Some people worry that the sun shines a little too hard where they live, and that most flowers are just too fragile to survive the extreme heat. But if you think about it, a lot of beautiful flowers are native to some of the hottest and most humid places on Earth. So, today, we’ve decided to take notes from nature. Because if these plants can handle that kind of heat already, they should do just fine on your patio in the summer. And the good thing is that you’re not limited to just a few options. From impatients to angelonias to French marigolds, there’s a rather long list of heat-tolerant flowers that live happily in baskets.

What’s more is that many of these plants do more than just survive on your patio. Some add a pleasant fragrance to your container garden. Others attract pollinators while warding off annoying pests. That’s the beauty of hanging baskets; you get to be creative with your compositions as you play with different colors and textures.

Just make sure all the plants you pair together have similar needs when it comes to sunlight, soil, and water. They’ll be easier to maintain and more likely to thrive. Before choosing any plants, also check the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) Heat Zone Map. Now, without further ado, let’s get into some stunning yet resilient flower combos. Whatever options you pick, we’re sure you’ll be able to assemble a hanging basket that looks perfect on your porch or patio.

The trick to creating a gorgeous hanging basket is using the simple thriller-filler-spiller formula. For a particularly lush and leafy display, you can use ‘SunPatiens’ (Impatiens x hybrida) as the thriller, coleus (Coleus scutellarioides), particularly the ‘Henna’ cultivar, as the filler, and sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) as the spiller. All three thrive in AHS heat zones 9 to 11. While they love full sun, they’ll be better off with afternoon shade, regular watering, and a basket that drains well in extreme heat.

Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.) is a tropical vine native to South American countries like Brazil, where summers can get as hot as 110 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s a climber, but it also makes a great addition to any hanging basket. To fill out the middle, use begonias (Begonia x hybrida). The ‘Dragon Wings’ variety, in particular, blooms through heat and humidity. With these two, you can fill a basket, but if you still care for some trailing effect, add licorice (Helichrysum petiolare). It doesn’t flower, but the cool, velvety, silver-green leaves spilling around the edges can really tie the look together.

Being practical with your plant choices doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty, and this arrangement is proof that you can pull off a dreamy display that beats the heat. Start with petunias (Petunia x hybrida). They might look delicate, but newer series like ‘Supertunia Vista Bubblegum’ were bred for the heat. Then, go in with some superbells (Calibrachoa hybrida), which is a more heat-tolerant version of million bells. For a dazzling effect, trail in some ‘Silver Falls’ dichondra (Dichondra argentea). As it tumbles over the edge of the basket, its shimmering vines will sometimes catch the light in a way that almost sparkles.

Blue daze (Evolvulus glomeratus), also called Brazilian dwarf morning glory, earned a Texas Superstar badge for good reason. It’s one of the few true-blue flowers out there that can withstand serious heat without wilting. And you can use it to achieve a dreamy display by pairing it with ‘Diamond Frost’ euphorbia (Euphorbia hypericifolia), a cloudlike bloomer that’s much tougher than it looks, and cup flower (Nierembergia spp.), another delicate-looking yet resilient bloomer that adds a compact mound of soft violet blooms to the basket. All three love the sun, but in particularly hot climates, some light afternoon shade won’t hurt.

Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia) comes from Mexico, so you already know it can handle heat. Sometimes called summer snapdragon or angel flower, this one will stand tall with colorful spikes in your basket. It pairs well with sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), which you might already know for its fragrance; its newer cultivars, like ‘Snow Princess’ and ‘Eazy Breezy,’ are incredibly durable picks. For your spiller, add trailing verbena (Verbena x hybrida). It’ll bring in extra color and gentle movement. Together, these flowers create a basket that smells sweet, looks structured, and thrives in the heat.

Lantana (Lantana camara) is a summer flower that’ll keep blooming through drought, heat, and even neglect, as long as it’s receiving full sunlight. It’s a reliable choice for building beautiful hanging baskets. A great companion for it is Texas sundrop (Calylophus drummondianus), a native Texas wildflower that thrives in dry, poor soils and boasts bright yellow blooms. You can complete the composition with alternanthera ‘Little Ruby’ (Alternanthera dentata), which comes with deep burgundy leaves and tolerates heat well.

If you’re looking for pink flowers to add to your hanging basket, consider scented geranium (Pelargonium spp.). Unlike the equally stunning ivy geraniums, this African native is tough enough to handle extreme heat. Depending on the species, you might catch hints of rose, lemon, or mint in its aroma. And the hotter it gets, the stronger the fragrance. It pairs beautifully with French marigold (Tagetes patula), another sun-loving bloomer that attracts pollinators and helps keep pests and nematodes away. The duo works well with portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora), a trailing succulent that thrives in hot weather.

You could create a basket that barely needs water if you combine succulents. Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) form tight rosettes in yellow, lavender, or red. Echeveria (Echeveria) adds even more rosettes to the mix. They come in cool shades of blue, lilac, and dusty green. Sedum ‘Angelina’ (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina‘) spills over the basket’s borders with golden-yellow flowers. These three will survive both heat and drought. Just place them in a spot where they can get full sun, and you can get away with not watering them every day.

This is another arrangement that’s heavy on structure and stamina. Mealy sage (Salvia farinacea) is a tall, upright plant with spires of velvety, violet-blue flowers that extreme heat won’t stop from blooming. Then there’s melampodium (Melampodium divaricatum), a compact filler with yellow, daisy-like blooms that thrive in hot weather. To this combo, you can add globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), a drought-tolerant bloomer with papery, clover-like heads that also enjoys the heat. Together, these flowers will give you a display that remains vibrant with little fuss on your end. 

This combo won’t mind if it misses a day or two of watering. And beyond decorating your patio, it will also invite a few pollinators to your porch. Egyptian star flower (Pentas lanceolata), for instance, has star-shaped clusters that butterflies love. Blue anise sage (Salvia guaranitica), on the other hand, is a tall, aromatic variety with cobalt-blue spikes that hummingbirds can’t resist. At the base, you can tuck in some creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens) so its gold, daisy-like blooms can drape the basket’s edges. All three thrive in full sun and don’t fuss much once established.

Bidens (Bidens ferulifolia) is another yellow, daisy-like flower worth considering for your hanging basket. Surround it with some fanflower (Scaevola aemula) to introduce complementary lavender-blue petals to the mix. And with cuphea (Cuphea llavea), sometimes called bat-faced cuphea, you’ll be adding some serious character to the basket. It comes with tubular blooms that actually look like bats and attract hummingbirds. Just bear in mind that cuphea can quickly get bushy, so give it space to spread or be ready to trim as needed to keep the basket looking neat.

If you want a basket that smells incredible and is as useful as it is resilient, go with herbs. Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum) is more pungent and flavorful than common oregano, and can be used to add flavor to meals and marinades. Add thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and you’ll get blooms with tiny pink or lavender flowers that pollinators love. Then finish with trailing rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus ‘Prostratus’). Its fragrant, needle-like leaves will do a fine job of a spiller for you. Altogether, you’ll get a colorful, delicious-smelling basket that comes in handy when you’re cooking.

Pink mulla mulla (Ptilotus exaltatus ‘Joey’) is an Australian native with fuzzy, bottlebrush blooms that glow pink in the sun. As cute as it sounds and as delicate as it looks, it’s actually pretty comfortable in hot places and can be paired with periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), another tough tropical annual that tolerates heat well. Pentas (Pentas lanceolata), with its clusters of star-shaped flowers, helps round out the pinkish palette rather nicely. It adds extra texture, volume, and helps attract butterflies all summer long.