34 Shade-Loving Plants for Containers and Hanging Baskets

You may think all succulents love the sun, but the truth is there are several that do better in light shade, especially during the summer months. They can tolerate some morning sun, but the scorching afternoon sun may fry them to a crisp. How do you know if your succulents need more sun? If they start to get leggy and weak and refuse to flower, then move them to a spot with more sun. Succulents that like shade include: fairy crassula, sedum, aloe vera, jade, devil’s backbone, many different kinds of Sansevieria (snake plant) and kalanchoe. Good vine-like or cascading succulents for shade include wax plant, burrow tail, mistletoe cactus, string of pearls, string of hearts and rosary vine, Christmas cactus, Easter cactus and night blooming cereus.

Another popular succulent, hens and chicks (sempervivums) are both shade and sun tolerant. Some varieties will hit peak color in the summer while others will do so in the winter. With the right combination, you can leave your container on the porch and experience color all year long. This combo includes 'Grammens' (Zones 5-8); 'Bronco' (Zones 5-8), 'Thayne' (Zones 5-8); 'Pinkerine' (Zones 5-8) and 'C. William' (Zones 5-8).

This common shade garden plant can make a happy home in pots. All hostas like rich, well-drained soil. They don’t like dry conditions so provide ample water and spread mulch around them to help retain moisture. Most hostas grow best in part shade, although some varieties can tolerate a little direct sunshine. Hostas' spikey white to lavender blooms beckon bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, but, unfortunately, their leafy green foliage is a tasty treat for deer and rabbits.

Also known as deadnettle, this easy-care perennial is part of the mint family. It’s a shade lover with silvery foliage that blooms in the summer, producing clusters of pink or white flowers that resemble snapdragons. It is often grown as a ground cover but can look absolutely charming in a shady pot as a standalone or as a spiller mixed with other shade lovers.