8 Best Outdoor Hanging Plants for Your Patio

Running out of room for your garden? Go vertical! Here are some of our favorite plants for hanging baskets.

Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.

1 / 9

Outdoor Hanging Plants
xmee/Getty Images

What Are Outdoor Hanging Plants?

Outdoor hanging plants are really any plant you choose to grow in a hanging planter. Some hanging baskets come pre-planted from the garden store; these can be mixed baskets or a single type of plant. Other hanging baskets come empty so you can fill them with whatever you like. You can even make a hanging planter out of recycled materials, like an old tire. Here’s what you need to know about tire planters.

Hanging baskets are most commonly used for ornamental plants. However, some people even grow strawberries, tomatoes and herbs in hanging planters. Here are a few outdoor hanging plants to try for your patio.

2 / 9

Geranium Hanging Plant
grbender/Getty Images

Geranium

Geraniums are lovely, low-maintenance flowers that are grown all over the U.S. They are well-known for their stunning red blooms, but they’re frequently sold in pink and white as well. These do well in containers, especially as outdoor hanging plants. They like plenty of sunlight. A full-sun patio is the perfect spot for a hanging geranium.

Shop Now

3 / 9

Begonia Hanging Plant
vaitekune/Getty Images

Begonia

Shady patios can have plenty of color with begonias. There are many species of shade-loving begonia with fabulous flowers and foliage. Some varieties, like the polka dot begonia, are all about the leaves, while others have delicate, showy blooms. Some types of begonias can even tolerate sun.

Not all begonias are well-suited to hanging planters, but a cascading begonia looks stunning as an outdoor hanging plant.

Shop Now

4 / 9

Petunia Hanging Plant
chert61/Getty Images

Petunia

Petunias are a summer favorite. Their cheerful trumpet-shaped blooms come in a variety of eye-catching colors and patterns. Petunias require deadheading to stay in good shape, but with proper care they’ll provide season-long color. If you love the look of trailing plants in outdoor hanging baskets, opt for a wave petunia.

Shop Now

5 / 9

String Of Pearls Hanging Plants
Jessica Ruscello/Getty Images

String of Pearls

For the warm climate gardener, a string of pearls makes a great outdoor hanging plant. These unique succulents look just as their name suggests — like a string of pearls. Small, spherical leaves dot its stems to create a beautiful trailing plant. Its vibrant green pearls look nice when paired with a white or cream pot.

Shop Now

6 / 9

Fushcia Hanging Plant
IKvyatkovskaya/Getty Images

Fuchsia

Fuchsia plants have incredible flowers. The common hardy fuchsia, also called hummingbird fuchsia, has vibrant blooms with white or purple centers. They bloom all season and are one of the best plants for attracting hummingbirds. Fuchsias do so well as hanging plants that they’re almost exclusively sold in baskets.

Shop Now

7 / 9

Burros Tail Hanging Plant
Iryna Imago/Getty Images

Burro’s Tail

It might be tough to find this plant at your local garden center, but you’ve likely seen a faux burro’s tail at a home décor store. A specialty succulent shop or website is most likely to have this lovely outdoor hanging plant. This type of sedum also does well indoors, so you can bring it inside when temperatures drop.

Burro’s tail is easy to propagate. You can find cuttings and starter plants on Etsy.

Shop Now

8 / 9

Fern Hanging Plants
work by Lisa Kling/Getty Images

Fern

Big, bushy ferns make elegant outdoor hanging plants. Hang some on a front porch to maximize curb appeal. Their wispy leaves grab attention as people walk by your home. Ferns do cascade over the edge of a hanging basket, but they’re full at the top, too. Thanks to their interesting leaves and incredible volume, ferns when planted alone look simple and sleek—never boring.

Shop Now

9 / 9

Pothos Hanging Plant
Kevin Brine/Getty Images

Pothos

Here’s another easy plant to propagate that can be grown indoors or outdoors. Pothos comes in many colors. Some varieties, like devil’s ivy, have bright, golden-green leaves, while others are a deep emerald and white variegation. If you’re someone who likes to root cuttings for friends, this is a good outdoor hanging plant for you.

Shop Now

Mikayla Borchert
Mikayla is an assistant editor for Family Handyman, specializing in indoor and outdoor gardening, organization and décor. She has one cat and holds a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota. Outside of work, she likes running, skiing, hiking and tending her balcony garden.