White Flowering Plants for Pots

Angel's Trumpet

• Angel's trumpet Brugmansia is a small tropical tree with 12-inch, trumpet-shaped flowers in an array of colors including white. This plant thrives in large containers. It is good for creating a focal point in the garden or for sitting at the edge of a patio or deck. The flowers open in the early evening as the sun begins setting. The fragrance fills the night air with a sweet scent. This plant needs well-drained soil rich in organic matter, daily watering during the hottest part of the summer, and both a time-release fertilizer mixed into the soil and a liquid fertilizer given on a regular basis. All parts of this plant are toxic so do not compost it. Keep this plant out of reach of children and pets.

Impatiens

• Impatiens are good blooming flowers for pots in the shade garden. They require little care, bloom all summer, do not require deadheading and come in many colors, including white. The old-fashion varieties get leggy by the end of summer and benefit from pinching back on a regular basis. The newer hybrids are naturally compact and do not need pinching. Impatiens grow best in moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Impatiens wilt if the soil too dry. A through watering revives them.

Petunia

• The old-fashion petunia has been replaced by many new cultivars including the Wave petunia, which spills over the edge of flowerpots. The old-fashion petunia releases a sweet scent at night, something many of the new varieties don't do. The old-fashion varieties require occasionally pinching back the foliage to keep them compact. It performs best if the flowers are deadheaded. The new varieties do not need pinching or deadheading. Petunias come in many colors, including white. The best variety to grow depends on two things: personal preference and the time you have to devote to your garden. Grow petunias in full sun in well-drained soil.

Night-Blooming Cereus

• The night-blooming cereus Hylocerus undatus is a spineless, climbing cactus that blooms indoors or outdoors, as long as the area they are in is dark. The large, white flowers begin opening after the sun goes down, but are not fully open until midnight. The flowers release a heavy scent that can be overpowering, especially if this plant is grown indoors. The plant does not bloom until it is at least 4 years old. In the first year, it will only produce one bloom. The older the plant, the more blooms it produces. It is best to grow this plant in either a hanging basket or a large pot with a trellis that the plant climbs. Grow it in well-drained soil in a bright, sunny location.