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Best Plants for Balconies & Patios

75 plants

Quick Answer

A sunny balcony or patio is enough to grow a surprising amount of food — you just need the right crops and a few good pots. These plants are marked balcony/patio-suitable in our data, meaning they stay compact enough to thrive in containers and don't need a full garden bed. Pair them with rail planters, trellises, or vertical setups to make the most of a small footprint.

Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) plant

Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira)

Zones 4a–11b · 50–75 days
beginnerArugula plant

Arugula

Zones 2a–9a · 21–40 days
beginnerAvocado plant

Avocado

Zones 9b–11b · Perennial
advancedBasil plant

Basil

Zones 4a–11b · 30–60 days
beginnerBay Laurel plant

Bay Laurel

Zones 8a–10b · 180–365 days
intermediateBell Pepper plant

Bell Pepper

Zones 4a–11b · 70–90 days
intermediateBitter Melon (Karela) plant

Bitter Melon (Karela)

Zones 9a–12b · 55–70 days
intermediateBlueberry plant

Blueberry

Zones 3a–9a · Perennial
intermediateBok Choy plant

Bok Choy

Zones 4a–9b · 45–60 days
beginnerBorage plant

Borage

Zones 2a–11b · 50–60 days
beginnerCalendula plant

Calendula

Zones 2a–11b · 50–70 days
beginnerCantaloupe plant

Cantaloupe

Zones 4a–11a · 70–100 days
intermediateCauliflower plant

Cauliflower

Zones 2a–11b · 60–100 days
intermediateCelery plant

Celery

Zones 3a–9b · 90–120 days
advancedCherry Tomato plant

Cherry Tomato

Zones 4a–11b · 55–70 days
beginnerChili Pepper plant

Chili Pepper

Zones 4a–11b · 65–80 days
beginnerChives plant

Chives

Zones 3a–9b · Perennial
beginnerCilantro plant

Cilantro

Zones 3a–9a · 21–45 days
beginnerCollard Greens plant

Collard Greens

Zones 5a–11b · 60–80 days
beginnerCucumber plant

Cucumber

Zones 3b–11b · 50–70 days
beginnerCurry Leaf Tree (Kadi Patta) plant

Curry Leaf Tree (Kadi Patta)

Zones 9b–11b · 180–360 days
intermediateDill plant

Dill

Zones 2a–9b · 40–60 days
beginnerEdamame (Soybean) plant

Edamame (Soybean)

Zones 5a–10b · 70–95 days
beginnerEggplant plant

Eggplant

Zones 5a–11b · 65–80 days
intermediateFenugreek (Methi) plant

Fenugreek (Methi)

Zones 4a–9b · 20–30 days
beginnerFig plant

Fig

Zones 7a–11b · Perennial
intermediateFlorence Fennel plant

Florence Fennel

Zones 4a–9b · 65–90 days
intermediateFrench Tarragon plant

French Tarragon

Zones 3a–9b · 60–90 days
intermediateGarlic plant

Garlic

Zones 3a–9b · 240–270 days
beginnerGerman Chamomile plant

German Chamomile

Zones 3a–9b · 60–90 days
beginnerGinger plant

Ginger

Zones 8a–12b · 240–300 days
intermediateGreen Beans plant

Green Beans

Zones 4a–11b · 50–65 days
beginnerGround Cherry plant

Ground Cherry

Zones 3a–9b · 70–85 days
beginnerHoly Basil (Tulsi) plant

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

Zones 10a–11b · 45–60 days
beginnerHoneydew plant

Honeydew

Zones 4a–11a · 80–110 days
intermediateKale plant

Kale

Zones 2a–9b · 55–75 days
beginnerKiwi plant

Kiwi

Zones 5a–9a · 3–6 years
intermediateKohlrabi plant

Kohlrabi

Zones 3a–9b · 45–60 days
beginnerLavender plant

Lavender

Zones 5a–8b · Perennial
intermediateLeek plant

Leek

Zones 3a–9b · 100–150 days
intermediateLemon Balm plant

Lemon Balm

Zones 3a–9b · 60–70 days
beginnerLemon Tree plant

Lemon Tree

Zones 9a–11b · Perennial
intermediateLemongrass plant

Lemongrass

Zones 8b–11b · 75–100 days
intermediateLettuce plant

Lettuce

Zones 2b–9b · 30–60 days
beginnerMarjoram plant

Marjoram

Zones 4a–9b · 70–100 days
beginnerMicrogreens plant

Microgreens

Zones 1a–11b · 7–21 days
beginnerMint plant

Mint

Zones 3a–9b · Perennial
beginnerMustard Greens plant

Mustard Greens

Zones 4a–10b · 30–40 days
beginnerOkra plant

Okra

Zones 7a–11b · 50–65 days
intermediateOlive plant

Olive

Zones 8a–11b · Perennial
intermediateOnion plant

Onion

Zones 2a–9b · 90–120 days
intermediateOregano plant

Oregano

Zones 4a–10b · Perennial
beginnerParsley plant

Parsley

Zones 3a–9b · 70–90 days
beginnerPeas plant

Peas

Zones 2a–9a · 55–70 days
beginnerPomegranate plant

Pomegranate

Zones 7a–11b · Perennial
intermediateRadish plant

Radish

Zones 2a–9b · 22–30 days
beginnerRosemary plant

Rosemary

Zones 6a–11b · Perennial
beginnerSage plant

Sage

Zones 4a–8b · Perennial
intermediateSavory plant

Savory

Zones 3a–9b · 60–80 days
beginnerScallion plant

Scallion

Zones 2a–11b · 25–45 days
beginnerShallot plant

Shallot

Zones 2a–10b · 90–150 days
beginnerSnap Peas plant

Snap Peas

Zones 2a–9b · 60–70 days
beginnerSorrel plant

Sorrel

Zones 2a–9a · 30–60 days
beginnerSpinach plant

Spinach

Zones 2a–9a · 40–50 days
beginnerStevia plant

Stevia

Zones 8a–11b · 60–80 days
intermediateStrawberry plant

Strawberry

Zones 3a–10b · Perennial
beginnerSunflower plant

Sunflower

Zones 2a–11b · 60–80 days
beginnerSwiss Chard plant

Swiss Chard

Zones 2a–10b · 50–60 days
beginnerTaro (Arbi / Colocasia) plant

Taro (Arbi / Colocasia)

Zones 7a–11b · 150–200 days
intermediateThyme plant

Thyme

Zones 4a–9b · Perennial
beginnerTomatillo plant

Tomatillo

Zones 5a–10b · 75–100 days
intermediateTomato plant

Tomato

Zones 4a–11b · 60–85 days
intermediateTurmeric (Haldi) plant

Turmeric (Haldi)

Zones 8a–11b · 240–300 days
intermediateTurnip plant

Turnip

Zones 2a–9b · 45–60 days
beginnerYard-Long Beans (Snake Beans) plant

Yard-Long Beans (Snake Beans)

Zones 8a–11b · 60–80 days
beginner

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow vegetables on a balcony?

Yes — tomatoes, peppers, herbs, lettuce, and many greens grow well on a balcony as long as it gets 4–6+ hours of sun. Match the plant to your light and use appropriate pot sizes.

How much sun does a balcony need?

For fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers) aim for 6+ hours of direct sun. If your balcony is shadier, grow leafy greens, herbs, and roots instead.

What about wind on a balcony?

Wind dries containers out fast and can snap tall plants. Use heavy pots, position them near a wall or railing, and stake anything tall.