Year-round balcony plants

Table of contents

All-year-round balcony plantsare a great way to deal with winter boredom, as well as a wonderful backdrop for seasonal plants that bloom in spring and summer.Evergreen plants for the balconyare not only conifers, but also climbers and deciduous shrubs. They don't always have to be green. Many of them are distinguished by colored leaves or differently colored needles. The main thing is that you can admire them all year round. Here are7 all-season balcony plantsthat look great and are easy to grow.

Year-round balcony plants
Fig. depositphotos.com

1. Common ivy (Hedera helix)

Ivy is an evergreen vinethat climbs up supports with adventitious roots. Growing slowly, it forms a dense, dark green wall.Common ivy can be used to cover the balustrade or a shaded wall on the balcony.Run along the balustrade, it is perfect to cover the balcony from the street side. You can meet many varieties of common ivy, distinguished by an interesting color of leaves, e.g. ivy 'Goldheart' with leaves with a golden-yellow center or ivy 'Profesor Seneta' with marbled leaves.

Common ivy does not have high requirementsCultivars with dark leaves prefer shady locations, while those with colored leaves can also be grown in the sun. Then their leaves change their color more nicely. In harsh winters, the ivy may freeze slightly. Therefore, the crates and pots in which it will be planted should be lined with insulating material, e.g.with bubble wrap or polystyrene to protect the root ball from frost. Universal flower soil with the addition of calcium is suitable for growing ivy. On hot days, you should remember to water.

2. Trzmielna Fortune'a (Euonymus fortunei)

Fortune's Euonymus is an evergreen, creeping or creeping shrubwith leaves of various colors, depending on the variety. The most recommendedFortune's Euonymus varieties for balcony containersare:

'Emerald Gaiety' with dark green leaves with white margins,
Euonymus 'Interbolwi' with dark green leaves on the outside, with a large white-yellow spot inside,
'Emerald'n Gold' erect habit and dark green leaves with yellow margins,
'Sunshine' with light green leaves with a wide, intense yellow margin,
'Sunspot' with finely serrated, dark green leaves with a narrow yellow stripe in the center.

Fortune's 'Canadale Gold'
Photo. © Herbi

Growing Fortune's Euonymus is not difficultThe plant tolerates all garden lands. It is important that the substrate is constantly moderately moist. It can be grown in all positions, from sunny to shady. It tolerates frosts and urban pollution very well, which makes ita great all-season plant for the balconyIt fits beautifully in containers with many other plants. Stump grafted reeds are also available for sale, which can also be planted in a pot and fill the space around them with seasonal plants or heathers.

3. Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

Periwinkle is an evergreen shrub with creeping shootsIts shoots are densely overgrown with small, dark green and shiny leaves. Many varieties have decorative colored leaves, e.g.'Aureovariegata' which has leaves with a yellow border or 'Illumination' which has yellow leaves with a green border. In May, and often again in August, cute flowers appear in the leaf axils, which, depending on the variety, can be blue ('La Grave'), purple ('Atropurpurea') or white ('Gertrude Jekyll').

Common Periwinkle
Fig. AnRo0002, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Periwinkle likes shaded positions, but varieties with variegated leaves, in turn, thrive in sunny positions.Depending on the conditions on the balcony, the choice of periwinkle varieties is quite largePeriwinkle requires a minimum of care. It is enough to provide it with a constantly moderately moist substrate. Periwinkle looks very nice in hanging pots, large wooden or rattan boxes and in compositions with other shade-loving plants.

4. Creeping golteria (Gaultheria procumbens)

Creeping Golteria is a low evergreen shrub , belonging to the heather family (Ericaceae). This plant is small, only 10-15 cm tall. It is aall-season plant with shiny dark green leaves that turn purple in winterIn summer (July-August) it blooms with white or slightly pink, delicately fragrant flowers. Its greatest value, however, becomes apparent in winter, when intensely red, coral-shaped fruits hang on its shoots, which last until April. They look especially attractive when covered with snow.

Creeping goldfish, in other words: sent goldfish
Fig. pixabay.com

Golteria does very well when planted in a potIt does not take up much space and can be a wonderful companion plant on the balcony, for example for conifers. There is no specific preference for lighting, which means that it can be grown both in the sun and in the shade.Requires an acidic and slightly moist substrate. Soil for rhododendrons will be suitable for cultivation. What's also important -golteria is completely frost-resistant!

5. Leaf (Leucothoe)

Kiwiń is another interesting,evergreen plant from the heather family, which is perfect for growing in a pot on the balconyIt reaches a maximum of 70 cm in height, creating domed shrubs with arched, zigzag-shaped shoots. It is an extremely decorative shrub thanks to beautifully colored leaves. It is a real rarity among balcony plants that will surely attract the attention of neighbors. The bunches 'Zeblid' and 'Rainbow' are particularly decorative.
The tree leaves require shady places, because the sun's rays can easily burn the leaves. Similarly to pork chops, the knot requires an acidic and slightly moist substrate. It looks verywhen planted in a pot alone or in larger containersaccompanied by miniature conifers or heathers.

6. Pea cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera)

The pea cypress is a very attractive evergreen coniferous shrub, forming a dense, conical crown. Its twigs are covered with scaly, sharp needles. The whole plant gives off a pleasant, balsamic fragrance.Dwarf varieties of pea cypress trees are ideal for growing in pots on the balconyThey reach, depending on the variety, from 30 to 100 cm in height. You can create interesting compositions from them, using varieties with interesting colors.

Pea cypress variety probably 'Filifera Aurea Nana' or 'Filifera Nana'. Photo stgiera, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl

Especiallythe pea cypress varieties recommended for cultivation on balconiesare:

' Filifiera Aurea Nana ' - with golden-yellow, dangling, stringy shoots,
' Plumosa Aurea Compacta ' - with curly twigs covered with golden-yellow scales and needles,
' Nana Aureovariegata ' - with short, curly and dense shoots, covered with green scales with small, yellow fragments,
' Blue Planet ' - with interesting foliage in the form of soft, sickle-shaped needles with a silvery-bluish color.

The pea cypress is a plant with average requirements. It is hardy to frost and can be grown in a sunny as well as semi-shaded position. It can grow in a pot alone or in the company of other plants. During the Christmas season, after decorating with lights,is a perfect balcony decoration !

7. Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)

The last recommendedevergreen plant to grow on the balcony is creeping juniperIt is a coniferous shrub reaching 30-50 cm in height, the shoots of which hang decoratively through the walls of the containers. Another advantage is its pleasant smell.The best varieties of creeping juniper in the containers are:

'Golden Carpet' - with roller-shaped, golden-yellow shoots,
'Blue Forest' - with vertically growing shoots covered with short blue-green needles,
'Limeglow' - with variable color of scales - golden yellow in spring, then green
'Gray Pearl' - with delicate, feathery and slightly raised shoots.

Creeping juniper has low moisture and soil requirements and tolerates Polish winters well. It does very well even in a very sunny place. It is a perfectcomplement to the compositions in flower pots and balcony boxeswith heather, euonymus and ivy as well as taller conifers or deciduous shrubs (e.g. barberry). It looks very interesting in combination with seasonal plants, e.g. petunia.

Good to knowEvergreen plants are very prone to overdrying in winter, when they cannot take water from the frozen soil in the pot. Therefore, when deciding to cultivate them, it is worth insulating the pots with polystyrene. Also remember to water them in winter.