16 Full Sun Container Plants Ideas
Are you looking for full sun container plants ideas? Maybe you have a few patio pots but want to add more.
I have some great sun-loving plants to add color to your outdoor space.
Growing flowers and foliage in pots is a lot of fun. You can mix and match colors and textures for a beautiful look.
Plus, container plants are easy to move around if you need to rearrange the space.
If you are new to growing plants in containers, you’ll want to check out my tips for container gardening. They will help you grow healthy, happy plants.
It’s important to choose the right plants for your containers. You need to know how much sun your garden gets.
If you have a sunny space, you’ll want to choose plants that need full sun. If you have a shady garden, you’ll want to choose plants that need full shade.
There are also plants that need part sun or part shade. You’ll want to choose the right plants for your garden.
1. Mandevilla
These tropical vines are perfect for adding a little drama and height to your container gardens.
They can grow to be about 10 feet tall and produce large, trumpet-shaped flowers. They come in a variety of colors including pinks, reds, and whites.
Mandevillas are a great option for beginners because they are low maintenance and easy to care for.
They do best in well-drained soil and should be watered when the top inch of soil is dry.
Pro Tip: They are not cold hardy and should be brought indoors for the winter.
2. Lantana
Lantana is a flowering plant that comes in a variety of colors. It is a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plant that thrives in full sun and hot temperatures.
Lantana is also a great plant for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden.
There are many different varieties of lantana, and they can be grown as perennials or annuals, depending on your climate.
Be sure to check which varieties are best for your area and how to care for them.
3. Angelonia
Angelonia is a wonderful plant for container gardens. It has a long blooming season, and the flowers look like small snapdragons.
Angelonia will bloom from late spring until the first frost.
This is another plant that has a lot of height and texture to your container gardens.
Angelonia is also a great plant for attracting butterflies to your garden.
4. Scaevola
Scaevola is a low-growing, trailing plant with green or silver leaves and fan-shaped flowers.
It’s a great option for hanging baskets, window boxes, and other containers where you want a plant that will spill over the edge.
Scaevola blooms from late spring until frost, and it’s both heat- and drought-tolerant.
In fact, it’s one of the best plants to grow in containers in full sun if you live in a hot climate.
5. Sweet potato vine
Sweet potato vine is another great trailing plant for containers.
This vigorous grower comes in a wide variety of colors and leaf shapes, making it easy to find one to fit your color scheme.
Sweet potato vine is a heat-tolerant plant that will keep growing and spreading as the season goes on.
Be sure to give it plenty of room to grow in your container!
6. Petunia
Petunias are a classic container plant that come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. They are easy to grow and will bloom all summer long.
Petunias come in several different growth habits, including trailing, mounding, and upright.
Use mounding and upright varieties in the center of your container and trailing varieties around the edges.
7. Asparagus fern
Asparagus ferns are a popular container plant option for a few reasons.
They’re easy to grow, they’re low maintenance, and they look great in a container garden!
They come in a few different varieties, including ones with light green, dark green, or variegated leaves.
Asparagus ferns are also very versatile and can be grown in a variety of light conditions.
They prefer to be in a spot that gets some direct sun but can tolerate partial shade.
If you keep your asparagus fern in a spot that gets too much sun, you’ll notice the leaves turn yellow and start to brown.
If you notice this happening, move your plant to a shadier spot and give it a good watering.
8. Zinnia
Zinnias are another flower that can be directly sown into your garden beds or pots.
They will continue to bloom all summer long and are available in a variety of colors.
Zinnias will attract butterflies to your garden. Snip off the flowers as they start to fade to encourage new growth.
9. Dracena
Dracena is a common houseplant, but it also does well in full sun conditions.
In the garden, dracena looks like a small palm tree with a cluster of narrow, arching leaves.
There are many different varieties of dracena, and most of them have a central stalk with a tuft of leaves at the top.
The leaves can be green, green and yellow, or green and red, depending on the variety.
Dracena is a great choice for container gardening because it doesn’t mind being root-bound.
That means you can keep it in the same pot for a long time without having to worry about repotting it.
Dracena grows slowly, so it’s perfect for small containers. It can take up to 10 years for a dracena to outgrow a 10-inch pot.
10. Verbena
Verbena is a must-have plant for full sun. This hardy plant is drought-tolerant and thrives in hot conditions.
Verbena plants produce clusters of small, colorful flowers that butterflies and hummingbirds love.
There are many types of verbena to choose from, but some of our favorites include the Homestead Purple Verbena, EnduraScape Pink Verbena, and the Lanai Peach Verbena.
11. Sedum
Sedum is a great container plant for a few reasons. First, it’s incredibly drought-tolerant, so it’s perfect for containers that might not get watered every day.
Second, it’s a succulent, so it has a very unique look to it. And finally, you can find sedum in a wide variety of colors and sizes.
Some types of sedum are very small and low growing, which makes them a great option for the edge of a container.
Other varieties can grow up to 2 feet tall. Sedum works well in containers alone or mixed with other flowers and plants.
12. Ornamental grass
Ornamental grasses are a great choice for any garden but especially for container gardens.
They are low maintenance, drought-tolerant, and have a wonderful texture that adds interest to your container garden.
There are many varieties of ornamental grasses to choose from, so you can have a lot of fun picking out the perfect one for your container garden.
Some varieties, like the one shown here, have beautiful variegated foliage that adds even more interest to your container garden.
Ornamental grasses are also great for container gardens because they are low maintenance and can be used as a thriller, filler, or spiller plant.
You can plant them in the center of your container garden, use them to fill in the middle, or let them spill over the sides of the container.
13. Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa, also known as Million Bells, is a full sun container plant that is perfect for spilling over the edge of your container.
Calibrachoa is a low-growing, trailing plant with small, petunia-like flowers that come in a wide variety of colors.
Calibrachoa is an annual plant that grows well in zones 9-11 and can be grown as a perennial in zones 5-8.
This full sun container plant will grow to be about 6-12 inches tall and will spread up to 24 inches.
14. Coleus
Coleus is a beautiful and versatile plant that comes in many different colors and patterns.
It is a great option for beginner gardeners as it is easy to care for and can be grown in full sun or part shade.
Coleus can grow up to 36 inches tall, but there are many different varieties available, so you can find one that fits your space.
This plant is also excellent for adding height to your container garden as it grows quickly and can be used in the center or back of your arrangement.
15. Portulaca
This low-growing, heat-tolerant annual is perfect for spilling over the edges of containers.
It comes in a wide variety of colors and features semi-double to double blooms.
Portulaca is also known as moss rose, and it’s a good choice for hot, dry gardens. This plant does not like to have wet feet and will not tolerate soggy soil.
Choose a well-draining potting mix and only water when the top inch of soil is dry.
Portulaca is also drought-tolerant and doesn’t need to be watered frequently.
16. Vinca
Vinca is a must-have in the garden. It comes in a variety of colors and is a great heat- and drought-tolerant plant.
I love how the vinca looks in the middle of the planter. It adds a great pop of color and is a perfect filler plant.
Conclusion
I hope you got some great ideas for your full sun container plants. I know I got a few ideas for plants I want to try next year! Do you have any favorite full sun container plants? Let me know in the comments!
