Our Favorite Annual Hanging Baskets for Sun and Shade

Painters Greenhouse
May 6, 2024
7 min read

Updated: May 6

Hanging baskets are the perfect way to make the most of your space and add dimension, texture, and color to your yard, porch, or balcony. Here are some of our favorites annual hanging baskets for both sun and shade!

Hanging Baskets for Sun

GERANIUM

A summertime staple, geraniums are versatile and heat tolerant. They have a mounding or semi-trailing habit and are available in a variety of colors. Their preferred location is morning sun and some afternoon shade - they can also thrive in full sun as long as you don't let them fully dry out. To encourage new, full blooms all summer, feed every 10-14 days and deadhead spent blooms.

DRAGONWING BEGONIAS

The number of begonia varieties out there is truly astounding. One of our favorite full-sun to part shade varieties is Dragonwing Begonia. One of the most popular plants for porch pots and combos, this plant also does great in a hanging basket. With blooms that will flower from spring through frost, and large glossy leaves, it’s no wonder this is a timeless classic. Dragonwing begonias are heat tolerant, can handle a few skipped days of watering, have a nice branching habit, and require no pruning or dead heading. Available in pink or red.

Note: we recommend that with all begonias, you avoid watering them in the heat of the day - water on the leaves can cause sun scorch (we water ours before 10am at the greenhouse).

GIANT WAX BEGONIA - BRONZE LEAF OR GREEN LEAF

Another favorite begonia, the Giant Wax Begonia, is a hybrid cross between wax and angel wing begonias. It's vigorous, bushy, and heavy-blooming. With a tidier upright habit, it makes for a fabulous 'thriller' component to a combo pot as well as making a full basket on its own. It appreciates full to partial sun and evenly moist soil, and will bloom spring through fall. Big color, big size, big impact!

SCAEVOLA (FAN FLOWER)

The beautiful trailing habit and abundant fan-shaped flowers of this unique plant are sure to intrigue you and your guests all summer long. Sometimes know as the 'Fairy Fan Flower' this annual will live up to its name as it spills over the side of your hanging basket. In a hot and humid climate this annual will offer blooms from early spring until first frost. Its thick stems provide an extra layer of drought tolerance making it a perfect choice for hanging baskets, which tend to dry out quicker than pots. It does not need to be pinched back, requires little in the way of fertilizing, and can bounce back from a few skipped days of watering (though it will be healthiest if watered daily in full sun spots).

PETUNIAS

Petunias are a timeless garden favorite, offering big impact with bright blooms in a limitless array of colors from early spring to first frost. While petunias can tolerate part sun they give off their best show in full sun with regular fertilizer. We are continually adding new cultivars to our program each year featuring a range of colors, flower sizes and habits. No variety of petunia is maintenance-free, but some do bloom better if regularly deadheaded. You can typically tell by looking at a petunia basket if it's one that will need more regular cleanup, but most petunias grown and sold today will continue to bloom regardless of deadheading. We do recommend daily watering (sometimes twice daily when hot or windy), and many petunias benefit from being pruned back when they get leggy in the heat of summer--they'll then send out fresh new growth and blooms.

CALIBRACHOA (MILLION BELLS)

Also known as Million Bells, Calibrachoa is a full-sun annual with a gorgeous mounding and trailing growth habit available in single or double blooming and a multitude of solid, bicolor, and ombre shades. The blooms are similar to that of its cousin, the petunia, but miniature! And what its flowers lack in size they make up for in abundance. These bright blooms also attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your front porch or garden. Like the petunia, million bells enjoy full sun to part sun, but you’ll get the most blooms in 6+ hours of full sun. Calibrachoa's flowers will go strong through the heat of summer and it does not require deadheading to look tidy or keep blooming, but it does need regular fertilizing. Keep their soil lightly moist and avoid consistently wet soil, but don't allow to fully dry out (on super hot and/or windy days, you may have to water twice).

PORTULACA (MOSS ROSES)

This annual flowering succulent offers some of the brightest blooms in an array of pinks, oranges, and yellows and is a great choice for someone who prefers low maintenance plants. Its flowers open and close with the sun, so be sure to keep this plant in a full sun spot to enjoy the bright pops of color that emerge anew every morning. Because it is a succulent, this plant can tolerate high heat, drought conditions, and requires less frequent watering than other annuals on this list. This low maintenance plant only requires water when the top 1/2-1" is completely dry.

LANTANA

Lantana is a profusely flowering plant that will provide a long-lasting show of color. Plus this beauty is a tried-and-true butterfly favorite! Versatile and easy to grow, it requires full sun (6+ hours per day) and is quite tolerant of hot and dry conditions which makes it an excellent choice for a hanging basket. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to promote new blooms, and if plants become leggy by midsummer, cut back by up to one-third.

LOBELIA

There truly is no blue more vibrant in the flower world than lobelia! While it's often thought to be difficult, the combination of a good cultivar (we've got you covered) and the right light and watering results in an easy-care basket with stunning blooms all season. We recommend 4-6 hours of morning sun or part shade (avoid prolonged afternoon sun), and keeping the soil lightly moist. Regular feed helps too as it does all blooming baskets. These beauties attract butterflies as well as humans!

Hanging Baskets for Shade

SWEDISH IVY

Purple Swedish Ivy and Variegated Swedish Ivy

Popular as a houseplant for years, Swedish Ivy grows well as an annual hanging basket for shady or partially shady spaces. The variegated variety has bicolored foliage, and the purple has glossy green leaves with rich purple undersides. You may find other variations in color as well but these are our favorite for growth habit. They also make great spillers for container combinations. Both purple and variegated have textured and fragrant foliage (some find the scent very strong) with small tubular blooms in optimal conditions. Swedish Ivy is easy to grow, heat tolerant, and nontoxic to pets and humans.

TORENIA

Torenia, also known as Wishbone Flower, is a unique alternative to New Guinea Impatiens for shadier spots where you want bright blooms. Part shade or morning sun is best. The colorful tubular flowers are beloved by hummingbirds, butterflies and moths (much like the following Streptocarpella). Choose from rich bi-colored blooms in blues, purples and yellows, and enjoy summer-long color with minimal deadheading need. If plants become leggy by midsummer, cut back by up to one-third and they will quickly flush back out.

Note: torenia is not a fan of high humidity--it tends to get very pitiful looking in our main greenhouse, but as soon as it's outside with good air flow, it's much happier!

STREPTOCARPELLA (FALSE AFRICAN VIOLET)

Streptocarpella, also known as a False African Violet, or Nodding Violet, has airy, dainty blooms all season and is loved by hummingbirds and Painter's staff alike! Choose from lilac-blue or white. Streptocarpella is a beautiful, easy-care choice for part shade, filtered sun, or bright indirect light. It's also a great filler with other plants in shady combination pots or baskets. Direct hot sun, cold nights, and even cold water can cause burn on the delicate foliage so wait to put out until it's consistently above 60 degrees day and night. Then after the summer season is over, move it indoors to bright indirect light for a happy houseplant!

TUBEROUS BEGONIA

There are so many varieties of begonias! Fragrant Falls, Waterfall, Nonstop and many other varieties fall into the group of Tuberous Begonias. Some have large, layered, rose-like blooms and mounding habits, while others have smaller cascading blooms and more open habits--and they come in a range of bloom and leaf colors. They are another popular basket for attracting hummingbirds, and for some reason seem to be a favorite nesting site for wrens! They are a bit particular about their growing conditions--dappled sun, and bright indirect light or a touch of morning sun is best, and like Torenia, avoid letting them sit wet and avoid overcrowding them. Once you find a spot they like, you'll be hard pressed to plant anything else!

TRADESCANTIA (WANDERING JEWEL)

There are almost as many names as there are varieties of this shade-loving plant. Tradescantia, also commonly known as Wandering Jew, Wandering Dude, and Wandering Jewel among others, is grown as a trailing annual or houseplant. It appreciates lightly moist soil and part shade (morning sun is fine). Darker-leafed varieties can tolerate more sun and can often be grown in full sun if gradually adapted. Pinching back and pruning encourages bushier growth, or you can let them go and watch them reach 3-4' in length by fall! It's the perfect patio plant as it can be overwintered indoors to be enjoyed year after year! We've become known for our massive tradescantia baskets along with our giant ferns, and we try new varieties every chance we get!

FUCHSIA

Gorgeous, eye-catching blooms brighten up shady spots all season long. And with their bright colors and draping blooms, they are adored by hummingbirds!

These plants thrives in consistently moist soil so keep them watered. And they bloom best with regular deadheading and feeding every couple weeks or so.

CHINESE LANTERN

Aka trailing abutilon or Brazilian bellflower. It can trail up to 6 feet!! The bright red-yellow drooping 'lanterns' bloom all season long, to the delight of butterflies, hummingbirds, and people alike. This plant thrives in rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil and it can handle a bit more sun, but appreciates shade. Plus, it's always a bonus when you can bring it indoors to overwinter (in bright indirect light)!

NEW GUINEA IMPATIENS (INCLUDING SUNPATIENS)

These hybrid impatiens enjoy part shade, and make a cheery addition to a shady porch. New Guinea impatiens are perfect for someone who likes a tidier look as they do not trail but have a nice upright, mounded habit and will fill out a basket beautifully from spring through autumn. Available at Painters in a variety of colors, you can also consider pairing them with trailing plants like Dichondra Silver Falls or Sweet Potato Vine if you do want to add some spilling plants to your basket. These easy-to-grow plants are low maintenance and require moderate watering. They do appreciate a liquid feed every two weeks or so to continue blooming prolifically.