Houseplants bring a bit of nature inside and can brighten any home. With the best indoor plants for hanging baskets, you can do more with your space. When placed in hanging baskets, you can get the experience of foliage or vines cascading down and making any space more beautiful and inviting. There are so many great ways to give our houseplants a home, from decorative pots to woven baskets and also, by hanging them.
While most plants can be put in a hanging basket, they don’t all look good in them. We’re going to explore some of the best plants for hanging in your home. You will also want to consider the type of container and the hanging method that you use. From macrame to wire and everything in between, we’ll help you decide the best hanging plants for your home.
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Best Indoor Plants for Hanging Baskets
While you can technically place any plant you want in a hanging basket, there are some that just do much better in them, and also that look better in them. Any plant that vines will look great in a hanging basket with the vines trailing down below. If placed in front of a window, you may want to rotate from time to time (such as each time you water) so that the plant grows more evenly and doesn’t get heavier toward one side over another as it stretches for the sun.
You should also be sure to trim or “groom” your vining plants, as needed if they start to get too leggy over time. Most vine plants will propagate well, so you can just cut some off the bottom when it gets to be too much and then propagate into new plants.
Now let’s look at the best indoor plants for hanging baskets.
1. Arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
Arrowhead plant is a perfect choice for hanging baskets. They get their name because the leaves grow into shapes that look like arrowheads. It is sometimes also called arrowhead vine or “five fingers”. They come in a variety of shades of pink, green, and burgundy and are fairly easy to care for and like humidity.
2. Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The Boston fern is one of the most well-known ferns. For years, I admired them but wasn’t able to keep one alive. My issue was overwatering the soil, but not misting the leaves for humidity. If you live in a dry climate, you will need to mist this one. They also like to be hung far from the top of the ceiling to allow for proper air circulation. All in all, they are easy to care for though, and they look beautiful in a hanging basket.
3. Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum)
Next up on the list is Burro’s tail, a type of succulent. This beautiful succulent has thick, fleshy leaves that help them retain water. They don’t need to be watered as much and they enjoy bright sunlight. It’s a very low-maintenance plant and it looks very unique when hanging from a basket.
4. Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos is one of the most common houseplants available today. Devil’s ivy is a type of pothos but all pothos do really well in hanging baskets. They are easy to care for, forgiving of neglect, and can grow fast and long in the right conditions. Some people have Devil’s ivy for decades, allowing it to cascade down from baskets, vine around the room, and trimming and propagating when needed.
5. Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
Philodendrons are similar to pothos and equally easy to care for. The heartleaf philo gets its name because the leaves take the shape of hearts. It does best in medium indirect light but can also do okay in low light. Avoid direct sunlight for too long or it will scorch the leaves. Higher humidity will help it grow faster and have larger leaves. You can mist if your air is dry.
6. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are sometimes also called “airplane plants” and they look amazing in a hanging plant holder. When growing spider plants in hanging baskets, it’s important to be sure you use a well-draining potting mix. They like an even moisture – so not too much in either direction. They like bright to moderate indirect sunlight, but not direct sunlight. If you are seeing brown tips of the leaves, it’s probably from too much sun,
7. String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
The string of pearls gets its name from the round shape that does resemble a green set of pearls. All string plants can look good in a hanging basket but this one is especially pretty when it grows long and full and the pearls cascade down. It likes bright light so will do best in a bright window. If you are lacking sun, consider a grow light to help it along. Don’t overwater! They’re very sensitive to this and only need water about once every two weeks.
8. Morning glory (Ipomoea)
Morning glory is usually found outside, growing up a trellis or fencing, or anything else it can find to climb. While it may not seem like a traditional indoor plant, we think it’s a great choice for hanging baskets. They grow very fast, even from seed, and can be planted in a basket and then placed wherever you like in your home. There are a lot of different varieties that will give you different colors like blue, indigo, purple, pink, etc.
9. String of hearts (Ceropegia)
Another string plant that looks great in a basket is the string of hearts. Again, thus named because it is shaped like hearts, this succulent will do well in a bright window. Don’t overwater. They can be a little tricky for beginners to care for, but once you get the hang of it, they’ll do really well. It’s also very tolerant of indoor living conditions.
10. English ivy (Hedera helix)
English ivy is also known by the common name of simply “ivy”. It’s a beautiful, green, glossy plant that can be invasive when grown outdoors but makes a perfect indoor plant for hanging baskets. It does really well in low lighting, and it looks beautiful when hanging.
11. Lipstick vine (Aeschynanthus)
Lipstick vine comes in shades of red, pink and orange, and gets its name from the flowers that bloom. The plant looks really great in a hanging basket, even when not in bloom, and can absolutely light up the room when the flowers come in. It prefers bright, indirect light. It needs to be watered regularly but even more in spring and summer and less in the winter months.
12. Black pepper vine (Piper nigrum)
Black pepper vine is the same plant you get the pepper spice from, but it also looks amazing in hanging baskets in your home. It has a unique look to it, which will set it apart from other houseplants. It needs a lot of light to produce the peppercorn berries (what we get pepper spice from) and you can also use artificial light for this if you’re struggling to get it naturally.
13. Goldfish plant (Nematanthus)
The cute little blossoms on this plant look like goldfish and the green, glossy leaves are pretty year-round. It is sometimes also called Christmas holly because it blooms in the winter. You can use this in a small hanging basket in your kitchen or bathroom, or anywhere else you want a pop of life. It does well in low light and should be watered thoroughly but then allow the top layer of soil to dry out completely.
14. Queen’s tears (Billbergia nutans
Queen’s tears is a type of bromeliad and they produce many offshoots, often called “pups” that you can use to grow more new plants (or share with a friend). They grow well in both high and low light conditions, but natural light will provide the best blooms. Water the soil lightly and mist the rest of the plant daily. The blooms can come in pink, yellow, green, or purple varieties.
15. Pitcher plant (Nepenthes)
The pitcher plant is a very bold, unique choice. They look amazing and are sure to get people asking you questions. There are actually two different varieties. Sarracenia stands upright like a pitcher and is most often placed in a pot on a table or desk. Nepenthes hangs down like a dangling pitcher and is usually put in a hanging pot. The needs can vary, based on the variety. Soil should be moist but well-drained. They can have a variety of colors from red, purple, maroon, white, yellow, and pink.
16. Satin pothos (Scindapsus pictus argyraeus)
Satin pothos is just another variety of pothos. Care is basically the same as any other pothos. They are often called the “no-kill” plant because it is so hard to kill them. They’re great for beginners and they look amazing in a hanging basket, allowing their vines to trail down below. It likes low light and moist soil but will tolerate dry spells okay. Just don’t allow the leaves to burn in direct sunlight.
17. Air plant (Tillandsia)
There are many different types of air plants and we’ve seen them grow in popularity in recent years. Even people who have no other houseplants will sometimes get air plants because they are so modern and clean, and easy to care for.
18. Prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura)
Prayer plant is named so because its leaves will fold and look like it is praying. This plant is native to Brazil and prefers moderate light and moist soil. The leaves will curl up in response to darkness and open back up with the morning sun.
19. Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus)
Here’s another great fern that can do well in a hanging basket. It has upright fronds that grow in a vase-like shape, so it can add some dimension or a unique look to contrast the typical hanging plants that vine or hang low. It’s slow-growing but easy to care for and looks nice in any room. Be cautious of overwatering, which can easily kill this plant.
20. Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera)
Christmas cactus is a small genus of cacti originally from the mountains of south-eastern Brazil. It is sometimes also called a Thanksgiving cactus, or crab cactus because the leaf-shaped stem segments resemble a crab. Water about every 2 to 3 weeks, when the top layer of soil is very dry. Don’t overwater. They prefer bright, indirect light.
21. Peperomia (Peperomia pellucida)
Peperomia is actually a shallow-rooted herb and it can grow from about 15-45cm in height. They have small, heart-shaped leaves and grows on succulent stems. It will do best in bright, indirect sunlight. Just be sure they don’t get too much direct sunlight in summer or it will burn the leaves. They are fairly easy to care for and good plants for beginners.
22. Maidenhair fern (Adiantum)
Here’s another fern that looks great in a hanging basket. It’s more delicate than some other ferns and smaller than the bold Boston fern, and it looks lovely anywhere. It does need more humidity 9at least 50%) so if your air is dry, you’re going to need to mist this one a lot. They do great in sunny bathrooms, or any place where you have both light and moisture.
23. Staghorn fern (Platycerium)
Staghorn fern is another good choice for hanging baskets. It prefers a lot of bright, indirect, or diffused light. Direct sun on the leaves will scorch them so don’t leave it out on a porch on a hot summer day or in a window with too much direct sun for too long. You can mist the fronds about once a week and water about once a week in the summer, less in the winter.
Why Have Plants in Hanging Baskets?
Maybe you’re asking yourself why you’d want to use hanging baskets in the first place. Some just like the look of it, but there’s also a very good space-saving element to it. You can clear up counter or shelf space, or add more plants to a room when all of your shelf space is already being used.
You may also choose hanging baskets if you have small children or pets who may get into your plants. It can be safer for them, and for your plants if you hang them up high where they cannot be reached. This is also a great way to brighten bland wall space and bring a little added pop to your space. They can make your house look and feel more cozy and welcoming.
How to Care for Plants in Hanging Baskets
You have a great list of great plants for hanging baskets now, but how do you care for them? In general, the care will be the same, but there are a few additional things to know about tending to indoor plants in baskets rather than in pots.
Conclusion of the Best Indoor Plants for Hanging Baskets
With this list of all of these indoor plants for hanging baskets, you have plenty to choose from. Start with one or two or had some more hanging hooks and fill your house. They will bring you so much joy and also help improve the air quality in the home!
