

Top 12 Low Maintenance Plants for Hanging Baskets

Some of the plants to consider include:

Tradescantia plant for hanging basket

1. Tradescantia

Tradescantia, also known as wandering jew is a popular hanging basket plant both indoors and outdoors. Its colorful leaves can be white, purple, or green, while some varieties have stripes that you can easily incorporate into your outdoor décor.  

You can find tradescantias in shades of pink, white, purple, or blue.  

Although tradescantias can survive in shaded places, they thrive best in indirect, but bright light. Remember to prune the long stems to maintain the plant’s even growth.

pink petunia flowers on a hanging basket in the garden outdoors

2. Petunias

Petunias come in different varieties and colors, aspects that work best for hanging baskets. When planted, petunias hang in various drifts of color. You are bound to find a variety that adds a summer touch to your outdoors.   

Two-tone petunias are a perfect way to create a lovely display. The frilly blossoms of the two-tone Amore varieties are becoming popular for hanging baskets.  

Bacopa white flowers blooming in a hanging flower pot

3. Bacopa

Bacopa plants have a gentle trailing effect and tend to thrive where there’s some shade. They grow over 18 inches in length and come in white or blue flowers.    

The dainty flower blooms from summer to fall and requires little maintenance.  

red and white hanging Fuschia in a hanging basket outdoors

4. Hanging Fuschia

Although fuschia plants grow as annuals in more northern zones, they are tender perennials popular for their unique hanging flowers. You can find them in bicolor mixtures of white, pink, purple, and red.

During summer, you can combine fuschias with Bidens, petunias, pelargoniums, or other cascading foliage plants.  

The vibrant plant thrives when planted around the outer edge of the hanging baskets so their stems can cascade freely.

Fuchsias require lots of nutrients while blooming. It’s best to deadhead spent flowers and apply some fertilizer to maximize their growth. These plants also perform well in shaded and cool conditions.  

Furthermore, if you opt for tender fuschia varieties in your baskets, you need to protect them from frost until late spring as they are not as tough as the hardy shrub fuchsias.

blue Lobelia flowers planted in a hanging pot in the garden

5. Lobelia

If you’re looking for a great filler plant that works well in a hanging basket, you should opt for the trailing lobelia.  

It comes in blue, pink, white, and purple varieties with beautiful flowers that trail over the edge of your hanging basket. Lobelia flowers all summer long and is simple to grow.  

Plant lobelia in partial shade and add liquid fertilizer to keep the flowers blooming. You also need to trim the plant back to encourage new blooms. However, once established, lobelia requires minimal maintenance.

Begonia plant with red flowers in a flower pot in the garden

6. Begonia

Begonias are famous for their long-lasting color throughout summer. They perform well in partial shade or sunny spots. Annual begonias have frilly flowers that fill in baskets for a beautiful display. There are also double-flowered begonias with a unique scent.  

You can find a begonia variety in shades of orange, white, or red that work well as spillers in hanging baskets. The ‘Million Kisses’ series requires little maintenance and doesn’t need too much sun.  

Some begonia varieties require good watering and the right location for them to blossom. They do well in filtered sunlight.

colorful flowers of a Pelargonium plants in a garden

7. Pelargonium

If you’re looking for a plant that flowers all summer long and also acts as a centerpiece, you should check out the pelargonium.  

The plant is available in different shades of white, pink, and red, which allows you to opt for a  variety that matches your color scheme. Their height and long-lasting color make them suitable for hanging baskets.  

Pelargoniums thrive well in sun and may require deadheading and watering for them to continue flowering throughout summer.

English Ivy plant on a hanging pot by the window

8. English Ivy

English Ivy is a low-light hanging plant that thrives in the shade. The plant can be dark or light green with deeply lobed leaves.  

Being a climbing plant, you can expect this plant to grow over the edge of your hanging basket and add a touch of nature to your patio or deck. You can opt to grow the plant on its own or grow it with other trailing plants.  

It’s essential to keep the air humid and the soil moist when growing English Ivy.

purple flowers of Nemesia plant in the backyard

9. Nemesia

Nemesia is another low-maintenance hanging plant that flowers for months during the summer.  The unique thing about nemesia is that you can get it in two-tone colors and contrasting centers.  

There are also other varieties in blue, white, cream, lilac, yellow, and red. Most species have a pleasant scent and tend to attract beneficial insects.  

It’s best to avoid planting Nemesia during early summer or late spring. These flowers bloom best when the weather is cool.  

String of Pearls plant in a clay pot

10. String of Pearls

The String of Pearls thrives well in bright, direct light where you can place it to hang. You don’t need to water the plant daily or regularly deadhead it. Ensure that you water the plant only when it’s fully dry.  

colorful flowers of Pansies plant in the garden

11. Pansies

You can find pansies in multi-color blooms or solid colors like burgundy, white, yellow, purple, and blue.

Experts recommend deadheading pansies to prolong their flowering period. Nonetheless, they are low-maintenance flowers that need little intervention and bloom throughout the year.    

Golden Pothos plant in a hanging pot

12. Golden Pothos

Golden Pothos, commonly referred to as devil’s ivy, is another low-maintenance plant that survives in low light conditions. It thrives well when planted in indoor or outdoor hanging baskets.  

Apart from its bright green leaves, devil’s ivy also features white swirls in the leaves and tendrils that can extend up to 12 inches a month.  

Unlike other plants that require regular watering, devil’s ivy needs to be watered only when its leaves are droopy and soft.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now have an idea of some of the low-maintenance plants for hanging baskets.

Remember to use peat-free and light compost growing media together with a slow-release fertilizer. Use both trailing and upright plants for a coordinated look.      

Sources  

Please share!