When you think of hanging baskets, your mind might jump straight to spring’s trailing petunias or summer’s overflowing lobelia. But what happens when the days grow shorter, the air crisps up, and your once-vibrant baskets begin to fade?
Do you simply take them down and wait for next year?
Absolutely not.
Fall offers a whole new world of color, texture, and drama — and the best part? You don’t need garden beds to enjoy it. With the right plants, your hanging baskets can become autumn showpieces, dripping with fiery foliage and bold blooms.
So, what should you plant to keep your baskets blooming beautifully through sweater weather?
Let’s dig into the 10 fall plants for hanging baskets that bring autumn to life — even when the leaves start to fall.
1. Trailing Pansies
Why They Work:
These aren’t your grandma’s pansies. Trailing varieties like ‘Cool Wave’ spread and cascade, filling baskets with vibrant color and cheerful faces that thrive in cooler temperatures.
Perfect Pairings:
- Ivy for added texture
- Ornamental cabbage for contrast
Care Tips:
- Full to partial sun
- Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy
2. Ornamental Cabbage and Kale
Why They Work:
Think leafy vegetables can’t be beautiful? Think again. With ruffled rosettes in purples, whites, and greens, ornamental cabbage and kale add rich fall color and dramatic shape.
Perfect Pairings:
- Pair with violas or dusty miller
- Use as the “focal plant” in the center of baskets
Care Tips:
- Thrives in cool temps
- Needs good drainage to prevent root rot
3. Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Why They Work:
It’s all about the foliage. Coral Bells provide deep jewel-toned leaves in amber, burgundy, plum, and even copper—perfect for autumn’s palette.
Perfect Pairings:
- Trailing ivy
- Silver-frosted dusty miller
Care Tips:
- Tolerates shade or partial sun
- Water regularly but don’t overdo it
4. Violas
Why They Work:
Violas may be small, but they bring big charm and bold color to fall baskets. Their delicate faces brighten up any porch or balcony.
Perfect Pairings:
- Nestle among taller mums
- Edge around trailing foliage
Care Tips:
- Loves cooler temps
- Deadhead for longer bloom time
5. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)
Why They Work:
With cascading chartreuse foliage that turns slightly golden in fall, Creeping Jenny provides a luminous contrast to deep autumn tones.
Perfect Pairings:
- Ornamental peppers
- Purple fountain grass
Care Tips:
- Best in partial sun
- Water consistently but allow soil to drain well
6. Chrysanthemums (Mums)
Why They Work:
A fall staple for a reason. Mums offer dense, dome-like blooms in orange, red, yellow, bronze, and purple, making them a centerpiece in any container.
Perfect Pairings:
- Trail ivy or sweet potato vine
- Add dusty miller for silvery softness
Care Tips:
- Needs full sun for best blooms
- Water at the base to avoid fungal issues
7. Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)
Why They Work:
Not just a summer plant — in fall, sweet potato vines take on bronze, deep purple, or lime tones, and they cascade beautifully over the edge of any basket.
Perfect Pairings:
- With upright mums
- Under colorful ornamental cabbage
Care Tips:
- Partial to full sun
- Keep watered, especially in dry autumn days
8. Ornamental Grasses (Like Purple Fountain Grass)
Why They Work:
Grasses bring movement, height, and elegance to hanging baskets. Purple fountain grass, in particular, adds plumes of burgundy that shimmer in the wind.
Perfect Pairings:
- Use in the center of large baskets
- Surround with low-growing trailing plants
Care Tips:
- Full sun
- Trim back after frost, or overwinter indoors if possible
9. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Why They Work:
Still blooming in early fall, Calibrachoa brings tiny, vibrant bell-shaped flowers in autumn hues like coral, rust, and deep red. It trails effortlessly from hanging baskets.
Perfect Pairings:
- Add with trailing pansies
- Combine with foliage-heavy plants
Care Tips:
- Loves full sun
- Water regularly and fertilize lightly every 2 weeks
10. Ornamental Peppers (Capsicum annuum)
Why They Work:
Tiny, colorful fruits in red, orange, purple, and yellow make ornamental peppers a unique, fiery addition to any fall arrangement.
Perfect Pairings:
- Pair with Creeping Jenny
- Add kale or cabbage for textural variety
Care Tips:
- Needs lots of light
- Water when the top inch of soil is dry
How to Create a Stunning Fall Hanging Basket
Use the “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” Formula:
- Thriller: A bold upright plant like fountain grass or mums
- Filler: Mid-sized colorful blooms like pansies, violas, or ornamental cabbage
- Spiller: Trailing vines like sweet potato or Creeping Jenny
Mix Texture and Color:
- Combine velvety leaves with ruffled blooms
- Use deep purples and fiery oranges with splashes of gold and lime
Think About Placement:
- Most fall plants prefer full to partial sun
- Hang baskets where they’ll get morning light and afternoon shade for optimal performance
Bonus Tip: Refresh Tired Summer Baskets
Already have baskets that are fading after summer?
- Remove spent summer blooms
- Replace with cold-hardy fall plants
- Freshen soil and trim back any dead growth
With a quick makeover, you can extend your basket life into late fall — even until the first frost.