Every year when summer comes around we get garden envy. We aren’t proud of it but it’s true! Luckily for us we can get our plant kick by taking advantage of our balconies and patios. Balcony plants not only make your space look better, but they make you FEEL better. Whether your balcony gets mostly sun or shade, we have both annual and perennial options to spark your planting creativity.
If you’re new to the plant world, annuals are plants that die in the winter and won’t return in the spring. This can be due to their nature or because they may come from warmer climates. However some may be able to survive the winter if prepped correctly or brought indoors. Perennials may die back in the winter but they’ll come back in the spring more reliably than annuals.
Please keep in mind: some of these plants are toxic to humans, animals, or both. Please do your research when selecting plants for your home and before ingesting anything. Seek medical attention immediately for yourself or your pet if you eat anything toxic.
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Sun
Annual
1. Lantana
Lantanas are a classic choice for balcony plants due to the wide variety of colors available and because they bloom all summer long! They thrive in the heat and sometimes even last through the winter if the conditions are right. Pollinators love them and they are a low maintenance option for summer color.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: ‘Miss Huff’, ‘Luscious Marmalade’, ‘Dallas Red’, ‘New Gold’
2. Geranium
There’s something classic about geraniums. They’re elegant, colorful, and thrive in the heat of summer, making them an excellent option to soften your patio! When selecting your variety, double check their max sizes to ensure they’re well suited to living the container life.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: ‘Calliope Hot Pink’, ‘Survivor Pink Passion’, ‘Great Balls of Fire White’
3. Sweet Potato Vine
If you’re looking for a “spiller”, or a plant that trails out of a pot, look no further than sweet potato vine. It’s lush foliage is a staple in pots across the country, adding grace and color to any container composition. While they’re beautiful on their own, they’re often used to fill space around other plants in the same pot to create a harmonious look. If you opt for sweet potato vine you may need to prune it regularly to keep it from spreading too much, but hey, we love an overachiever!
Recommended varieties: ‘Desana Lime’, ‘Ragtime’, ‘Desana Bronze’, ‘SolarPower Black’
4. Salvia
While we love all balcony plants, salvia has a special place in our heart because pollinators LOVE it! This includes hummingbirds, one of the cutest pollinators out there. Salvia comes in red, white and purple/blue varieties, some of which are perennial so do your research to make a selection that works for you.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: ‘Summer Jewel Red’, ‘Grandstand Blue Bicolor’, ‘Rockin’ Blue Suede Shoes’
5. Zinnia
A zinnnia in full bloom is breathtaking. Its lush green foliage punctuated by crisp, bright colors is a sight to see. And you CAN see it if you choose to grace your patio with this cheerful option this summer. They’re relatively easy keepers, requiring regular watering and moist soil and in return they offer you home grown cut flowers for you to enjoy all summer long!
Recommended varieties: ‘Profusion Orange’, ‘Zahara Double Fire’, ‘Zinnita Yellow’, ‘Crystal White’
Perennial
1. Lavender
Lavender comes to us from the sunny Mediterranean region, it offers beautiful flower with a fresh scent and is tougher than it looks! Lavender is one of our favorite balcony plants because it loves well drained soil and doesn’t require much water and will come back year after year (if overwintered properly), making it a great choice for those with a bit of a brown thumb.
Recommended varieties: Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Lady’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Ellagance Purple’
2. Carpet (or Groundcover) Rose
Those of us who’ve always admired roses now have a shot at a rose garden on their very own balcony! Carpet, or groundcover, roses make great choices for growing roses in containers due to their trailing nature and smaller size than the standard shrub. There’s also varieties bred to be lower maintenance and increased disease resistance! The Nitty Gritty varieties in particular caught our eye, but there’s many on the market to choose from.
Recommended varieties: ‘Nitty Gritty Pink Rose’, ‘Flower Carpet Appleblossom Rose’, ‘Nitty Gritty Peach Rose’
3. Rosemary
Rosemary is one of the best options for balcony plants not only for kitchen use, but it’s evergreen and flowers in the summer, truly a jack of all trades. If opting for rosemary, use extremely well draining soil and pot and go for a dwarf variety to make sure you don’t get crowded out on your own balcony!
Recommended varieties: ‘Blue Boy’, ‘Golden Rain’, ‘Dancing Waters’, ‘Herb Cottage’
4. Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are classic beauties and are stunning and flower arrangements, making them almost irresistible balcony plants. They can take full sun or partial shade and survive in Zones 4-9, though avoid extremely harsh conditions and follow overwintering instructions. For best chances of survival of overwintering outdoors, target a variety harder to two zones higher than yours. When making your selection, opting for a midsize or compact variety is ideal if you have a small balcony.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: ‘Invincibelle Wee White’, ‘Wee Bit Giddy’, ‘Let’s Dance Can Do!’, ‘Tiny Quick Fire’
5. Jasmine
Beautiful summer jasmine is a deciduous vine known for its heady fragrance put off by its summertime flowers, making it one of the most tempting balcony plants for full or partial sun. It prefers well drained soil and can even be semi-evergreen if placed in a sheltered spot on your patio, though keep in mind you’ll need to provide a wigwam for it to grow on! Since it is a vine, be prepared to prune it if necessary to keep its tendrils in check.
Recommended varieties: the standard, ‘Aureum’, ‘Argenteovariegatum’
Shade
Annual
1. Impatiens
Hailing from the tropics, impatiens are ironically naturally suited to shade though new varieties have been developed to increase their sun tolerance. With their vivid colors they are stunning as standalone potted plants or they can accompany other plants to create a lush potted composition. These beauties thrive in rich, moist soil and, depending on the conditions, may need to be watered daily.
Recommended varieties: ‘Harmony Violet’, ‘Sunstanding Salmon’, ‘Sunstanding Cherry Red’
2. Begonia
Begonias are an excellent option for shady balconies and patios, they can take some drought and they’re pretty pest and disease resistant. If you have some sun, never fear, there’s a begonia for just about every light condition. The main thing to look out for is rot, so be sure not to overwater and make sure your potting soil drains well. As a plus, begonias can be overwintered so you can enjoy them again in the spring!
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: Nonstop ‘Mocca Yellow’ Begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida), Nonstop Rose’ Begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida), ‘Double Up White’ Begonia (Begonia semperflorens)
3. Ferns
The lush softness of ferns is elegant and understated. Ferns don’t scream, they purr. Boston ferns and Kimberley Queen ferns make great choices for shady balcony plants in need of a feathery touch as they won’t grow too large. For soil, ferns like rich, moist soil that drains well, so keep in mind that a potted fern may need to be watered daily to remain healthy.
Recommended species: Boston Fern, Kimberly Queen Fern
4. Polka Dot Plant
Polka dot plant is cheerfully bright with its speckled leaves and myriad of color options. Their happy appearance makes them hard to resist! In fact, their main draw is their foliage as their blooms are insignificant and not very long lived. It’s habit is compact and it’s not a particularly fussy plant, both are great aspects to this garden gem.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: the standard
5. Caladium
Also known as elephant ears, caladiums thrive in the shade, perfect for brightening up the dark corners of a shady balcony or patio. Like many of the shade-loving balcony plants, caladiums prefer moist soil and are prone to rotting if they sit in poorly draining soil too long. For best effect, plant three or more plants together to give a really full look. If you are growing these from tubers try to select ones that have many buds on them.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: ‘Puppy Love’, ‘Carousel’, ‘Chinook’, ‘Debutante’
Perennial
1. Japanese Aralia
Luscious Japanese aralia loves full shade, making it one of the best balcony plants for those that don’t get much sun. It’s frost hardy to zone 8, so anyone in zone 7 or above would need to overwinter it indoors. That’s something to keep in mind as, though its slow growing, they can get quite large!
Recommended varieties: the standard, ‘Variegata’, ‘Spider’s Web’, ‘Camouflage’
2. Calathea
One of the funnest things about calathea is just the sheer amount of options you have in terms of color, size, and pattern! There’s tons of varieties out there, so make sure you select one that suits your taste and space allowances. Due to their tropical origins, calathea prefer indirect light, a good amount of humidity, and consistently moist soil.
Recommended species: Goeppertia kegeljanii ‘PP0005’, Goeppertia insignis, Goeppertia makoyana, Goeppertia ‘Beauty Star’
3. English Ivy
English ivy is one of our most traditional balcony plants, but there’s a reason it was a mainstay for so long. It thrives in shade and once established is incredibly hardy, remaining green even through winters! Though it’s nice on its own, English ivy is most commonly used in containers as a “spiller”, or a plant that trails down out of the pot. Pairing it with something with more height or a flashier color jazzes it up nicely, though pruning will be necessary to keep the ivy from spreading too far beyond the pot.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: the standard
4. Holly Fern
The glossy leaves of holly ferns are lush, beautiful, and even evergreen in the right climates! Holly ferns are hardier than many of its other fern counterparts, making it a great choice for year round interest. They also tolerate drought better than many other ferns, which we’re always a fan of!
Recommended varieties: the standard
5. Hosta
A shade garden classic: the hosta. Perhaps offering the most variations of all of our balcony plants, hostas come in a host of colors and sizes so you’re sure to find one you love! The dwarf varieties are great choices for containers and still offer stunning colorations. Planting them as a standalone feature is beautiful, but if you have the room for a larger pot, they look exceptional when paired with other plants.
THIS PLANT IS NOT INTENDED FOR ANIMAL CONSUMPTION.
Recommended varieties: ‘August Moon’, ‘Christmas Tree’, ‘Francee’, ‘Ann Kulpa’
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