Virtually any plant will do well in a container. Any herb, veggie or flower you wish to grow can be grown very well in a container. It is just a matter of getting the watering and fertilizing right and that's it.

Even trees and shrubs can do well in containers, some more so than others.

Bottom line, if you want to grow it, give it a try and more than likely it will do well in a container.

Do you mean people can grow sequoias, pecan trees, live oaks, and so forth in containers? How would they have a large enough root system to maintain the top growth? Can you grow rice and cranberries in containers? It sounds like your answer is a bit of a generalization that wouldn't necessary hold up in the real world.

Hey, if the container is big enough what's the problem?

Do you mean people can grow sequoias, pecan trees, live oaks, and so forth in containers?

As bonsai, probably. It sounds like your answer is a bit of a generalization that wouldn't necessary hold up in the real world.

My answer is a generalization. Given the plants the OP has already grown I doubt sequoias are next on the list of plants to try.

If you would like to enumerate all the plants that will grow well in containers please feel free ;-) For me a generalization that most everything will do well in a container is accurate enough.

zinnia, it is practically impossible to answer your question as there are many, many thousands of plants that do very well in containers. Perhaps you could spend some time researching this forum finding out about the trials and tribulations of others. Also, a good way to learn about some possibilities is to visit the Annuals Forum and the Perennials forum.

If you read a bit of the older posts, you will come up LOTS of 'favorite' lists.

rhizo, i was just posting this to see what works best for everyone who does container plants , get some more ideas to see what is good plants for some and what is bad ones for containers . i do read others , didnt know this was only for some to post and not for others , so sorry.

Zinnia, your post is fine here and you are welcome to post more. However, your question was really, really vague and therefore impossible to really give a good answer to.

What I and others are trying to say as politely as possible is ask a more specific question for better, more applicable responses.

There are, as rhizo indicated, thousands upon thousands of plants that take readily to container culture and with a little creativity there are hundreds more that can be adapted to container culture quite successfully.

The answer to your question of what grows well in containers is almost everything does.

ty justaguy, actually just wanted to know what did good for everyone this year in containers , ill be more direct in my post next time happy gardening and happy holidays....

ah, well that question I can answer more specifically! ;-)

I was really pleased with Purple Millet in containers this year. It looks a lot like corn, but is purple and grows to around 4' tall and then forms a single seed stalk at the top. They die/dry in the fall/winter and the seed tops become bird food. They proved remarkably drought resistant in containers and responded very well to crowding (4 of them in a 12" container with some shorter plants mixed in). They made a striking backdrop to shorter plants in front.

I was also very pleased with various cannas in containers. These are not at all drought tolerant, but they love being waterlogged so overwatering isn't a concern. In fact the drainage hole on the container can be plugged with these plants and they love it and grow very well.

I grew a purple leaved ornamental pepper in a container that was a super trooper. That little guy had lots of personality and a real can do attitude. Drought tolerant and loved the heat of summer.

Various marigolds, galardia, herbs, veggies like tomatos and peppers all did really well.

Some not so great plants this year in containers were zinnias (100% got PM), coreopsis and cup and saucer vine as well as morning glory.

Simply put I can't grow zinnias due to PM issues. I try and try, but it doesn't work. Morning glories are usually bullet proof for me, but they grew terribly and looked diseased. I really don't know what the problem was and will try them again next year.

There is more I could mention, but I am out of time for now.

I grow on a balcony so I really have little choice but to garden in containers. This is what I have/had out there this year and the vast majority did quite well:

TREES
Methley plum

SHRUBS/VINES
(2) Lilacs
(2) Weigelas
(2) Red twig dogwoods
(2) Beautyberries
(2) Honeysuckles
Pee gee hydrangea
Pussy willow
Crape myrtle
Itea
American wisteria
Clematis
Rainbow leucothoe
Black lace sambucus

PERENNIALS
Heuchera
(2) Peony
Dicentra
Lady fern
Daylily
Asiatic lilies
Orienpet lilies
Lily of the valley
Tiger lilies
Bee balm
(7) salvias
Crocus
Muscari
(5) Amaryllis
Hardy cyclamen
Siberian columbine
Hellebore
Agastache
(2) Callas
(2) Cannas
Golden bamboo
(2) Hostas
Sedum
Prickly pear cactus
Crocosmia
Penstemon
Dianthus
Virginia bluebells
Phlox

EDIBLES
(5) Blueberries
Tea camellia
Papaya
(2) pineapple sage
(2) oregano
(2) basil
(2) mints
Lemon thyme
(10) tomatoes
Tomatillo
(3) habaneros
Strawberries

TROPS/SUB-TROPS
Hibiscus
Pointsettia
(2) Christmas cactus
(2) Pentas
(2) Tuberous begonias
(2) Gloriosa lily
Dwarf cavendish banana
Oleander
Coffee plant
Verbena

ANNUALS
Scarlet runner beans
Hyacinth bean vine
Cypress vine
Petunias
Morning glories
Sweet alyssum
Sweet peas
Annual dianthus

Most of what I grow are perennials, shrubs, and bulbs, so the plants return every year. The salvias were new this year (at least 5 different species) and they did exceptionally well in their containers. My "garden" this year was sortof dedicated to my hummingbirds and they did appreciate many of the new plants that I had this year for them. I also wanted to try to get things that would give me blooms from early spring through late fall. I have some subtropicals that I overwinter inside and I will bring some marginal temperate or warm temperates inside as well if we get a cold snap.

Regarding some issues - Whenever we have heatwaves, the leaves on my lilacs and weigelas often crisp up despite watering. The water just can't get to the leaves fast enough but then I've had them for a decade or so and they continue to grow and bloom (albeit more slowly than any in the ground, which is fine by me).

Regarding PM as mentioned above - I did have that problem with my herbaceous peony ("Sarah Bernhardt") and a little bit with one of my honeysuckles - a coral one (but not as bad as a different honeysuckle that I grew in the past that I replaced - goldflame). My Jacob Cline bee balm did nicely and didn't get PM although last year I got it on a different set of what had been labled as "Jacob Cline" (I'm thinking it may have been mislabeled). I bought some Phlox paniculata ("Starfire") this past fall, and it had PM on it when bought but I really really wanted that plant!

As for some of my trops - I have battled a mealie problem for the past couple years and my oleander finally lost that battle (using Bayer Advanced and hand-dabbing with alcohol wasn't working). My baby papaya blew over and the top snapped off. I tried to nurse it along and it did resprout beneath the break but then we experienced alot of windy days and those little leaves dessicated and it never resprouted, biting the dust. I had started the dark/light cycle with my pointsettia in October, where I was taking it in and out of a closet where it sat with a bag over it, and at one point, the thing fell over and snapped off the tops of the plant. I've been sortof nursing it (I had rescued it from the trash room about 4 years ago), but I may just try again with a new one.

Finally, I've overwintered some habanero peppers plants for the past 5 years and this year, of the 3 that I kept (after starting with 9 back in '01), one of them bit the dust. I have the last 2 indoors and I'll see how they do - they have a couple peppers on them. I would usually stick them under some high intensity lights to grow during winter but am trying them in less light and in my cool bedroom this year. I may just let them go as I guess I am getting tired of them. LOL

Anyway, I always tell people that if you go to a nursery and like the plant, then buy it and grow it. In most cases, unless you plant from seed or get balled and burlapped plants, the plant you buy is already growing in a container, so obviously it can do so. Just moving it to a new bigger container will make it happy. You just need to make sure that you provide it the conditions it needs (amount of sun, water, temperature, fertilizer, etc) and watch out for windy spots when siting them.

Wow, Jenny. I would love to see photos of your balcony. It sounds lovely.
Zinnia, don't be put off or feel you should appologize. Climbing vines have done very well for me in containers, particularly hyacinth bean (gorgeous purple flowers), moonflowers (intoxicating evening fragrance), mina lobata, and cardinal climber. These are all annuals that also germinated easily.
Amy

eldo, I'd support justaguy's statement that virtually any plant can be grown in a container, provided one offers a container of suitable size and correct growing conditions for that particular species. Many of the plants you list are container grown for nursery offerings - there is nothing to stop you from transplanting them to a larger container and growing them on indefinitely. Size of container limits root development which in turn limits top growth, essentially a duplicating a bonsai process. If you are also providing a good growing medium, adequate water and light and supplement with sufficient nutrients there are few if any other factors that would prevent this. I could show you numerous rooftop gardens in my area that include a huge variety of plants including many trees and conifers - these are all containerized to some degree, as there is no access to the ground and native soils.

Most folks don't consider containerized plantings as permanent plantings, preferring to have more temporary ones that can be changed out to suit the grower. The larger the plant (in a suitably sized container) the longer it can remain in that container relatively undisturbed, everywthing else being equal. At some point in time, anything will need to be root pruned and repotted in fresh medium.

Jenny has exactly the right idea - buy whatever it is you like and plant it well, giving proper consideration to its growing requirements and you can grow dang near anything in a container. You are only limited by your own imagination.

You might want to check out this link which illustrates growing wild rice in containers. Moisture lovers and bog plants are especially suited to container growth as you are much more easily able to control the moisture to appropriate levels.

Here is a link that might be useful: growing rice in containers

Here's a partial list of what's growing well in containers:

Carob tree started from a seed from a found carob, now 6" tall.

Date palm from one of our discarded date pits some months ago, now 8" tall.

Lentil seedlings from some sprouted lentils left over from a salad.

Plus many shrubs and houseplants which I don't know their names started from broken bits which I find in the streets after high winds break them from their balconies. I almost always carry a small plastic bag with a few drops of water in my pocket to keep whatever I find moist till I get home!

And several anonymous trees, now between 6" and 18", which I started from seeds found in gardens and around town.

So go ahead and take the advice from fellow posters and plant whatever takes your fancy and use your common sense - most of it will grow really well.

Jenny, is that the SHORT list? LOL!

I have nearly 200 containers. I have 2 trees - chokeberry & purple leaf plum.
There are 2 blueberry bushes. Growing on the trellis around my gate are honeysuckle & hops.

The non-hardy perennials that either get dug up or stored in their pots in my mother's basement: callas, cannas, dahlias & tuberose.

The hardy perennials that stay out & return each spring: day lilies, mint, yarrow, primrose, liatris, black eye susan, bee balm, beacon silver, chives, creeping jenny, coreopsis, helenium, heucherella, coral bells, lobelia, penstemon & tansy. (I may have missed a couple)

The non-hardy that I overwinter indoors- geraniums, hibiscus, about 3 different begonias, grape ivy & mandavilla.

Annuals - heliotrope, marigolds, verbena, zinnia, perilla, coleus (about 15 different varieties), osteospurmum, nicandra, torenia, million bells, phlox, scaveola, nasturtium, malva (comes back from seeds dropped) same applies to morning glory & portulaca. (I know I missed some) sun flowers (about 5 different varieties)

There are a bunch more, but you get the general idea.

Here's a shot of my yard-

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Jenny, stories of your balcony garden have always fascinated me. Have you any idea of the (total) weight of your plants? You've got some pretty large containers, don't you?

Amyben, you can look at some of Jenny's balcony garden by going to her page. She's posted others in the past, too.

just my 2 cents -- to show the two sequoias I have in containers. It started off only 6' tall 2 years ago, and is now 15'. Still growing.

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b359/fccsc/sequoia2.jpg[/IMG]