If you love flowering plants, but don’t have access to a yard, there are a wide range of potted plants you can enjoy on your balcony. You don’t need to have a large balcony to enjoy plants of all types.
If you want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, or simply want a few leafy green plants to make your balcony look more natural, here is a list of some of our favorite flowers and plants for your Northern California apartment balcony.
Bright and Attractive Flowering Plants
Fuchsia
These eye-catching flowers are amazingly suited for hanging baskets, and look wonderful on small balconies. Fuchsia is a perennial that does well in shady spots, so if your balcony doesn’t get a lot of sun throughout the day, Fuchsia would be a great choice.
These easy to care for plants produce colorful drooping flowers that are a favorite with hummingbirds, butterflies, and honey bees.
Chrysanthemum
Also simply called Mums, these very popular flowering plants are commonly seen in most garden stores and nurseries. They can grow to somewhat large sizes, so one or two would be plenty on most balconies.
Their flowers can come in a wide range of colors and shapes to suit your preferences. You’ll mostly see white, pink, pale purple, yellow, and pale blue colors.
Hydrangea
Sometimes called the snowball bush, Hydrangea can make a very unique and eye-catching potted plant for your balcony. These plants love sunlight and frequent rain showers, so should do well year round on your balcony.
Their large and attractive blooms will attract hummingbirds and butterflies, and make amazing centerpiece decorations in a vase if you clip off a branch or two when they are in full bloom.
Easy to Keep Small Plants
Herbs
While not as attractive as the previously mentioned flowering plants, herbs can be a great dual purpose plant to have on your balcony. They stay small, look attractive, and can also be used for various recipes in your kitchen.
Some of the best herbs for a Northern California balcony would be rosemary, sage, thyme, mint, parsley, and dill.
Succulents
Similar to herbs, most succulents may not be highly attractive though some of them will bloom if given proper care. Succulents are similar to cactus in that they require very little watering and maintenance. They are a great group of plants for beginning plant-keepers to try, and even if you have a brown-thumb they can thrive under your care!
Succulents such as Burro’s Tail, Blue Glow Agave, and Hen & Chicks do exceptionally well on balconies in Northern California.
Ferns
While most ferns get somewhat large, you can still keep a few on your balcony. Ferns love shade and moisture, so do well in most locations. Most won’t produce attractive blooms, but their uniquely shaped feathery leaves can be a highly unique addition to your patio.
Look for ferns such as the Japanese Painted, Kimberly Queen, or Flowering Lady to keep on your balcony.
