31 Colorful Plant Ideas for Shaded Containers

Creating gorgeous container preparations within the shade can appear daunting. Don’t the entire greatest flowers bloom within the solar? I’m right here to inform you it’s not true; shade containers may be full of colours and textures.

On this article, I’ll speak about 31 vegetation that add colour and texture to your shady containers. I will even present concepts on the right way to organize these vegetation into gorgeous shows.

Areca Palm

	botanical title Dypsis lutescens

Areca palms are a staple plant that I take advantage of in outside containers. I can at all times discover them in backyard facilities, and they’re cheap. However they elevate your container designs.

Areca palms are a ‘thriller’ or characteristic plant in containers. Place one within the middle and plant nearly something beneath. Coleus, begonias, browallia, alyssum, and lobelia all work nicely underneath the ethereal fronds of the palm.

Bacopa

	botanical title Chaenostoma cordatum

Bacopa is usually considered a solar plant. However it does fairly nicely in a shadier spot. It cannot be planted in full shade, however it should look nice in partial shade. Just a few hours of morning or late afternoon solar is all it must thrive. It requires much less watering in shadier areas.

Bacopa is a trailing plant that has a flurry of white or purple (relying on the range) flowers.  Do this romantic container mixture utilizing bacopa. Plant an ethereal palm within the middle. Then layer some strong coloured begonias, like ‘NonStop Rose.’ Then have the bacopa tucked beneath the begonias so it trails out the sting of the container. 

‘Snowstorm Big Snowflake’ is a big selection with huge flowers and plenty of vigorous branching stems. It’s nice for hanging baskets.

Boston fern

	botanical title Nephrolepis exaltata

Boston Ferns are a terrific addition to shady containers. They’ve huge lush ferny foliage that may be a part of a container or fill your entire container. They’re cheap and available at most backyard facilities.

You should buy Boston ferns in all totally different sizes. The massive ones look nice in hanging baskets or massive containers all by themselves. Grasp them alongside porches for that basic American loom. Or, I typically discover them in smaller containers, and I’ll use them to fill in gaps in my shade containers. They appear nice beside huge lush begonias or fuchsias.

For an fascinating twist on an everyday Boston fern, attempt a spread often known as ‘Tiger Fern’, which options stripes of sunshine and darkish inexperienced by way of the foliage. You possibly can play up the striped options by planting it subsequent to a chartreuse shade plant, like ‘Wasabi’ coleus.

Brocade Geranium

	botanical title Pelargonium x hortorum

Whereas geraniums are principally fitted to solar, brocade geraniums may be planted within the shade. It is because they’ve stunning foliage. Brocade geraniums characteristic massive ruffled leaves with intricately coloured stripes and patterns on them. They do flower, however I feel the foliage is what makes them stand out.

I plant brocade geraniums as a filler plant for containers. Plant a thriller plant within the middle, like a lemon cypress. Then plant brocade geraniums and a few begonia or impatiens in between the geraniums. Add some German ivy or English ivy to complete the look.

‘Vancouver Centennial’ is a spread I take advantage of typically. It has chartreuse margins with a blotch of darkish purple within the middle. In shadier circumstances, it’s a lighter chartreuse with much less of a purple blotch within the middle. It’s a distinctive foliage plant that at all times attracts consideration.

Browallia

	botanical title Browallia speciosa

Browallia is a candy woodland flower that thrives and blooms within the shade. It has small inexperienced leaves and five-star flowers that are available purple and white.

I prefer to preserve issues easy with this flower. Only a easy palm, inexperienced dracena spike, or sansiveria for some top. Then, plant a fluffy mass of browalia beneath.  Attempt mixing white and purple varieties in the identical container for a extra whimsical look.

‘Infinite Illumination Bush Violet’ is the gold normal selection in my view. It blooms massive flowers all through the season with none deadheading required.

Brunnera

	botanical title Brunnera macrophylla

Brunnera is a hardy perennial that works nice in shady containers. It has beautiful heart-shaped leaves and small blue flowers within the spring. 

I like including it as a filler plant with different flowering vegetation. Since brunnera isn’t in bloom for very lengthy, it’s principally a foliage plant. Tuberous begonias, bacopa, and/or lobelia could be fairly companions. Use a characteristic palm or alocasia within the middle for a big, lush container show.

‘Jack Frost’ brunnera is my favourite selection. It options huge heart-shaped leaves with frosted white leaves and inexperienced veins. It appears to be like nice even when it’s not in bloom.

Caladium

	botanical title Caladium bicolor

Caladium is a colourful foliage plant that’s positive to brighten up any shady container in your backyard. These tropical vegetation characteristic shiny heart-shaped foliage that is available in a number of colours and patterns relying on the range.

Caladiums can be utilized as a filler plant in a container, utilizing a mix of different vegetation to fill in with it. Or, if in case you have a bigger selection or a smaller container, it may possibly additionally act because the characteristic plant. It could stand alone in a container, or you possibly can plant ivy or different trailing vegetation beneath it.

‘Traditional Pink’ is one in every of my favourite varieties. This gorgeous plant options darkish inexperienced margins and a deep pink middle. It’s spectacular sufficient to be in a container by itself. It may be introduced indoors over the winter and stored as a houseplant.

Calathea

	botanical title Calathea crotalifera

Calatheas could be a finicky plant. I discover them laborious to take care of indoors. Nevertheless, for those who place them in a container association outdoors I discover they are going to final for a number of months simply high quality. So if you’re swapping your preparations out seasonally, calatheas make an fascinating container plant.

They’ve intricately coloured and patterned foliage which are a phenomenal addition to an association. I like vegetation that don’t depend on flowers in shady spots. Particularly the deep shade the place flowers don’t bloom. So if in case you have a very shady nook, take into account including a calathea.

I like rattlesnake calatheas. They’ve lengthy, slender leaves which are gentle inexperienced with darkish inexperienced markings on them. Then the underside is a burgundy hue. The foliage provides an fascinating texture and colour to the combined container. Think about including different tropicals like spider vegetation, rex begonias, coleus, and ivy.

Calibrachoa

	botanical title Calibrachoa x hybrida

Calibrachoa, or million bells, are usually thought-about a full solar annual. However I’ve been utilizing them partly shade containers efficiently for years.

Calibrachoa are available all kinds of colours, making them a terrific flower so as to add to combined containers. I feel the trick for utilizing them in shadier areas is to decide on ones from the nursery or backyard middle that have already got a number of flowers on them. Then, be sure they aren’t within the deep shade. They received’t develop as quick, however the flowers will final a very long time.

I actually like utilizing white calibrachoa comparable to ‘Callie White’ or ‘Kabloom White’ in shade pots to brighten them up. Combine them in with areca palms and tuberous begonias, together with a number of German ivy for a lush all-white and inexperienced look.

Coleus

	botanical title Coleus spp.

Coleus is the proper plant for shady pots. It has vibrant foliage and doesn’t depend on flowers for colour, so it may be positioned within the shadiest of containers. They arrive in an array of colours: pink, yellow, purple, and inexperienced. And varied patterns and combos.

Coleus is flexible in containers. You may get a big selection, like ‘Fishnet Stockings’ that may be the thriller plant within the middle. Then layer impatiens, lobelia, and ivy beneath it to complete off the look. 

Or you possibly can plant a big, showy plant, like a chicken if paradise, or a Chinese language fan palm within the middle or again of a container. Then layer smaller ‘filler’ sized coleus comparable to ‘Wizard Combine’ beneath it. This creates a colourful tapestry, I often end it off with a vibrant trailer, like golden creeping Jenny, or a vibrant inexperienced ‘Margarita’ candy potato vine. 

Lastly, you possibly can even use coleus as a trailing plant. ‘ColorBlaze Chocolate Drop’ is a low-growing selection that can spill out of containers. Plant a container with a dracaena within the middle, then layer ‘Sonic Candy Purple’ New Guinea Impatiens beneath it. Then add the ‘ColorBlaze Chocolate Drop’ Coleus and a few inexperienced German ivy to path out.

Coral bells

	botanical title Heuchera spp.

Coral bells are a hardy shade plant that has colourful foliage. It makes a terrific addition to shade containers. You’ll find coral bells in quite a lot of colours, like gentle inexperienced, deep purple, and golden caramel.

I’ll use coral bells as both the ‘thriller’ or ‘filler’ plant in a container. You should use a big ‘Grande Black’ Heuchera within the middle of a container. This deep purple selection is a press release by itself. Then, plant some golden creeping Jenny beneath for a vibrant splash of colour. 

I like to make use of a ‘Georgia Peach’ coral bell in an autumn container. This heat caramel coral bell is the proper fall colour. Plant it in with a Lemon Cypress, pansies, candy alyssum, and ivy for a shady fall container.

Dragon Wing Begonia

	botanical title Begonia x hybrida

Dragon wing begonia is a kind of fibrous, or wax, begonia. Nevertheless it wants its personal class on its listing as a result of it takes on a novel position in backyard containers. Dragon’s wing begonias have thick shiny leaves which are slender and pointed. Then it has small clusters of flowers that grasp down.

In a container, you need to use dragon wing begonia in a number of other ways. They appear nice on their very own in a dangling basket. The shiny leaves fill out the pot, and the flowers path downwards. Or you need to use them as a filler and trailing plant. Plant them on the fringe of your container, and they’ll develop up and fill the pot in addition to path downwards. 

‘Dragon Wing Crimson Bronze Leaf’ has deep bronzer foliage and vibrant purple flowers. It appears to be like nice paired with chartreuse foliage, comparable to ‘Vancouver Centennial’ geraniums or ‘Lime Rickey’ coral bells.

Fuchsia

	botanical title Fuschia spp.

Fuchsias are essentially the most delicate, beautiful flowers that seem like fairly ballerinas dancing off the vine. They arrive in so many colour combos that you would be able to customise your container to match your theme completely with fuchsias.

Fuchsias are so showy, I feel much less is extra when utilizing them. That’s to say, I often don’t add many extra flowers to my container once I’m utilizing fuchsias. A easy hanging basket full of fuchsia is ideal. Or I’ll plant a giant container with a easy inexperienced dracaena or palm within the center and fill in fuchsias beneath.

‘Allure Rose Purple’ is a spread with massive flowers. It has pink outer petals and a big purple ruffle middle. ‘Pink Marshmallow’ is a pure white selection with the slightest tinge of pink. It could make a terrific alternative for marriage ceremony containers.

Golden Creeping Jenny

	botanical title Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’

Whereas creeping Jenny may be invasive and never a terrific alternative for within the backyard. The golden selection is one in every of my favourite trailing vegetation for shady containers.

Whereas golden creeping Jenny will not be the star of any container design, it’s that additional contact that makes them actually pop. The golden chartreuse colour is ideal for pulling out the yellow margins of different vegetation, like coleus and hostas. It additionally actually brightens up containers which have a number of darkish vegetation like deep purple coral bells or rex begonias. 

Golden creeping Jenny hangs down the edges of pots fantastically. It’s also straightforward to squish one into an already full container. It’s a nice of entirety that I take advantage of in nearly all of my shade containers.

Hosta

	botanical title Hosta spp.

If you wish to add colour and curiosity to your pots with none flowers, hostas have you ever lined. You may make whole container designs utilizing simply hostas. There are such a lot of distinctive varieties to select from. They’ve large-brimmed foliage that is available in varied shades of inexperienced. Some are easy, and others have elaborate patterns on their leaves.

Hostas may be ‘thriller’ vegetation in your containers relying on which selection you select. ‘Abiqua Ingesting Gourd’ hosta is a big dusty blue hosta. It options upturned leaves which are formed like little bowls. This blue foliage is well-suited to very shady areas. It’s massive sufficient to be a characteristic plant. Plant little ‘Infinity White’ impatiens across the base of it for a cute woodland-inspired container.

Hostas will also be the ‘filler’ plant in your containers. Select a smaller hosta, like ‘Raspberry Sundae’, which options white and inexperienced leaves with vibrant purple stems. It provides a splash of colour to any shady design.

Hydrangea

	botanical title Hydrangea spp.

The large snowball flowers on hydrangeas make them a showstopper in any container. Whereas most hydrangeas don’t work in full shade circumstances, they do carry out nicely partly shade. Morning solar is ideal for hydrangeas. 

Hydrangeas steal the present in containers. I prefer to preserve every part easy when utilizing them. Simply plant a giant full hydrangea within the middle after which add some bacopa or ivy beneath it.

‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangeas have massive balls of flowers that can change colour relying on the soil. That is actually enjoyable to experiment with when working with containers as a result of it’s straightforward to regulate pH ranges in a container. The extra acidic the soil, the extra blue will probably be. In additional alkaline soil, the flowers will tackle a pink colour.

Impatiens

	botanical title Impatiens walleriana

Impatiens develop nice in shade containers. They’re brief, bushy vegetation lined in cheerfully coloured five-petaled flowers.

I take advantage of impatiens as filler flowers in containers typically. They’re low-lying, and so they flower profusely all through the season. This makes them the proper factor to plant underneath massive characteristic vegetation. They arrive in a number of totally different colours, together with pink, purple, orange, and white. So you possibly can actually customise your containers by utilizing totally different coloured impatiens.

I like brightening up the shade with vibrant white flowers. There are various forms of white impatiens, together with ‘Soprano White’. If you would like a fast, straightforward elegant container, simply plant white impatiens underneath an areca palm. 

Ivy

	botanical title Hedera helix

Ivy is one other go-to plant once I’m creating shade preparations. It trails down the edges of containers, which provides that of entirety.

In the event you created a shade container and it simply doesn’t appear fairly completed, attempt tucking in some ivy. It actually simply ties every part collectively and makes your pot look completed. You can too develop ivy up trellises and cages to make them the characteristic in your container. I’ve used massive ivy towers as my centerpiece and planted begonias and lobelia beneath.

If you would like your ivy to provide your containers an additional pop of colour to tie every part collectively, think about using a variegated selection. ‘Gold Little one’ options vibrant golden margins with varied shades of inexperienced within the middle. Containers are an ideal place for ivy, which may be invasive relying on the range.

Japanese Painted Fern

	botanical title Athyrium niponicum var. pictum

I like these Japanese painted ferns, that are a murals each within the floor and in containers. They’ve silvery fronds with a purple middle. They add colour to your container with none flowers.

Japanese painted ferns are a large and flat-growing fern. They make a terrific filler plant in containers. Use them so as to add colour with their frosted foliage and purple accents. Spotlight their textured and ethereal, feathery fronds.

They pair splendidly with Rex begonias, comparable to ‘Shadow King’, which have the identical colour mixture. However the rex begonia has wide-brimmed leaves, and the Japanese-painted fern has ethereal foliage. It’s a placing mixture. They’d look nice in separate containers positioned collectively in a grouping.

Lobelia

	botanical title Lobelia erinus

Whereas lobelia is generally considered a solar plant, I’ve been planting it in shadier containers for years with nice success. I nearly gave up on lobelia in containers. They at all times received brown and crispy. Particularly because the summer season retains getting hotter and drier. So I began bringing them into my half shade containers, and so they bloom profusely.

I’ve a container design I name “tropical punch”. I take advantage of a big tropical within the center, like a palm, alocasia, or perhaps a chicken of paradise. Then, I plant tuberous begonias beneath. I like utilizing pink or orange ones for this. Then, I’ll plant lobelia in between the begonias. End it off with ivy or golden creeping Jenny. It’s so colourful and enjoyable, identical to tropical punch!

There are two most important kinds of lobelia: trailing and upright. I principally use the trailing varieties in containers. I just like the ‘Regatta’ collection quite a bit for puffy flowers that fill and spill over containers. The upright selection is used quite a bit to create borders in backyard beds. Nevertheless it additionally makes a pleasant upright filler plant in containers. The ‘Techno’ collection is an upright selection.

New Guinea Impatiens

	botanical title Impatiens hawkeri

I like utilizing impatiens in my containers, however typically you want a flower that’s bigger and bolder than the low bushy common impatiens. That’s why I like New Guinea Impatiens. They’re bigger, extra like tuberous begonias. They’re lined within the tropical five-petalled flowers of impatiens.

You possibly can plant New Guinea Impatiens in a pot all by itself, and it should fill in and look nice. You possibly can plant them in small containers and place them on shady tables for a pop of colour. Or you need to use them as a filler plant in a container association. They develop massive and luxurious.

‘Infinity Salmon’ is a enjoyable selection. It has inexperienced foliage and comfortable salmon-colored flower with a deep pink middle spot. It’s a vibrant flower for a shady space.

Prince Tut Grass

	botanical title Cyperus papyrus ‘Prince Tut’

Prince Tut grass is an explosion of vibrant inexperienced foliage. It’s the excellent centerpiece so as to add to your containers. It options lengthy inexperienced stalks that explode into vibrant inexperienced poms on the prime.

I plant Prince Tut into the middle of my containers. Its vibrant inexperienced colour and ethereal texture make it a characteristic plant. It’s a water-loving plant. I prefer to pair it with lobelia, which additionally doesn’t prefer to dry out. It may be positioned in ponds and different water options as nicely.

Rieger Begonia

	botanical title Begonia x hiemalis

Rieger begonias are a cross between tuberous and wax begonias. They’re bigger and have huge rosettes of flowers like tuberous begonias. Then, they’ve waxy leaves that sit on prime of the plant like wax begonias. They’re the very best of each worlds and excellent for containers.

The flowers sit on prime of the plant, and so they final all through the season. They not often require deadheading. Rieger begonias are bred to bloom in winter months (though you could find them year-round now). I typically discover them within the floral division of grocery shops and with the houseplants in backyard facilities.

They’re an effective way so as to add a shot of colour to a shady show. Generally I depart them of their nursery containers and simply place them into my containers wherever there’s a niche. Then, as soon as they end blooming, I take them out and add one thing else.

Rex Begonia

	botanical title Begonia rex-cultorum

Rex begonia is a colourful plant so as to add to shady containers. They arrive in so many patterns and colours. What I actually like about them is they supply colour by way of their foliage versus their flowers. So you possibly can put them in very shady containers, and they’ll add brightness and wonder with out counting on blooms.

I like utilizing Rex begonias as a filler plant in mixed-shade containers. Plant them beneath palms, decorative bananas, or alocasias for an fascinating pop of colour. They will additionally stand alone in a container and be moved round wherever you need some lush and exquisite foliage. 

‘Jurassic Silver Swirl’ and ‘Escargot’ are amongst my favourite varieties. They each characteristic intricate swirl patterns of silver and purple.

Sansevieria

	botanical title Sansevieria spp.

Sansevieria is generally considered a houseplant. Nevertheless it works nice in containers. Its tall spiky leaves make it a terrific structural factor in containers. 

Sansevieria makes a terrific characteristic plant in shade containers. It appears to be like nice with begonias, impatiens, browallia, or torenia planted round it. Its broad spikes add construction, and the flowers across the base will soften it. 

‘Black Gold’ is a good selection if you’re trying so as to add colour in addition to construction to your container. It options darkish inexperienced foliage with a vibrant golden margin. Plant it with some golden creeping Jenny to make it actually stand out.

Spider plant

	botanical title Chlorophytum comosum

Spider vegetation are a few of my favourite foliage vegetation so as to add to containers.  They’ve inexperienced and white striped foliage and lengthy spiky foliage. They will even make little child spider vegetation by sending lengthy shoots out with new spider vegetation. 

I like to make use of spider vegetation as a filler/spiller plant. They begin as filler, after which they begin sending shoots of latest spider vegetation over the edges of the container. I place these into nearly any container association as a result of it provides texture together with fascinating foliage colour. 

Candy Alyssum

	botanical title Lobularia maritima

Candy alyssum is a sweet-smelling flower that provides ethereal whimsy into container preparations. They’re delicate vegetation lined in small white, purple, or pink flowers. I like including them to preparations close to sitting areas to get pleasure from their pleasant perfume.

Candy alyssum received’t take full shade. You have to to discover a partly shaded spot for them. I take advantage of them as a filler and spiller plant. They actually develop and fill and puff over the perimeters of containers. A easy dracaena full of candy alyssum beneath is an ideal association. The laborious construction of the spiky dracaena combined with the comfortable, ethereal alyssum is a good combo.

Attempt ‘Attract Pastel Mix’ if you wish to add colour to your preparations. I usually consider alyssum as white, however the coloured varieties are beautiful. This combine is available in shades of pink, purple, and pale yellow.

Trailing Begonia

	botanical title Begonia spp.

Trailing begonias are technically tuberous begonias. Nevertheless, the trailing varieties are so totally different and have a unique position in containers, so that they get their very own class.

Unsurprisingly trailing begonias, nicely, path. They’ve attractive flowers that delicately path over the edges of containers. In addition they work nice in hanging baskets. The large, daring flowers actually stand out in shade preparations. Use a big palm within the middle after which add trailing begonias beneath it. They may fill and spill over your container.

‘Aromatic Falls Peach’ is a fantastically peachy-colored trailing begonia. I like this colour for containers. Pair it with white alyssum or purple browallia for a whimsical container design.

Torenia

	botanical title Torenia fournieri

It’s laborious to search out flowers that bloom within the shade. That’s why I counsel a number of colourful foliage vegetation. However torenia is likely one of the few flowers that can bloom within the shade (not deep shade). They characteristic inexperienced heart-shaped foliage with small trumpet-shaped flowers that are available all kinds of colours.

They make a candy filler plant in containers. I like a easy massive hosta with torenia planted beneath. The large leaf of a hosta subsequent to the small torenia flowers is the proper juxtaposition. In addition they look nice in hanging baskets and window packing containers.

The ‘Catalina’ collection from Confirmed Winners are beautiful. ‘Catalina Midnight Blue’ options blue flowers with a yellow spot on them. The petals are deep blue on the margins and fade to a pale purple. They appear nice on their very own or pair them with ‘NonStop Yellow’ begonias to actually make their yellow spot pop.

Tuberous Begonia

	botanical title Begonia tuberosa

Tuberous begonias are present stoppers in shade containers. They’ve massive rosettes of flowers in vibrant colours.

Tuberous begonias make a terrific filler plant in combined containers. You possibly can preserve issues actual easy with an areca palm or elephant ear alocasia. Then plant tuberous begonias beneath. You possibly can add some trailing ivy or creeping Jenny for a accomplished look. 

My favourite forms of tuberous begonia embody daring purple ‘Nonstop Crimson’ or the multicolored ‘Ontop Sundown Shades’ that embody quite a lot of orange, yellow, and purple hues.

Wax Begonia

	botanical title Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum

Wax, or fibrous, begonias will not be as massive and showy as tuberous begonias, however their small measurement makes them excellent for containers. They’ve small waxy leaves and clusters of flowers that are available quite a lot of colours.

Wax begonias are low upkeep and at all times look good. I like to make use of them in massive containers in areas that don’t obtain as a lot care. Fill a big sq. concrete planter with wax begonias for a reasonable and colourful show.

‘Tremendous Olympia Combine’ begonias are small compact vegetation with a number of flowers. The flowers are available varied shades of purple, pink, and white. The shades all go collectively, and it appears to be like such as you put a number of thought into the colour palette.