Decorative cascading plant for hanging pot

[Billy]

I'm looking for a perennial cascading plant for a hanging pot. It need to descend at least a foot or more to cover an attached bird bath. Be nice if it had flowers. Any ideas?

[Una]

Fuchsia. I've had one plant 8 years now, and have some new plants started from cuttings. It goes outside all summer, and comes into the house in cold weather. Abundant gorgeous flowers, extended flowering period, most have a hanging habit.

Una

[Bill who putters]

Mix in a spider plant too perhaps.

[David E. Ross]

Hahn's ivy (Hedera helix 'Hahn's'), a dwarf form of English ivy that is quite suitable in my climate.

Sprenger asparagus (A. densiflorus 'Sprengeri'), which might go dormant in the winter but usually stays green in my climate.

variegated pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum 'Aureum') for a shady location with no frosts (house plant in most areas)

You might visit a local nursery and see what they are selling in hanging pots.

I don't understand your desire "to cover an attached bird bath." How will the birds use it?

[Bill who putters]

English language problems. One can cover close or farther away or provide nooks and crannies for adventurous small birds. I'd hazard a guess that it can be a covered bath with all possible water light combinations along with critter access.

[Billy]

Just for privacy. The bird bath is about a foot lower than the flower pot. The chickadees and the house wrens get spooked when a raptor flies overhead, and the vegetation helps keep the water cool in the afternoon. The hanging pot has drip irrigation, and the excess fills the bird bath. It is about 10' off the ground and 10' from our bird feeder/wind chime combo, which hangs on a different oak, about 4' from the squirrel's dish where I leave a daily nut. I'm afraid it drives our pride of cats wild, here in our little zoo.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm looking for a decorative perennial, and we usually get frost a half dozen times a year.

[Billy]

This is a region 9, but the problem with bring anything inside is the lack of winter sun (north side of a hill thing). But it does sound nice.

[Billy]

I'm afraid light and heat would be a problem during the winter.

[mleblanca]

Hi Billy One question: what is the size of the hanging pot? OK another question: If you want perennial, do you need it to be evergreen or is it OK for it to go dormant in the winter?

I have to go to a CA Native Plant meeting right now, but I'll think on it and get back to you later, (like Thurs)

We had frost Tues am, and today it got up to 76F Hooray!

Emilie NorCal

[Billy]

Good to hear from you Emilie.

The pot is about a foot in diameter, and it doesn't need to be an evergreen. I want it for the birds, roughly April to Nov. It was a comfortable 70°F at 6 PM today, but the temps have've been dancing around 35°F at night. It's keeping the grape growers from getting a good night's sleep. I look at the computer in the evening to see the temps, because I have tomatoes and squash outside. So far, so good, but the rain had me worried. I'll post a picture of the pot tomorrow. Thanks for any help.

- Billy

[David Hare-Scott]

One of my favourites in this category is clerodendron tomsoniae (spelling?). I forget exactly where you are but I am pretty sure it is too cold to grow it outdoors. I guess you are describing outdoors. Oh well I just love the combination of flowers and folliage, colour and form. Maybe if you have a hothouse.

David

[mleblanca]

Ok B. here we are.

Many sedges will cascade if in a container. This one is variegated and has very thin, wispy foliage: Carex comans Frosty Curls other Carex are bright yellow green Needlepoint ivy has small leaves, some are variegated for color Ferns Some hardy geraniums have decorative foliage, small flowers, can take some shade, and will hang over the edge. One is G. sanguineum also G cinereum (I think that is the species) cultivars Brookside blue, and Ballerina light pink Blue Fescue, or maybe Mondo grass combined with Creeping Jenny/ Moneywort Lysimachia nummularia around the edges for a blue or a deep green with bright lime green foliage only but colorful, Santa Barbara Daisy Erigeron karvinskianus, small delicate foliage and small daisy pink flowers Sweet Alyssum white or purple, can take some frost and has a long blooming period Sanvitalia is like a small yellow zinnia, doesn't mind light shade, but is an annual The alyssum and sanvitalia could be combined in one pot An ornamental Oregano, Origanum Kent Beauty is a great cascader, has light pink flowers that look like Hops, and look decent most of the year. Unusual plant.

Hope you find something. It was 44 low, and 55 at 8 pm. with a breeze this am. but nice sunshine! I am putting my maters, and peppers out during the day, but they come in at night. A snail(s) ate most of the lettuce last night, bummer. I fed them (the snails) to the neighbors chickens.

Emilie

[Billy]

I'm in a USDA Hardiness Zone: 9

The Clerodendrum thomsoniae, USDA Hardiness Zone: 10 to 11 Nice plant but it is a climber, not a cascader. Thanks.

[Una]

Tomato?

Una

[Billy]

Emilie, thanks for some options. I'm looking them over.

Wow, G. sanguineum 'Elke', good to region 4.

For your slugs and snails, you may want to try some "Sluggo". The Active ingredient in it is iron (ferric) phosphate. Home despot has their own version too, but they all seem to be about the same price. Non-toxic to kids and pets (unless you have a pet slug;O).

- Billy

[Billy]

That is a very creative idea, as long as the birds don't develop a taste for tomatoes. It would only have a couple of quarts (litres) of soil to grow in though. A very intriguing idea.

Thank you,

- Billy

[David Hare-Scott]

I have grown it as a cascader in a hanging basket where it grew well and looked great, it had multiple growing points and hung down all around about

60cm (2 ft in primitive measure) or more.

David

[David Hare-Scott]

Nice but not perennial.

David

[Billy]

Some others weren't as well. I'm not stuck on perennial. I just tink it would be more convenient.

[Billy]

It's a beautiful plant, but it would have to come in during the winter, and after Feb.,it would be competing for the grow lights.