Due to its Mediterranean temperatures, Southern California is a great place to grow a wide range of plants both indoors and out. Here are 9 of our favorites!
Flowering Plants
Blue-Eyed Grass
A stylish green grass with eye-catching bright blue flowers, this plant is a very attractive and easy to keep choice for a pot on your balcony.
It’s very tolerant to direct sunlight, and is fire resistant which makes it a common firebreak plant used around some homes.
California Fuchsia
Perfect for hanging baskets and windowsill boxes, California Fuchsia is an attractive flowering plant that creates bright red flowers.
These flowers are extremely appealing to pollinators and hummingbirds, so if you enjoy these animals near your home, Fuchsia is a great choice.
Cliff Maids
This attractive plant can be found in a wide range of bloom colors including white, pink, orange, or yellow. Being a perennial, Cliff Maids are excellent tolerators of the hot summer sun and do well in direct sunlight.
Drought-Resistant Plants
Queen Victoria Agave
This striking spherical rosette is a very common succulent in California. The leaves are rigid and dark green, but blooms are extremely rare and may only be seen once in plants that are more than 10 years old.
Agave is an excellent choice for balconies that get direct sunlight, and do exceptionally well in areas where water restrictions are common.
Chalk Dudleya
Perfect for areas where droughts are common. The layered circular leaves are stylish on their own, but tubular blooms are common as well making this an eye-catching succulent.
It does best on a balcony that has some shade throughout the day, but can thrive in full sunlight. Monthly watering is all you will need to do for established plants.
Herbs
A variety of herbs do exceptionally well on balconies in pots of various sizes, and these herbs can all be used as an addition to cooking recipes.
- Parsley. Extremely easy to grow and very common in many recipes.
- Thyme. Great for tiny containers on the balcony or windowsill.
- Rosemary. Can grow into a large hedge, or kept trimmed for small pots.
- Sage. Found wild in Southern California, and does equally well in balcony pots.
- Mint. Extremely hardy and gives off an attractive scent when growing.
Edible Plants
Tomatoes
Available in hundreds of different varieties, most patio and heirloom tomatoes do well on balconies. Plus, you can pick ripe tomatoes straight from the vine and enjoy them in a variety of meals, recipes, or plain!
Peppers
Extremely easy to grow in Southern California, peppers make a wonderful addition to any medium sized containers on your balcony. Peppers come in dozens of varieties from extremely hot and spicy to sweet and zesty.
Beans
An outstanding choice for small pots with trellises for vining, beans are a great choice if you want a vine to grow on your railing and add a natural cover. Plus, you’ll have access to fresh beans for meals and cooking recipes.
