Balcony and container plants adorn a large number of balconies and terraces. While balcony plants are sometimes dainty, sometimes a little more expansive in flower boxes, hanging baskets or pots, plants for the sun impress individually or in combination in decorative planters. Smaller potted plants can also beautify balconies without any problems, larger ones are usually better off on a terrace. In order for these plants to develop optimally, they must feel good. Consequently, sun-loving plants should always be able to get enough sun.
plants for the sun
Balcony plants for the blazing sun
Many balcony plants originally come from the tropics, subtropics or Mediterranean regions. As a result, their need for light is particularly high. Sunny balconies are a problem for many plants, they can burn if there is too much or blazing sun. Not so Mediterranean plants. The selection of suitable plants for sunny balconies and terraces is as diverse and individual as their care.
Geraniums (Pelargonium)
The geranium or pelargonium is a very heat-resistant plant with a long flowering period from May to the first frost. The flowers vary in shape, size and color. There are varieties with white, pink, red or violet flowers, one or two colors and varieties with dark spots or stripes. Especially with scented geraniums, the leaves play the main role, because some of them have an intense scent. There are also varieties with few petals and those with lush and beautifully marked foliage. They grow as evergreen, 25 - 40 cm high subshrubs or hanging with shoots over 150 cm long. They love the sun, want to be watered regularly and overwintered frost-free.
Geraniums (Pelargonium)
Petunias (Petunia)
Like geraniums, petunias are also characterized by a particularly rich and colorful bloom. They also bloom from May until frost and differ in the size and color of the flowers and the type of growth. The flower colors vary between solid white, yellow, violet, purple and blue as well as multicolored flowers. There are small-flowered mini petunias with cushion-like growth and proliferating, large-flowered hanging petunias with shoots up to 80 cm long. These easy-care sun worshipers are usually cultivated as an annual.
Petunias (Petunia)
African Daisies (Osteospermum)
- also known as Cape Marguerite or Paternoster
- can't have it warm and sunny enough
- blooms tirelessly even in extreme heat
- quickly develops colorful carpets of flowers
- reaches growth heights of 15 - 50 cm
- is the star and on every south- or west-facing balcony
- Flowers resemble those of daisies
- they are bright white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, or multicolored
Cape baskets can be combined well with geraniums, vanilla flowers, hussar's button and men's loyalty but also with larkspur or scented stone rich.
African Daisies (Osteospermum)
Magic bells (Calibrachoa)
The magic bell is also a plant that loves the sun. It has no natural origin, this is a purely cultivated form. Whether in hanging baskets, balcony boxes or in combination with other balcony plants, it inspires all summer long with countless small bell-shaped flowers in a wide variety of colors. They resemble small-flowered hanging petunias and have a sprawling, strong and overhanging habit. You can safely do without cleaning, wilted flowers are relatively quickly overgrown by new ones.
Tip: If the new, young leaves are lighter, this can be due to an iron deficiency.
Magic bells (Calibrachoa)
Hussar button (Sanvitalia procumbens)
The hussar button is adorned with countless 1 - 2 cm small yellow flowers with a brown-black centre. They owe it the name dwarf or miniature sunflower. Its double or semi-double flowers can be admired from July to November. It is an annual with a height and width of 30 - 40 cm. This plant also tolerates slightly heavier frosts, so it can go outside as early as April. Fading should be removed regularly.
Tip: The hussar button is annual and usually cannot be overwintered.
Hussar button (Sanvitalia procumbens)
Blue fan flower (Scaevola aemula)
The blue fan flower is the perfect balcony plant. With its blue to violet, fan-like flowers, it is a real eye-catcher. It reaches heights of almost 20 cm, while its shoots can be about 100 cm long. The blue flowers contrast nicely with the green foliage. This plant is basically perennial, but is usually cultivated as an annual. Nevertheless, it can be overwintered without any problems.
Tip: A pruning after the first flowering results in the formation of new shoots and flowers.
Blue fan flower (Scaevola aemula)
Elfspur (Diascia)
From June onwards, the elfin spur forms a sea of filigree, white, pink, red, apricot-colored or violet flowers on upright panicles. It grows creeping or herbaceous, from a certain height also slightly hanging. It usually grows between 20 and 30 cm high. Its green, heart-shaped leaves are also very decorative. If cleaned regularly, the elfin spur blooms into October. It is very easy to care for and therefore a good starter plant.
Elfspur (Diascia)
Liver Balm (Ageratum houstonianum)
Common liver balm is another very attractive balcony plant. While larger varieties are well suited for tubs, the small ones cut a fine figure in the balcony box next to other annual balcony plants. You can choose between varieties with light blue, white, pink or lilac and crimson flowers. The usual liver balm displays this from May to October. It is mainly cultivated as an annual.
Tip: This balcony plant is poisonous, which should be taken into account if children or pets are likely to come into contact with it.
Liver Balm (Ageratum houstonianum)
verbs (verbena)
- very filigree plants
- also known as Verbena
- annual plants that give a certain elegance
- Growth is upright or creeping with growth height between 15 and 45 cm
- Flowers are many-flowered, umbrella-shaped to rounded umbels
- Varieties available with almost all flower colors except yellow
- there are varieties with monochromatic and multicolored flowers
The flowers give off a slightly spicy scent that attracts many butterflies. The heavily weeded foliage of the verbena makes it a pretty traffic light plant. Even next to geraniums and petunias, they do not fail to have an effect.
verbs (verbena)
pot plants
Container plants for full sun locations
Planters have the advantage that they are very flexible and can be arranged differently depending on the season and personal taste. Mediterranean plants, which are very well suited for full sun locations, are particularly popular. However, they are usually not hardy and must be protected from frost. Therefore, you should always think of a suitable wintering option at the same time. Then you can choose the right plants from the abundance of plants on offer without any stress.
Small, medium-high
African Lily (Agapanthus)
The African lily Agapanthus, a noble classic, is an extremely easy-care beauty. This perennial with its almost magical blue, white or purple inflorescences is one of the most popular container plants. A single one of these umbel-shaped inflorescences has more than 100 funnel-shaped individual flowers. These sit on 5 - 8 cm long stalks and rise 50 - 100 cm above the green foliage. African lilies grow perennial, herbaceous and perennial. The flowering period is comparatively short and lasts from June to August.
Tip: While an evergreen Agapanthus must overwinter frost-free, leaf-weeding varieties are largely hardy and can overwinter outside with appropriate protection.
African Lily (Agapanthus)
Shrub daisies (Argyranthemum)
Shrub daisies are semi-shrubs, they grow bushy and branched and can easily be raised as a standard. Characteristic of the shrub daisy are the white ray florets and yellow tubular florets in the middle. There are now also new breeds with pink, yellow, red or violet as well as double and single flowers. The bright white flowers can be seen from afar even at dusk. The flowers of the shrub daisy smell intense.
Shrub daisies (Argyranthemum)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
The evergreen lantana is a special feature among the potted plants because its flowers change colour. This plant owes its name to this property. From May to October, the Lantana shows its tubular flowers, which change from a yellow to an orange, for example, and finally take on a crimson color in autumn. The Lantana grows as an overhanging shrub, but is mainly offered as a standard or balcony flower and must overwinter frost-free.
Tip: Lantana is highly poisonous in all parts of the plant, especially its fruits.
Lantana (Lantana camara)
milkwort (polygala)
The enchanting milkwort is particularly striking because of its exotic-looking, violet flowers with protruding brush-like stamens. With these flowers, she inspires from early spring until well into autumn. It is evergreen and grows as a shrub or semi-stem. A location in full sun guarantees lush flowering. Like most potted plants, the milkwort is not hardy and is therefore almost exclusively kept as a potted plant.
milkwort (polygala)
Mediterranean plants
Mediterranean pot plants are originally at home in the warm and sunny parts of the world. Due to their lack of winter hardiness, they are kept in buckets in this country, where they bring color and elegance to balconies and terraces and also beguile with their scent. They require a little more care than native potted plants and almost all require frost-free overwintering. The selection of corresponding plants is a little smaller, but all the more magnificent.
Hammerbush (Cestrum elegans)
This plant also likes the sun. What is fascinating about this plant are the star-like, crimson, white or orange tubular flowers, approx. 3 cm long, which are arranged in terminal clusters on the plant. They appear from summer to autumn and smell pleasant. The Hammerbush usually grows like a bush and, depending on the cut, is between 150 and 300 cm high. The berry decorations in autumn are also extremely decorative. However, both the berries and the entire plant are poisonous.
Hammerbush (Cestrum elegans)
Brazilian guavas (Acca sellowiana)
The Brazilian guava is a very attractive and noble-looking container plant. Their greatest adornment are the exotic, red and white brush flowers with edible petals. The bluish-green, elongated or spherical fruits and their scent are also unique. As an evergreen, Brazilian guavas are attractive year-round. They grow as multi-stem shrubs that can easily be raised as a half-stem or standard.
Tip: These plants require a consistently high and constant water supply.
Brazilian guavas (Acca sellowiana)
Rose mallow (Hibiscus syriacus)
Who doesn't know it, the rose mallow, better known as hibiscus. It grows perennial, herbaceous, as a shrub or standard, with up to 7 cm large, simple or double, funnel-shaped flowers in a wide variety of colors and patterns. It reaches growth heights of 100 - 250 cm. Flowering time is from July to September. The rose mallow is one of the few tub plants that can also overwinter outside with appropriate protection.
Rose mallow (Hibiscus syriacus)
Citrus plants (Citrus)
With citrus plants such as a lemon, lime or orange tree, the balcony and terrace can be transformed into a Mediterranean oasis in no time at all. With their glossy green foliage, fragrant flowers and colorful fruits, they have a lot to offer all year round. With the exception of lemons, which grow more sprawling and lighter, most citrus plants have a closed habit. In the bucket they can reach growth heights of up to 250 cm.
Citrus plants (Citrus)
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
The evergreen oleander brings the south to the balcony and terrace and creates a Mediterranean flair. It is one of the most popular tub plants, which is mainly due to the numerous pink, white or yellow flowers arranged in cymes. Under optimal conditions, the oleander blooms tirelessly between June and September. The flowers stand out against the dark green, leathery foliage.
Tip: Withered blossoms should be plucked off and not cut off, because the blossoms for the next year are already at the top of the umbel.
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
climbing shrubs
Triplet flower (Bougainvillea)
The triplet with the classic magenta flowers is the star among the flowering pot plants. Its abundance of flowers almost completely displaces the green leaves. In addition to the classic variant, there are also varieties with white, yellow, orange and red flowers. With a consistent cut, the triplet flower can also be raised as a standard.
Tip: In order to keep the flowering splendor in the long term, it is advisable to use scissors several times during the season and cut back the shoots of the triplet.
Triplet flower (Bougainvillea)
Passion Flower (Passiflora)
The passion flower is a climbing plant that is very willing to flower and has showy flowers. They consist of several petals and a corona of thread-like stamens. Their color spectrum ranges from white and yellow to red and violet. The passion flower can reach a height of several meters. In order to be able to grow well, it needs a suitable climbing aid.
Passion Flower (Passiflora)
True jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
- Real jasmine, the classic among the twining jasmine species
- Flowering period from June to September
- Covered all over with blossoms when it blooms
- they are pure white, star-shaped and arranged like umbels
- they exude an unmistakable scent
- Flowers develop from dark pink colored buds
Typical of the real jasmine are its thin, fast-growing and climbing shoots with deciduous leaves that form a dense pile. In autumn the foliage turns yellow and the flowers develop into dark red to purple berries.
True jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
Dipladenia (Mandevilla)
With its graceful, funnel-shaped flowers, the Dipladenia is a real eye-catcher on balconies and patios. It is a creeping or climbing plant that grows upright on an appropriate climbing aid. Without a climbing aid, it can also be kept as a hanging plant. It is in full bloom as early as May and keeps posting yellow, white, red or pink flowers until the first frost. Some of the flowers also have different shades.
Tip: The milky sap contained in the plant is highly toxic and can cause skin irritations on contact.
Dipladenia (Mandevilla)