Top 10 Shade Plants Ideal for Hanging Baskets
It can be quite difficult to find plants for your shaded hanging baskets but luckily there are multiple shade plants for hanging baskets we found that grow exceptionally well in these conditions.
In this article, we will go through the top 10 absolute best shade hanging basket plants for your planters which we have first-hand experience with after growing, seeing, and inspecting them.
Impatiens
These multi-color flowering plants reaching up to 15-30 cm (6-12 in), are a popular choice for their vibrant, cheerful blooms even as full sun flowers for hanging planters. They flourish in partial to full shade with moist, well-drained soil. Impatiens provide a continuous burst of color throughout the summer, making them a go-to for brightening up full-shade hanging basket settings.
Spider Plant
Spider Plant, reaching lengths of 30-60 cm (12-24 in), is a popular choice for indoor spaces as a shade garden plant. It prefers well-drained soil and indirect light similar to English Ivy. Known for its easy propagation, Spider Plant adds a dynamic element with its arching leaves and baby plantlets.
Begonias Plant
These interesting leafy garden plants called Begonias, with their wide variety of leaf shapes and colors, are ideal for adding visual interest. The colorful shade plants typically grow to about 30-40 cm (1-1.3 ft) and thrive in filtered light with well-drained soil. Begonias are valued for both their foliage and flowers, offering long-lasting color in shaded areas.
Swiss Cheese Plant
With its distinctive split leaves, Swiss Cheese plants create a dramatic tropical effect, making it a popular choice for adding a bold, green statement to any hanging planters or as a vertical garden plant. We found that they can reach heights of 2-3 m (6-10 ft) indoors and are ideal for larger vertical gardens. The plant likes indirect light and well-drained soil.
Coleus
Coleus offers a wide range of leaf colors and patterns, making it a visually striking addition to any shaded hanging basket. It's perfect for adding a bold splash of color and can be easily combined with other shade-loving plants for a vibrant display. The leafy plant with its stunningly colorful foliage, can grow up to 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) and thrives in partial shade and well-drained soil.
Ferns
Ferns, ranging widely in size, prefer shady areas and consistently moist soil. We concluded that these year-round green shade plants are excellent for creating a thriving woodland garden and have air-purifying qualities. Ferns plants add a nice appearance to any shady spot in the garden.
Pothos
After growing Pothos indoors, we experienced that these bushes for containers are low-maintenance and fit beautifully in hanging baskets or vertical gardens, but you need to trim these hanging plants regularly. Pothos plants reach lengths of 1-2 m (3-6 ft) exactly like our plant did and are ideal for indoor vertical gardens. It prefers indirect light and well-drained soil, and can also be drought tolerant.
Creeping Jenny
Creeping Jenny, known for its vibrant, chartreuse leaves, reaches lengths of 5-10 cm (2-4 in). It prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. This fast-growing plant adds a pop of color and contrasts beautifully with other shade-loving plants in hanging baskets. It is a good choice for hanging planters or woodland gardens because its stems with light green leaves that typically grow downwards.
English Ivy
English Ivy, with its ability to climb up to 20-30 m (65-100 ft), is a classic choice for vertical gardens. It prefers partial to full shade and well-drained soil. This climbing shade plant is known for being a dense and leafy foliage plant, which provides year-round greenery and air-purifying qualities, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor vertical gardens.
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssums are thriller plants great for planters, reaching heights of 10-15 cm (4-6 in), flourishing in partial shade and well-drained soil. It is a hanging basket shade flower which creates a soft, frothy effect. This plant is excellent for filling gaps in hanging baskets or containers.
Sources
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Fern: Fern | Description, Features, Evolution, & Taxonomy | Britannica
Swiss Cheese Plant: How to Take Care of Monstera, the Swiss Cheese Plant (housebeautiful.com)
English Ivy: Hedera helix | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu)
Sweet Alyssum: Lobularia 'Inlbusnopr' SNOW PRINCESS | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu)
Impatiens: How to Take Care of Monstera, the Swiss Cheese Plant (housebeautiful.com)
Spider Plant: Spider Plant - Chlorophytum comosum | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu)
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Calin is in the garden industry for 5 years now and knows a lot about gardening and plants. He is the owner of this website and responsible for most of the content.