Spiller Plants for Containers

A spiller plant is the trailing element in a container. It cascades over the edge of the pot and adds softness, movement, and a finished look to any planting. In the thriller-spiller-filler formula, spillers work alongside taller thrillers and mounding fillers to create a full, layered container design. Because they trail naturally, they soften hard pot edges. That gives your containers that lush, overflowing look that catches everyone's eye.

The number of spiller plants you need depends on your pot size. A 12-inch pot does well with one spiller, while a 14-inch pot benefits from two. For an 18-inch pot, use three plants to get full coverage around the edges. Larger containers of 20 inches or more look best with four to five plants. That level of coverage creates a truly lush, cascading effect.

Grey pot with tall purple grass, purple blooms, and white flowers cascading over the side in a garden setting
A close-up of overlapping Sweet Caroline Bewitched After Midnight™ Ipomoea leaves, highlighting their pointed, lobed shape and deep purple-black color - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sweet Caroline Bewitched After Midnight™ Ipomoea

$10.99
$10.99

The bold chartreuse foliage of Sweet Caroline Bewitched Green With Envy™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) forms a vibrant ground cover when paired with a carpet of small purple and white flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A small waterfall flows over rocks amid lush greenery, vibrant pink and purple flowers, and the chartreuse foliage of Sweet Caroline Bewitched Green With Envy™ Sweet Potato Vine. Tall bushes and trees provide a backdrop in the landscaped garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sweet Caroline Bewitched Green With Envy™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of overlapping, dark purple leaves of the Sweet Caroline Medusa™ Black Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), forming dense, textured foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Sweet Caroline Medusa™ Black Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features dense, narrow, dark purple leaves in a brown round pot, beautifully displayed against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sweet Caroline Medusa™ Black Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

Trailing among green foliage and small yellow blooms, the purple, pointed and lobed leaves of Sweet Caroline Raven™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of rich, dark purple leaves on Sweet Caroline Raven™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), featuring star-shaped, textured foliage with pointed lobes that overlap to create a dense, striking trailing plant - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sweet Caroline Raven™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

Sweet Caroline Red Hawk™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features pointed, lobed leaves in purples and pinks, forming dense ground cover. Some leaves may show light green or brown hues and minor holes from slight damage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Sweet Caroline Red Hawk™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features overlapping dark red leaves, framed by green foliage in the upper left and small, bright pink flowers with yellow centers at the bottom right, all highlighted by sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sweet Caroline Red Hawk™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
A close-up of overlapping, heart-shaped leaves of the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), a trailing plant with smooth, nearly black foliage and subtle veins visible on its slightly shiny surface - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features heart-shaped, deep purple leaves and grows in a decorative brown ceramic pot with a raised floral pattern - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black™ Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up view of overlapping, bright green, heart-shaped Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Lime Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) leaves, displaying their smooth texture and prominent veins typical of chartreuse foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Lime Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features heart-shaped, vibrant chartreuse leaves and is potted in a shiny, dark brown ceramic pot with a textured pattern. The background is plain white - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Lime Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
Densely growing heart-shaped, dark purple leaves of the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) stand out among colorful flowers and vibrant foliage above reddish-brown mulch - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of heart-shaped, purple-tinted leaves with prominent veins on the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), showing some green foliage among the overlapping, smooth leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Mahogany™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of overlapping Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Shadowstorm™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) leaves, displaying dark purple and bright green heart-shaped foliage with irregular green patches and distinct veins - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Shadowstorm™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features dense, heart-shaped dark purple and green variegated leaves in a simple dark ceramic pot, beautifully displayed against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Shadowstorm™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

The Sweet Caroline Upside® Black Coffee™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine, with long, pointed dark purple leaves, grows by a white fence amid colorful flowers in a vibrant garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A bush of Sweet Caroline Upside® Black Coffee™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) with dark purple, slender leaves grows before a white picket fence, surrounded by green grass and yellow-green plants. Thin vine stems hint at its climbing nature - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sweet Caroline Upside™ Black Coffee Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
The Sweet Caroline Upside® Key Lime Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) climbs a wooden pergola with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of dark purple flowers, plus one yellow bloom, set against blue sky and vibrant garden flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of the vibrant, deeply lobed leaves of Sweet Caroline Upside® Key Lime Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea), highlighting its bright yellow-green color and distinctive shape - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sweet Caroline Upside™ Key Lime Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia, showcasing white and pink petals among green leaves and buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hand gently holds a blooming Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia, its pink and white petals surrounded by green leaves and buds set against a glass greenhouse backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Swingtime Trailing Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99

Three vibrant Tangerine Slice A-Peel® Black-Eyed Susan Vine flowers with dark centers are surrounded by lush green leaves, their petals showing a striking gradient from deep to light orange - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Tangerine Slice A-Peel® Black-Eyed Susan Vine, featuring orange-red flowers with dark centers and yellow-tipped petals contrasting against lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Tangerine Slice A-Peel® Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia)

$11.99
$11.99

The Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) displays variegated leaves with green centers, purple tones, and white edges, making it a striking ornamental groundcover among other leafy plants - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) shows jagged leaves with light purple or pink borders and veins. This ornamental foliage overlaps, forming a dense, textured appearance - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

A dense cluster of Violet Knight® Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia), a flowering annual with purple blooms, grows beside a stone garden border, surrounded by green foliage and other leafy plants in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of Violet Knight® Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia) blooms overflows from a planter outdoors, with vibrant purple flowers and a blurred green grassy background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Violet Knight® Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia)

$10.99
$10.99
Waikiki Sunset® Lysimachia features clusters of bright yellow flowers and dense, oval green leaves with creamy yellow edges, creating a vibrant variegated ground cover that enhances any garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Waikiki Sunset® Lysimachia features bright yellow flowers with orange-red centers and showy stamens, set off by vibrant green and yellow variegated leaves. This standout plant offers eye-catching color as a striking ground cover - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Waikiki Sunset™ Lysimachia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Wandering Jew Purple Spiderwort (Tradescantia) leaves with purple and green stripes and a few pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large potted Wandering Jew Purple Spiderwort (Tradescantia), with green and silver striped leaves and pink flowers, sits on the porch. Nearby, a stone plaque says, "Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Wandering Jew Purple Spiderwort (Tradescantia)

$10.99
$10.99

Whirlwind® Blue Fan Flower (Scaevola) features dense clusters of vibrant purple blooms and green foliage in a teal container - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.Close-up of Whirlwind® Blue Fan Flower (Scaevola) featuring clusters of vibrant purple blooms with yellow centers and serrated green leaves, creating a dense, colorful look - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Whirlwind® Blue Fan Flower (Scaevola)

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of Whirlwind® Starlight™ Fan Flower (Scaevola) with light purple blooms and green leaves fill the image; a single yellow-orange flower draws focus - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of Whirlwind® Starlight™ Fan Flower (Scaevola), a drought-tolerant annual with dense light purple blooms among green foliage, set outdoors on a sunny day - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Whirlwind® Starlight™ Fan Flower (Scaevola)

$10.99
$10.99

Whirlwind® White Fan Flower (Scaevola) displays clusters of white, daisy-like blooms with narrow petals and green leaves among green foliage and a few purple flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA cluster of Whirlwind® White Fan Flowers (Scaevola) shows bright white blooms next to large deep purple flower and a cluster of red flower - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Whirlwind® White III Fan Flower (Scaevola)

$10.99
$10.99

White Knight® Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia) features dense clusters of fragrant white flowers with green centers and lush foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dense cluster of fragrant White Knight® Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia) blooms beside red and yellow flowers in a garden bed bordered by a stone path, with greenery and trailing annuals visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

White Knight® II Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia)

$10.99
$10.99

The White Licorice Licorice Plant (Helichrysum) features dense clusters of small, silvery-white, fuzzy oval leaves, creating a lush, soft ground cover with striking silver foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A White Licorice Licorice Plant (Helichrysum) trails from a vibrant blue ceramic pot, its small silvery-green leaves and silver-white foliage spilling over the edge, with hints of green and purple flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

White Licorice Licorice Plant (Helichrysum)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Yellow Ripple Ivy (Hedera), featuring green leaves with creamy yellow edges, pointed lobes, and a glossy texture - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Yellow Ripple Ivy (Hedera)

$10.99
$10.99
The Yellow Zebra Solanum displays healthy, variegated green and yellow leaves under soft natural light, with dense, overlapping foliage for a lush look - Photo Courtesy of Mast Young Plants.

Yellow Zebra Solanum

$10.99
$10.99