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Hanging plants give planters an additional structure, but are also suitable for hanging baskets. This text tells you which hanging plants grow in shady places.
In a nutshell
- Hanging plants don't always have to grow in hanging baskets
- Green plants are usually more tolerant of shade than flowering plants
- some species are equally suitable for the house, garden and terrace
Hanging plants in the house
Indoors, hanging plants are usually planted in hanging baskets or hung on the wall as decoration, where they often only get little light.
Notice: It is important to ensure that the plants are never placed so high that their care is made unnecessarily difficult.
Plants from A - F
leafy begonias
- Origin: Asia, Africa, America
- Characteristics: bushy, overhanging, mostly multicolored leaves, such as green/red or light/dark green, flowers are small and inconspicuous, need little light
- Substrate: normal, well-drained potting soil
- Care: water regularly and provide green plant fertilizer, repot in spring
- Propagation: by cuttings or division
- Diseases and pests: powdery mildew, root rot when waterlogged, thrips, aphids
- Varieties: Tiger Begonia (Begonia boweri), King Begonia (Begonia Rex hybrid), Begonia Corallina hybrid
Ivy (Epipremnum pinnatum)
- Origin: Asia, Australia
- Properties: likes to climb up climbing aids, but also grows hanging, green plant with veined leaves
- Substrate: without special demands on the soil
- Care: high humidity is an advantage, water and fertilize regularly, avoid waterlogging, repot every two years, pruning possible
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: hardly susceptible, root rot when waterlogged
Pea plant (Senecio rowleyanus), string of pearls
- Origin: Africa
- Properties: Succulents, grows overhanging or carpet-like, forms long shoots with pearl-like, thickened leaves, therefore good hanging plants for shady places, forms small flowers
- Substrate: cactus soil, permeable, poor in nutrients, mix normal soil with sand
- Care: seldom water and fertilize, repot when there is no more space in the pot
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: Lice
Plants from G - R
Antler fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
- Origin: Asia, Australia
- Properties: overhanging, evergreen, large fronds, epiphyte
- Substrate: slightly acidic orchid soil
- Care: best dive once a week, fertilize every four weeks, repot every two years
- Propagation: via side shoots
- Diseases and pests: scale insects
Goldbeard (Callisia fragrans)
- Origin: Mexico
- Properties: grows like bromeliads, forms long, overhanging shoots
- Substrate: well-drained, not too nutrient-rich soil
- Care: water and fertilize moderately, repot annually in spring
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: spider mites, trips and lice in dry air
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Origin: South Africa
- Characteristics: green or green/white specimens, forms twigs and long flowering shoots even in low light, grows overhanging
- Substrate: nutrient-rich, loose soil, likes moist
- Care: easy to care for, water and fertilize regularly, repot annually
- Propagation: division, kindel
- Diseases and pests: hardy
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), ground ivy
- Origin: local
- Characteristics: creeping, arching habit, green or bicolor leaves, lilac flowers
- Substrate: potting soil, without special requirements
- Care: water regularly and fertilize a little
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: hardly susceptible
Notice: The ground ivy is also one of the most suitable hanging plants for shady places in the garden.
Climbing Philodendron (Philodendron scandens) , Climbing tree friend
- Origin: Central and South America
- Properties: usually climbs, but also suitable for traffic lights, evergreen
- Substrate: rich in nutrients, permeable
- Care: water and fertilize regularly, repot every two years, tolerates pruning
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: Mealybugs and spider mites, otherwise robust
Coral cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera)
- Origin: comes from the tropics
- Properties: grows overhanging, green, forms long, branched shoots
- Substrate: loose, humic, possibly soil for bromeliads or other epiphytes
- Care: water and fertilize regularly, repot every two years, tolerates pruning
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: Lice
Planting from S - Z
shamflower (Aeschynanthus)
shamflower
- Origin: Asia
- Properties: evergreen epiphyte, shoots up to 60 cm long, yellow, orange and red flowers
- Substrate: well-drained soil, possibly mixed with fine gravel, sand or clay granules
- Care: do not water or fertilize too often, plant likes to be dry, repot annually
- Propagation: cuttings
- Diseases and pests: Too little humidity leads to spider mites, possibly also aphids
Sword Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
- Origin: tropical forests
- Properties: evergreen, forms overhanging fern fronds, epiphyte
- Substrate: nutrient-poor potting soil
- Care: keep moist, fertilize regularly, repot every three years, spray from time to time
- Propagation: by division or offshoots
- Diseases and pests: Spider mites when the air is dry
Ornamental asparagus (Asparagus densiflorus)
- Origin: Asia, Africa
- Properties: Green plant for little light with overhanging growth, long and branched shoots, leaves transformed into "needles".
- Substrate: no demands, normal potting soil is sufficient
- Care: keep moist, fertilize regularly, spray every two years, then repot every three years
- Propagation: by division
- Diseases and pests: spider mites, aphids, do not leave too dry, also avoid waterlogging
garden
Actual creepers can be good hanging plants for shady places in the garden. These include ivy and honeysuckle. Some ground covers such as periwinkle or pennywort are also suitable for locations with little light.
Ivy (Hedera helix)
- Origin: local
- Properties: evergreen, climbs, forms adhesive roots, but also grows overhanging, flowers late, good for insects
- Substrate: well-drained soil, otherwise undemanding
- Care: keep moist, fertilize little, tolerates pruning
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and Pests: Fungal diseases or bacteria, otherwise robust
Notice: Ivy is very universal. There are also varieties that are suitable as hanging plants for shady places in the house or on the balcony.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera)
- Origin: partly local
- Properties: twining, climbing, overhanging growth, there are evergreen varieties, some produce very beautiful, fragrant flowers
- Substrate: loose, nutrient-rich soil
- Care: mulch, keep slightly moist, fertilize from time to time, tolerates pruning
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: watch out for aphids, otherwise robust
Periwinkle (Vinca)
Small periwinkle
- Origin: local, but also from Asia
- Properties: cushion-forming, overhanging growth, evergreen, with lilac, rarely white flowers
- Substrate: nutrient-rich, loose soil
- Care: keep slightly moist, fertilize with compost, tolerates pruning
- Propagation: by offshoots, rooted side shoots
- Diseases and pests: fungal diseases
Pennywort (Lysimachia nummularia)
- Origin: local
- Properties: not demanding, also grows in sunny places, yellow flowers, creeping habit, also forms overhanging shoots
- Substrate: rich in nutrients, permeable
- Care: easy to care for, water or fertilize little, tolerates pruning
- Propagation: by division
- Diseases and pests: hardy
Carpet medlar (Cotoneaster dammeri), creeping medlar
Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Cotoneaster dammeri var. radicans kz02, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Origin: China
- Properties: grows creeping, forms long, overhanging shoots, white flowers, red berries, evergreen, slightly poisonous
- Substrate: well-drained, nutrient-rich soil
- Care: fertilize from time to time, only water when dry, can be cut into shape
- Propagation: Shoots form roots when they come into contact with the ground, cut off rooted shoots
- Diseases and pests: possibly fire blight
balcony
Hanging balcony plants bring more structure to the planting. They close holes between the other flowers and visually increase the flowering area.
Blue fan flower (Scaevola aemula)
- Origin: Australia
- Characteristics: grows drooping, blue, white or pink flowers
- Substrate: moist but well drained, mix soil with some sand
- Care: water and fertilize regularly, otherwise easy to care for, overwinter indoors
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: relatively insensitive, possibly whiteflies
Hanging begonias (Begonia boliviensis)
- Origin: South America
- Properties: grows overhanging, forms orange and red flowers
- Substrate: permeable soil for balcony plants
- Care: water and fertilize regularly, hibernate indoors, repot in spring, remove faded flowers regularly
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: aphids or gray mold, generally not very susceptible
Hanging Fuchsia (Fuchsia)
- Origin: Central and South America
- Characteristics: flowers in many different colors, overhanging growth
- Substrate: nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
- Care: do not water too often, does not tolerate root moisture, fertilize regularly and remove faded flowers, overwinter indoors and repot in spring
- Propagation: via cuttings
- Diseases and pests: fungal diseases or lice
frequently asked Questions
How can plants in hanging baskets be made windproof?One possibility is to take down all the plants and bring them indoors during a storm. Otherwise, there is still the option of fixing the hangers in such a way that they cannot fall down by themselves. They can be tied or screwed on.
What do you have to consider in winter?Even hardy plants are better protected if the bucket is wrapped with jute or fleece in winter. The reason for this is that the freezing of the substrate can cause even hardy plants to freeze to death.
Do hanging plants need to be cut?In some species this is necessary. Be it to restrict growth, get them in shape or just to remove faded flowers. The latter is recommended for all flowering plants, because they stay beautiful longer and often produce reblooms.