Low maintenance plants for pots

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Pots are a fantastic way to add some flexibility and seasonal variation into a garden space. As pots can easily be moved around they offer an opportunity to experiment with species combinations and various planting displays.

However, pot growing is not always as simple as growing plants in the ground. 

Potted plants are much more prone to extreme temperature and moisture level fluctuations. Such is more so the case with smaller pots or those positioned in full sun.

Consequently, low maintenance plants which work well in pots are typically tough with some drought resistance. In this article I have identified and described 12 low maintenance plants perfect for growing in pots.  ​

​Benefits of low maintenance plants in pots

When it comes to low maintenance plants there is always a range of care needed. Some plants are low maintenance when they reach maturity but will grow vigorously until then.

Many also often confuse low maintenance with no maintenance! It must be said there are very few plants which require no care at all. 
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​Some potted plants such as succulents may be left unattended for years. However, some will require seasonal watering, feeding and pruning.

The main benefit of growing low maintenance plants in pots they grow within a defined space and restricted area. This makes them easier to monitor and manage within your potted display.

Pots will also help to restrict a plants growth somewhat leading to less pruning and maintenance.
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Ok, let’s get into the list of 12 fantastic low maintenance plants for pots.

​12 Low maintenance plants for pots

1. ​Phormium

​Phormiums, also known as New Zealand Flax are triangular shaped shrubs with broad, strap like, leaves. These plants grow in a clump like nature similar to grasses with a fountain like Form.

The great thing about Phormiums is as they grow larger they don’t loose their form. This means they require no pruning at all making them very low maintenance. These plants also have a great drought tolerance and not too fussy when it comes to soil.

​Phormiums are perfect for growing in pots and adding decorative foliage to patios. 
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2. Sedums

​Sedums are a diverse group of plants well known for their exciting shapes and bold, fleshy, leaves. Sedums are highly adapted to harsh exposed terrains with little water.

This makes them extremely tough and drought tolerant and perfect for low maintenance planting. Sedums are particularly effective in arid planting designs such as desert and Mediterranean gardens.

​Planted in terracotta pots they can add real rustic charm to a patios and terraces. Sedums are very slow growing and hardly ever need pruning making them extremely low maintenance.  
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3. ​Alliums

​Alliums are closely related to the onion family and grow in a similar nature. These perennial plants emerge from the soil every spring and produce a large, flowering head in summer.

Due to their growing nature Alliums can create lots of seasonal drama and summer colour. Growing from a bulb assists them in being very drought tolerant making them great for pots.

​Their architectural form and low growing leaves also mean they require no cutting or pruning. Alliums are great for low maintenance pots providing dramatic colour and food for pollinators. 
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​4. Star jasmine

​Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a delightful climbing plant with highly scented white flowers and decorative foliage. This plant is perfect if you have a low maintenance planting scheme backed by a sunny wall.

Star jasmine is quite slow growing and can really add a lift to warm patios. This climber is extremely tolerant of soil type and has some tolerance to drought.

​Its non vigorous nature, evergreen foliage and scented flowers make it perfect for low maintenance pot displays. 
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​5. Rosemary

​Rosemary is a particularly well known shrub for its fine textured and aromatic foliage. Like many Mediterranean plants Rosemary is very adaptable to various soil types and exposed locations.

Being generally slow growing and drought tolerant this plant is more than happy growing in a pot. Native to regions with shallow, rocky soil rosemary can absolutely thrive on a sunny patio.

​During summer it will produces a decorative display of light purple blooms and lots of aromatic leaves for cooking. The trailing variety is also extremely decorative hanging over pots. 
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6. ​Salvias

​Salvias cover a very wide genus of plants from perennials to small shrubs. These plants come from all over the world and famous their decorative foliage and long flowering season.

One of the most well known salvias is common sage which is widely used in cooking. However common sage also has very decorative foliage and attractive flowers. Most popular garden salvias also have very colourful blooms from radiant purples to deep reds. This can be seen with Salvia fulgens featured in the image below. 

​These plants naturally have good disease resistance, drought tolerance and a slow growing nature. This makes them a great choice for low maintenance pots. 
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7. ​Buddleia

​Buddleia, commonly known as butterfly bush is well known for its decorative flowers, resilience and ability to encourage pollinators. In pots this versatile shrub can happily thrive even in periods of dry weather.

Buddleia has been known to even establish itself on the roofs of buildings. This means it is also capable of tolerating soils with lower nutrients making them perfect for pots. These shrubs will normally grow to how much root run they have available.

​This means once they have filled their pot they will require little pruning and general maintenance. 
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8. ​Red hot poker

​Also known by its Latin name 'Kniphofia' this perennial plant is favoured for its dazzling flowers. The blooms of this plant have a lengthy flowering period and resemble a fire torch!

Originally from South Africa this plant does very well potted on a sunny patio. Red hot pokers are very adaptable and will tolerate some periods of drought.

​They also have a contained form so will never grow too out of control! Kniphofia are also extremely tolerant of various growing conditions.  
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9. ​Bay

​Bay trees are extremely popular, low maintenance, plants for pots. Originally from the Mediterranean these evergreens have a real tolerance for dry conditions. This makes them suitable for growing in pots around buildings and patios.

A popular method of doing this is having two uniformed Bays either side of a doorway or entrance. This is typically executed with a two lollypop clipped bays with tall stems.

​These have the added benefit of being evergreen and foliage which can be used for cooking. 
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10. Grasses 

​Grasses are a very diverse group of plants which have dominated every corner of the planet. Their centrally orientated form and architectural shapes mean they are easily incorporated into any planting scheme.

All grasses by their nature are extremely tough and adaptable. Their tolerance to dry conditions and low nutrients make them extremely suited to pots.

​Furthermore, the clump forming nature for grasses means they never grow large enough to require significant pruning. Plants can be divided every few years to provide extra plants. 
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11. ​Olive 

​Olive trees have become a favourite plant for the low maintenance gardener. These small trees are just so easy to grow in pots and virtually require no care at all. Olives can live for thousands of years and grow extremely slowly.

This means they never really need much pruning and always maintain a classic shape. Being from the Mediterranean olives are used to hot weather and drought conditions.

​This combined with a tolerance to soil with lower nutrients make them so perfect for growing in  pots. Olives are now available in dwarf form making them easy to grow for even small gardens. 
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12. ​Fatsia 

​When it comes to low maintenance plants for pots Fatsia Japonica really has it all. Not only does this exotic looking plant seem like it’s out of the tropics, it is also cold hardy! Even better it’s completely evergreen, meaning it will stay lush and green all year.

Fatsia has a good tolerance to soil fertility and moisture content. This makes it particularly attractive for pot growers.

​The plants tropical look makes it perfect for Mediterranean and more exotic garden themes! Its palm tree like form means it rarely needs any form of pruning especially in pots. 
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​Low maintenance plants potted for seasonal interest

​Low maintenance planting displays in pots do always run the risk of lacking seasonal interest. This is because a single plant within a pot may have a defined flowering season or autumn display.

When planting in the ground however it is easy to layer different plants to achieve all year round interest. However low maintenance pot displays can become static and dull. 
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​The best strategy to conquer this is my adding some other small plants to each pot. The best example of these would be bulbs.

​Spring bulbs can be mixed with autumn bulbs so you achieve flowering at each end of the season. Drought resistant plants can also form groundcovers and trailing displays down the outside of pots. 

​Thank you for reading our article on the low maintenance plants for pots! Below I will include some other articles you may also find helpful in your search. 

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