Thrillers

These plant options add height and visual impact to container planting combinations. Choose a thriller that matches your container's color scheme or adds bold color. Remember to choose a thriller that requires the same amount of sun and shade as the other plants in the container.

Purple ornamental cotton

Purple ornamental cotton is a showy filler with its reddish-purple, heart-shaped leaves and bundles of cotton. Plus, before its flowers produce the fluffy cotton, they change colors from white to light pink. Purple ornamental cotton plants thrive in hotter climates.

'Tropicanna' Black Canna

From summer to fall, 'Tropicanna' black canna features large striped leaves topped with red flowers. Its foliage can grow to 6 feet with its flowers growing 1 foot taller. 'Tropicanna' black canna grows best in full to part sun and in warmer climates.

'Dragon Wing' Pink Bronze-Leaf Begonia

Glossy, bronze foliage is punctuated with bright pink flowers on 'Dragon Wing' pink bronze-leaf begonia. The plant is both drought- and heat-tolerant and blooms from spring to fall.

Purple New Zealand Flax

Edward Gohlich

Purple New Zealand Flax

Purple New Zealand flax's strap-shaped, dark purple leaves add texture and bold upright architecture to container plant combos. It can reach up to 6 feet, and, in the spring and summer, it boasts bright red flowers (though it rarely will flower in a container).

'Red Star' Cordyline

'Red Star' cordyline has deep red leaves that can reach 6 feet or more. But, in smaller containers, the fountain-like leaves will stay a little shorter. This thriller plant requires part to full sun and is a low-maintenance plant perfect for moderate to warm climates.

'Mystic' dahlia

Jay Wilde

'Mystic' Dahlia

These thriller plants add an array of colors to container gardens. 'Mystic' dahlia leaves and stems go from bronze to nearly-black. Depending on variety, the plants are topped with yellow, orange, pink, or red flowers. They reach about 30 inches tall and don't need staking.

Fillers

Fillers do exactly what the name suggests—they fill space in the container. Filler plants are usually midrange height, filling in the gaps between tall and short plants.

'Purple Prince' Alternanthera

'Purple Prince' alternanthera forms mounds of dense burgundy foliage—perfect for filling empty space in a container. The leaves also have red undersides, creating a two-tone effect. Place 'Purple Prince' in a spot with filtered sunlight for the best color development.

'Ostica' Bronze African Daisy

The purple centers of 'Ostica' bronze African daisies almost seem to glow. Plant 'Ostica' blooms to fill mid-level gaps or to add dramatic shades of pink, purple, and bronze to your moody container garden. 'Ostica' blooms best in full sun.

Purple Basil

Purple basil's dark-hued leaves are both ornamental and edible (with a clove-like flavor). Place purple basil plants in full sun, and make sure the soil is moist but well-drained.

'Black Pearl' Ornamental Pepper

'Black Pearl' ornamental pepper plants feature nearly-black leaves with small, glossy black and red fruit. The peppers are edible, but the plant is grown more for its looks rather than its peppers. 'Black Pearl' grows to be 18 inches tall and requires full sun.

Black Mondo Grass

This filler may look like grass, but it's actually part of the lily family. Black mondo grass is a perennial groundcover plant that produces small lavender flowers, but the purple-black grasslike foliage is the real star of the show. Put a container with black mondo grass in a spot with part sun.

'Black Prince' Coleus

With soft, almost-black leaves, 'Black Prince' coleus is an easy grower that does well in sun or shade. Pair dark coleus with brighter thrillers and spillers to create a stunning container garden.

Spillers

Spillers are plants that cascade or "spill" over the edge of a container. Spiller plants don't grow to be very tall, preferring to sprawl and trail instead. They are meant to add visual contrast compared to the tall, upright thriller plants.

'Bronze Carpet' Stonecrop

The bronzy-red succulent leaves of 'Bronze Carpet' stonecrop are highly drought-tolerant. Place stonecrop plants in full to part sun and water sparingly throughout the season.

'Wonderland' Deep Purple Alyssum

'Wonderland' deep purple alyssum will add a deep fuchsia color to your container garden. Its semi-trailing flowers bloom in the spring and are sweetly fragrant.

Purple Heart

Native to Mexico, purple heart (Tradescantia pallida) is grown both indoors and outdoors. The plant's dark purple stems and leaves reach up to 7 inches long.

'Purple Pixie' Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum

Smoky purple foliage cascades off pot edges when growing 'Purple Pixie' dwarf weeping loropetalum. Place containers with 'Purple Pixie' in full sun or part shade to produce best-looking foliage.

'Superbells Blackcurrant Punch' Calibrachoa

Like its name suggests, 'Superbells Blackcurrant Punch' calibrachoa packs a hefty color punch. Its large, dark centers and bright pink flowers make the plant especially distinct.

'Sweet Caroline Raven' Sweet Potato Vine

This sweet potato vine's dark leaves add stark contrast to lighter shades of purple and green. Its leaves will be darkest in full sun, but the plant can handle shady spots, too.

Dark Container Combinations

Take inspiration from our favorite thriller, filler, and spiller combinations to create your own moody container look.

Container plants in front of a bench with pillows

Carson Downing; Produced by Scott J. Johnson and Jessica Thomas

Coleus + Petunia

Different varieties of coleus are easy to mix and match. Here, 'Vino' coleus acts as the thriller, while 'Inky Fingers' coleus acts as both filler and spiller. 'Black Ray' petunias round out this dark, yet colorful container arrangement. Place these plants in full sun for best leaf color and flowering.

Tall container plant with elephant's ears next to a bar cart

Carson Downing; Produced by Scott J. Johnson and Jessica Thomas

Elephant's Ears + Heuchera + Iresine

This bold combination wows in size, texture, and color. 'Obsidian' heuchera and iresine fill the bottom of the container with their dark purple, red, and pink foliage. Above them soars an elephant's ear plant with huge burgundy and green leaves. This container combo is best for a shady spot.

Container planter with rex begonia and a wind chime

Carson Downing; Produced by Scott J. Johnson and Jessica Thomas

Pseuderanthemum + Rex Begonia + Inch Plant

Green, silver, and burgundy create pleasing contrasts in this container garden. Burgundy-hued pseuderanthemum sprawls upward out the back of the fluted, dark container while rex begonia and inch plant fill in gaps and add silvery tones to the arrangement. A spot with bright but indirect light works best for these plants.