Hanging baskets are a charming and practical way to add color and life to porches, patios, balconies, and garden spaces. When placed in full sun, these baskets can become lush, blooming focal points.
Best Plants For Full Sun Hanging Baskets
Full sun, typically defined as six or more hours of direct sunlight per day, can be intense, so it’s essential to select plants that thrive in bright, hot conditions.
In this post, I’ll explore 15 of the best plants for full sun hanging baskets, what makes them a great choice plus care tips.
Why Choose Full Sun Hanging Basket Plants
Plants that love full sun often reward gardeners with prolific blooms, vibrant foliage, and fast growth.
These plants are well-adapted to withstand the heat, provided they receive sufficient water and nutrients. Full sun hanging baskets are ideal for:
- Garden hooks and lamp posts
- Sunny patios or decks
- South- and west-facing balconies or porches
- est Full Sun Hanging Basket Plants
1. Petunias
Petunias are a timeless favorite for hanging baskets thanks to their prolific, trumpet-shaped blooms and cascading growth habit. They come in a wide array of colors, from soft pastels to vivid, saturated hues.
Modern hybrids like Wave, Supertunia, and Surfinia are bred for superior heat tolerance, self-cleaning blooms, and vigorous growth.
Petunias are ideal for hanging baskets because they trail beautifully over the sides and fill in quickly, creating a full, lush appearance.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their natural trailing growth habit and non-stop blooms make them perfect for overflowing, colorful displays.
Care Tips: Place in full sun, and water consistently, and fertilize every 1-2 weeks with a balanced fertilizer. Petunia Care guide.
2. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Calibrachoa resembles miniature petunias but packs an even greater punch when it comes to flower production.
These plants thrive in heat and sun, producing hundreds of tiny, bell-shaped blooms in shades of pink, red, orange, purple, yellow, and even bicolors.
Unlike traditional petunias, calibrachoa rarely needs deadheading and has excellent disease resistance.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their trailing growth and heavy blooming habit make them a dynamic spiller plant in any hanging display.
Care Tips: Ensure well-drained soil, keep evenly moist and feed biweekly with a water-soluble fertilizer.
3. Geraniums
Geraniums, especially ivy and zonal types, are sturdy, dependable plants known for their vibrant clusters of flowers and scented foliage.
Ivy geraniums, with their trailing vines and glossy leaves, are especially suited for hanging baskets. These plants flourish in hot, dry conditions and are drought-tolerant once established.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their upright blooms combined with cascading foliage provide a beautiful structure and color contrast.
Care Tips: Let the soil dry out slightly between waterings. Remove spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering.
4. Verbena
Verbena produces masses of small, clustered flowers that bloom nonstop from late spring through fall.
They are highly tolerant of heat and direct sunlight and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Spreading or trailing varieties are perfect for baskets.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Verbena spills elegantly over the edges and provides a constant show of color.
Care Tips: Needs excellent drainage. Fertilize every two weeks, and trim back lightly if growth becomes leggy.
5. Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana is a sun-worshipping powerhouse that produces vibrant clusters of blooms in multicolor combinations.
It is a favorite among butterflies and hummingbirds and thrives in the hottest summer conditions. Its semi-trailing or mounding habit suits hanging containers well.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their tough, trailing habit and pollinator-attracting flowers make them excellent for sunny spots.
Care Tips: Water deeply but infrequently. Prune back spent stems to promote reblooming.
6. Portulaca (Moss Rose)
Portulaca is a low-growing succulent that thrives in hot, sunny areas with poor soil.
Its vibrant blooms open in the morning and close at night, and it comes in jewel-like colors including yellow, red, orange, and pink. The fleshy leaves help conserve moisture, making it very drought-tolerant.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their spreading growth and brilliant flowers cascade beautifully while needing minimal care.
Care Tips: Plant in well-drained soil and avoid overwatering. Full sun is essential for full flowering.
7. Bacopa
Bacopa is a trailing plant covered with small, five-petaled flowers that come in white, lavender, or pink. It’s particularly valued for its gentle, flowing habit and ability to complement more dramatic centerpiece plants.
Some cultivars now boast improved heat tolerance, making them more suitable for sunny locations.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Bacopa adds a soft, cascading effect and pairs beautifully with bolder plants.
Care Tips: Keep soil consistently moist and fertilize monthly. Don’t allow the plant to dry out.
8. Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssum forms fragrant, low-growing mounds of tiny white, lavender, or pink flowers. It’s a wonderful filler plant and has the added benefit of attracting beneficial insects to the garden.
Alyssum does well in full sun, especially in cooler climates or with afternoon shade in extremely hot zones.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their spreading, mounding nature and sweet scent make them perfect basket companions.
Care Tips: Water regularly, especially in hot weather. Trim back in midsummer to encourage fresh blooms.
9. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are cheerful, easy-to-grow annuals with bright, edible blooms and attractive round leaves. They’re perfect for sunny baskets thanks to their natural trailing habit and ability to thrive in less fertile soils.
The flowers come in warm shades of red, orange, and yellow, and they’re also a favorite in edible gardens.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Nasturtiums naturally spill over container edges and bring a vibrant, rustic charm. Their foliage also fills out baskets beautifully.
Care Tips: Water regularly but avoid over-fertilizing, as too much nitrogen can lead to more leaves and fewer flowers.
10. Scaevola (Fan Flower)
Scaevola is a heat- and drought-tolerant plant known for its fan-shaped, blue to purple flowers.
It blooms continuously throughout summer and has a trailing growth pattern that is excellent for cascading displays.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Scaevola’s trailing stems form a full, draping canopy of flowers, and it continues blooming even in hot, dry conditions.
Care Tips: Little maintenance is needed—just occasional trimming to shape and promote bushiness.
11. Trailing Lobelia
While traditionally a cool-weather plant, new heat-tolerant lobelia cultivars like ‘Hot Water Blue’ thrive in full sun. They offer vivid blue, purple, or white blooms and delicate foliage that pairs well with bolder plants.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their airy, cascading habit softens container edges and adds a cool-toned accent to hot-colored arrangements.
Care Tips: Water consistently, and in areas with intense summer heat, provide some afternoon shade.
12. Cuphea (Cigar Plant)
Cuphea produces tubular flowers resembling tiny cigars or fireworks, often in red, orange, or purple.
It’s a magnet for hummingbirds and thrives in sunny, hot weather. Some varieties have a slightly mounding or trailing habit that works well in baskets.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their unusual flower shape and vivid colors provide an exotic flair and constant interest throughout the season.
Care Tips: Cuphea needs consistent watering and monthly feeding for best performance. Deadheading helps maintain a tidy look.
13. Bidens
Bidens is a sun-loving, daisy-like flower that blooms non-stop from spring to frost. With finely cut foliage and cheerful yellow or bicolored blooms, it spreads effortlessly, making it ideal for containers.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their vigorous trailing growth and non-stop flowering create a radiant, glowing basket, especially in golden or warm-colored themes.
Care Tips: Tolerates heat and drought once established. Trim occasionally to control size and rejuvenate growth.
14. Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’
This trailing foliage plant stands out for its cascading silver leaves that shimmer in the sunlight.
Though it doesn’t bloom, it adds contrast and texture to any basket, especially when paired with bright flowering plants.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Its long, silvery tendrils gracefully drape over baskets, creating a striking waterfall effect.
Care Tips: Very drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. Only water when the soil is dry.
15. Fuchsia (Sun-Tolerant Varieties)
Typically shade-lovers, certain cultivars like ‘Gartenmeister’ or ‘Surprise’ tolerate more sun and thrive in full morning sun with some afternoon shade. Fuchsias produce drooping, exotic flowers in pink, purple, and red shades.
Why They’re Great for Hanging Baskets: Their pendulous flowers naturally hang downward, making them perfect for elevated displays that attract hummingbirds.
Care Tips: Keep soil consistently moist, fertilize regularly, and consider partial shade in very hot climates.
Design Tips for Full Sun Hanging Baskets
Use the Thriller, Filler, Spiller method: Choose an upright “thriller,” a mounding “filler,” and trailing “spillers.”
Color schemes: Harmonize with complementary or analogous color schemes for visual impact.
Texture & Foliage: Mix fine, medium, and bold textures. Add silver or variegated foliage for contrast.
Container Choice: Use light-colored baskets to reduce heat absorption and prevent root damage.
Final Thoughts
Full sun hanging baskets, when planted with the right species, can be show-stopping additions to your outdoor space.
I hope this post on the 15 best plants for full sun hanging baskets helps you choose plants that are best suited for your needs.
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