There is a large selection of plants that bloom permanently for balcony boxes and planters on the terrace. Many species also require little care and still show a lush bloom. Here you will find 32 permanent bloomers for the terrace and balcony.

In a nutshell

  • Perennials bloom from spring through fall
  • many specimens suitable for balcony boxes or bucket culture
  • most long flowering plants have high nutrient requirements
  • Begonias or dahlias can be overwintered as bulbs
  • Cosmea and cup mallow can be sown yourself

Continuous bloomers for balconies and terraces from B to D

Cup mallow (Lavatera trimestris)

  • Height: 50 to 120 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: white, pink, cup-shaped
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: moderate water and nutrient requirements, continuous bloomers for container culture

Begonias (Begonia)

Tuberous Begonia 'Swift'
  • Height: 10 to 20 cm
  • Planting distance: 10 to 20 cm
  • Flowers: yellow, white, orange, pink, red, single, double
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: prefer a sheltered location, persistent rain causes the flowers to die prematurely

Notice: As far as location is concerned, there are differences between the varieties of this perpetual bloomer for balconies and terraces. While ice begonias like it predominantly sunny, tuber begonias, which can also be overwintered as tubers, prefer semi-shady places.

Blue fan flower (Scaevola aemula)

  • Height: 40 to 80 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: white, pink, yellow, multicolored, cup-shaped
  • Location: sun
  • Care: can also be overwintered frost-free as a houseplant

Calla (Zantedeschia aethiopica)

  • Height: 40 to 60 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 40 cm
  • Flower: blue, violet, fan-like
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, moderately moist

Dahlias (Dahlia)

Dahlia hortensis 'Melody Gypsy'
  • Height: 30 to 120 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 50 cm
  • Flower: white, yellow, pink, red, multicolored
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, pruning faded inflorescences promotes further flowering, suitable for tub cultivation, tubers can be overwintered

Spinning fruit (Streptocarpus saxorum)

  • Height: 50 to 100 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: blue, bell-shaped
  • Location: partial shade
  • Care: mainly suitable as a traffic light plant, avoid waterlogging at all costs, can be overwintered well

Triplet flower (Bougainvillea)

  • Height: 50 to 200 cm
  • Planting distance: 30 to 60 cm
  • Flower: white, pink
  • Location: sun
  • Care: suitable for pot culture, can be overwintered frost-free, is also suitable as a topiary

From E to G

Vervain (Verbena)

  • Height: 15 to 50 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flowers: white, yellow, orange, pink, red, violet, multicolored, umbel-like
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: moderate water requirement, can be cultivated as a permanent bloomer in standard form

Elf Mirror (Nemesia)

Nemesia 'Sunsatia'
  • Height: 20 to 60 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 40 cm
  • Flowers: white, yellow, orange, pink, blue, multicolored, racemose
  • Location: sun
  • Care: water moderately, low nutrient requirements

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia)

  • Height: 150 to 300 cm
  • Planting distance: 70 to 100 cm
  • Flower: white, yellow, orange, pink, bell-shaped
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: only blooms profusely after several years, must be overwintered frost-free

Notice: Be careful with this perpetual bloomer, because no matter how beautiful it looks on the balcony and terrace - all parts of the angel's trumpet are highly toxic. For example, fallen flowers pose a danger to pets and children who could eat them. To be on the safe side, refrain from planting.

Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana)

  • Height: 20 to 40 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 40 cm
  • Flower: white, pink, red, multicolored, single or double
  • Location: partial shade to shade
  • Care: water moderately, low nutrient requirements, ideal for a shady balcony

Fuchsias (Fuchsia)

  • Height: 20 to 90 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 60 cm
  • Flowers: white, pink, red, violet, multicolored, bell-shaped, hanging
  • Location: sun to shade
  • Care: Continuous bloomers, mainly for container culture, can be overwintered

Garden marshmallow (Hibiscus syriacus)

  • Height: 50 to 130 cm
  • Planting distance: 30 to 50 cm
  • Flower: white, pink, violet, cup-shaped
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: only suitable for pot culture, can be overwintered outdoors with some winter protection

Geraniums (Pelargonium)

  • Height: 30 to 90 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 40 cm
  • Flower: white, pink, red, violet, multicolored
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: long-flowering with regular fertilization every two weeks, easy-care planting for the balcony, remove faded flowers regularly

From K to P

African Daisies (Osteospermum)

  • Height: 20 to 40 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flowers: white, yellow, orange, pink, violet, multicolored, single
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, vigorous pruning after the main bloom promotes new shoots and flowering

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

  • Height: 20 to 100 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: white, yellow, orange, pink, red, multicolored
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, use low-lime irrigation water

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

  • Height: 20 to 40 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: orange, red, multicolored, bell-shaped
  • Location: sun to shade
  • Care: moderate nutritional requirements

Loyal to men (Lobelia erinus)

Lobelia erinus 'Laura'
  • Height: 15 to 35 cm
  • Planting distance: 10 to 20 cm
  • Flower: white, blue, single
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, keep soil moderately moist

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

  • Height: 200 to 300 cm
  • Planting distance: 60 to 70 cm
  • Flower: white, orange, yellow, pink, red, multicolored
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, moderate water requirement, can be overwintered frost-free, only suitable for tub cultivation

Passion Flower (Passiflora)

Passiflora racemosa
  • Height: 50 to 200 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 50 cm
  • Flower: white, red, violet, multicolored
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, only blooms profusely in very warm and sunny locations

Notice: As a climbing plant, this perpetual bloomer also needs a trellis on the balcony or terrace on which it can grow.

Petunias (Petunia)

  • Height: 60 to 90 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: white, orange, yellow, pink, red, violet, multicolored, bell-shaped
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, watering preferably with low-calcium water, easy-care perpetual bloomer

From R to S

Red Spurflower (Centranthus ruber)

  • Height: 60 to 80 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: red
  • Location: sun
  • Care: low nutritional requirements

Cosmos bipinnatus (Cosmos bipinnatus)

  • Height: 50 to 120 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: white, pink, multicolored, single
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, mainly suitable for pot culture, can be sown every year

Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata)

  • Height: 100 to 150 cm
  • Planting distance: 50 to 60 cm
  • Flower: Orange or creamy white with a black spot, slightly bell-shaped
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, trellis necessary, suitable as a container plant on the terrace

Summer jasmine (Solanum jasminoides)

  • Height: 100 to 200 cm
  • Planting distance: 50 to 70 cm
  • Flower: white, single
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, high water requirement, suitable as a continuous bloomer for tubs, needs a support

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

  • Height: 30 to 200 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: yellow, orange, multicolored, single or double
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, moderate water requirement, tall varieties only suitable for the tub

notice: From this permanent bloomer for the balcony and terrace, only choose varieties that grow weakly, because there are breeds that can grow up to four meters high. They are long-flowering and the seeds in the faded inflorescences are a favorite food for birds.

Marigold (tagetes)

  • Height: 15 to 60 cm
  • Planting distance: 10 to 20 cm
  • Flower: yellow, orange, multicolored, single or double
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: moderate water and nutrient requirements, removing faded inflorescences promotes further flowering

From V to Z

Vanilla flower (Heliotropium arborescens)

  • Height: 20 to 60 cm
  • Planting distance: 15 to 20 cm
  • Flower: violet, blue, grape-shaped
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirements, low water requirements, cut off faded inflorescences

Lantana (Lantana camara)

  • Height: 20 to 100 cm
  • Planting distance: 15 to 60 cm
  • Flower: orange, yellow, multicolored
  • Location: sun
  • Care: high nutrient requirements, low water requirements

tip: This perennial bloomer can also be cultivated as a standard on the balcony or terrace.

Magic bells (Calibrachoa)

  • Height: 40 to 60 cm
  • Planting distance: 20 to 30 cm
  • Flower: white, orange, yellow, pink, red, violet, multicolored, bell-shaped
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, use low-lime water for watering

Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

  • Height: 30 to 60 cm
  • Planting distance: 15 to 25 cm
  • Flowers: yellow, orange, pink, red, multicolored, single or double
  • Location: sun
  • Care: moderate water requirement, mainly suitable for growing in tubs on the balcony or terrace

Bidens (Bidens ferulifolia)

  • Height: 30 to 40 cm
  • Planting distance: 15 to 20 cm
  • Flower: yellow, orange, multicolored, single
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Care: high nutrient requirement, constantly slightly moist soil

frequently asked Questions

Do I need to prune the plants to keep flowering?

Most perennials do not need pruning. Most permanent bloomers for balconies and terraces usually do not form seeds. For aesthetic reasons, however, you can remove faded inflorescences.

Which soil do I use for perpetual bloomers on the balcony or patio?

Continuous bloomers benefit from a nutrient-rich basic fertilization. Use a nutrient-rich potting soil for this. In addition, you can enrich the soil with a water-storing substrate such as lava granules. This allows you to prevent damage caused by drought stress to a limited extent, especially in balcony boxes.

Are there perennial bloomers?

Most flowering plants for balconies and terraces only have a limited lifespan and they die off with the first frost. Some species can be protected over the winter.

Do I have to protect flowering plants on the balcony from the wind?

Many flowering plants are also suitable for windy locations. However, if a balcony or terrace is particularly wind-prone, you should choose flowering plants that are short, otherwise there is a high risk that they will break off.

How long do perennials bloom?

In Central Europe, the flowering period of persistently flowering plants usually extends from May to October or ends with the first frost.

Category:

Garden plants