Just about any plant can be grown in a pot as long as its basic growing requirements are met. You can grow fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, shrubs and small trees almost anywhere. Container plants add beauty to all kinds of areas and flourish on windowsills, patios, balconies, doorways, inside greenhouses and even on rooftops. The possibilities are endless.
When selecting plants for pots, it’s important to decide where they will be grown. Is the site sunny or shady? The number one factor influencing container garden success is matching the amount of available sunlight with plants that thrive in that environment. Check plant labels or seed packets, and if arranging several plants together make sure that sun-loving plants are grouped with sun lovers and shade-loving plants are planted with shade lovers.
With that said, it’s apparent that some plants are naturally better suited to growing in pots than others. To help reduce the confusion and increase your gardening pleasure, we’ve put together a “pretty close to accurate” sampling of top container grown plants. Please consult seed catalogs for plant varieties developed especially for potted gardens.
HERBS |
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Annuals | |||
Anise Basil |
Borage Chervil |
Cilantro/Coriander Dill |
Stevia Summer Savory |
Biennials | |||
Caraway | Parsley | Â Evening Primrose | Â Foxglove |
Perennials | |||
Catmint Chives Fennel Hyssop |
Lavender Lovage Marjoram Mint |
Oregano Rosemary Sage Sweet Bay |
Tarragon Thyme Watercress Winter Savory |
FLOWERS |
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Annuals | |||
Ageratum Alyssum Angelonia Bachelor Button Bean, Scarlet Runner Begonia Bracteantha Calendula |
Canary Creeper Celosia Cosmos Dianthus Dusty Miller Evolvulus Fuchsia Geranium |
Impatiens Ipomea Licorice Plant Lobelia Marigold Morning Glory Nasturtium Pansy |
Petunia Salvia Scaevola Snapdragon Sweet William Torenia Verbena Zinnia |
Perennials | |||
Agastache Candytuft Chrysanthemum Columbine |
Forget-Me-Not Gaillardia Gaura Gypsophila |
Lupine Penstemon Roses Rudbeckia |
Sedum Shasta Daisy Veronica Yarrow |
VEGETABLES |
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Beans, Bush Beets Bok Choy Cabbage Carrots |
Chard Collards Cucumbers Eggplant Kale |
Lettuce Mustard Greens Onions, Green Peppers Radish |
Spinach Squash, Summer Tomatoes Tomatoes, Cherry Turnips |
FRUITS |
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Apples (dwarf) Blackberries Blueberries |
Figs Guava Lemon |
Lime Nectarine Oranges |
Pomegranate Raspberries Strawberries |
BULBS |
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Fall Planted | |||
Anemones Crocus |
Daffodil Hyacinth |
Iris Muscari |
Scilla Tulip |
Spring Planted | |||
Allium Begonia |
Cyclamen Dahlia |
Gladiolus Lily |
Montbretia Windflowers |
EXOTIC PLANTS |
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Alberta Spruce (dwarf) Alocasia Banana Bird of Paradise Bougainvillea |
Cactus Caladium Cannas Coconut Palm Dracaena |
Elephant Ear Eucalyptus Ficus Flowering Maple Hibiscus |
Lantana Phygelius Pygmy Date Palm Schefflera Yucca |
Eric Vinje founded Planet Natural with his father Wayne in 1991, originally running it as a grasshopper bait mail-order business out of a garage.
Eric is now retired, but is still a renowned gardener known for his expertise in composting, organic gardening and pest control, utilizing pesticide-free options, such as beneficial insects.
Eric believes when you do something good for the environment, the effects will benefit generations to come.