Annual Flowers for Hanging Baskets

Fuchsia

• Fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.) works well for hanging baskets because of its drooping stems and colorful, bell-shaped flowers, according to the Clemson Extension. Varieties with orange or red flowers can stand the heat better than white- or blue-blooming types. Fuchsia grows best in bright, indirect sunlight, such as on a shaded porch. Fuchsia does not do well in heat, particularly hot afternoon sun, and humidity. Water fuchsia when the top of the soil is dry, and feed the plant with a water-soluble, complete fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season.

Trailing Petunia

• The trailing petunia (Callibrachoa x hybrida) is an unusual -- but well-suited -- annual for hanging baskets, according to the NC State University Extension. The trailing petunia is a compact but fast-growing annual that needs full sun and well-drained soil. It reaches 6 to 12 inches, and its flowers come in orange, yellow, pink and purple. Pinching and deadheading trailing petunia regularly will keep it compact and blooming.

Ivy Geranium

• Ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) is a colorful, trailing plant with ivy-shaped leaves. Its blooms come in shades of orange, pink, red, purple and white. Ivy geranium prefers full sun to partial shade. It needs fertile, well-drained soil and should be allowed to dry slightly between waterings. According to the Michigan State University Extension, ivy geranium thrives when it's potbound, so use a hanging container not much larger than its original nursery pot.

Glory Flower

• Glory flower (Eccremocarpus scaber), also called the Chilean glory vine, is a quick-growing, trailing vine covered with tubular flowers. Its vines can reach 10 to 15 feet. The blossoms come in orange, red, yellow or pink clusters, and they bloom all summer until the first killing frost. Glory flower requires a fairly long growing season, notes the Michigan State University Extension, so start seeds indoors before the final spring frost. Glory flower grows best in moist soil and full sun.

Verbena

• Verbena (Verbena X hybrida) is an annual that works well for hanging baskets that receive full sun. Its flowers, which cluster at the end of leafy branches, come in a range of colors, including peach, red, white, purple and multicolor. Verbena is a cold-tolerant annual, according to the University of Illinois Extension, so it will keep blooming until killed back by a hard frost. Verbena requires little water and is easy to start from seed. Its flowers attract butterflies.