What Hanging Basket Flowers Do Not Need A Lot Of Sun?

flowers for shady baskets

I have flower baskets that face east, so not much sun.  What do you recommend for a flower that does not need a lot of sun and has a vine or drape to it?  I’m in N.C.  Thanks. Pat J.

Answer: If you are limited on sun, generally less than 6 hours per day, there are some really nice colorful foliage plants available these days and they can be more dependable than flowers! There are several options in our Annuals section that would make great shade containers.

I garden with a lot of shade, and some of my favorites for sun/part share are: Abutilon; Bacopa especially the Snowtopia because it’s a nice trailing variety; any of the Begonia, the old standard Angel or Dragon Wing series are always great, but the newer Bonfire series are spectacular as well; and of course the Fuchsias are marvelous. One newer introduction, a variety of  Euphorbia, has tiny nonstop blooms that look a lot like Baby’s Breath and it makes a great filler plant or an entire basket on its own! Impatiens are a natural for the shade, and there is a new variety, Torenia, that will also tolerate some shade.

For pure leaf interest don’t forget about the Sweet Potato Vines. Coleus are also perfect for brightening up shady areas, but some can get quite large, so you would want to check their mature size before considering them for a container. Plectranthus has some interesting leaf texture, as does Persian Shield. For tall, spiky interest use a Dracaena.

Don’t be afraid to look at some of the Perennials, as well. There are many that make terrific options for containers. Start with Hosta,  Heuchera and, Hedera. At the end of the season just put them into the ground to overwinter.

Happy gardening!
Karen

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3 Comments

  • Reply
    What Flowers Do Not Need A Lot Of Sun? - Plant Care Today
    April 14, 2013 at 9:10 am

    […] What Flowers Do Not Need A Lot Of Sun? […]

  • Reply
    lynn
    June 7, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    In live in Fresno CA 93650 part of my yard its 8 hr of sun and the other part gets 3 to 6 hr of sun. But the side where I have a lot of plants get the afternoon hot sun. and I have hang up sun screen for shade and have done very well and only water when I need to, the problem is some of my plants are dyeing from the heat . today was 101 and Sat says 105 and higher. what do you think ?

    • Reply
      jstutzman
      June 11, 2013 at 1:40 pm

      Lynn, I would certainly increase the amount of water you are giving your flowering plants during the hottest days.

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