Thriller Plants for Containers

Thriller plants are the stars of the show. They’re tall, bold, and dramatic enough to anchor any planting and draw the eye straight to your container. In the classic thriller-spiller-filler formula, the thriller goes in the back or center to add height and visual impact. 

You’ll find them in annuals, perennials, edibles, and shrubs at Garden Crossings, so there’s a thriller to suit every style and season. Find the right thriller for your garden!

A modern white planter filled with tall purple flowers, bright yellow blooms, small blue flowers, and green foliage, arranged in a vibrant, colorful display.
A dense clump of 'Puppy Love' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) features tall, slender green leaves and many fuzzy brownish-purple flower spikes growing upright in an outdoor garden setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of 'Puppy Love' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) with tall green leaves and fluffy brownish-purple flower spikes grows in a sunny garden, surrounded by mulch and lawn - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Puppy Love' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of ‘Serendipity’ Allium features dense clusters of vibrant purple, spiky, ball-shaped flowers atop slender green stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of vibrant 'Serendipity' Allium, a perennial with globe-shaped purple blooms and tall green stems, grows outdoors in a garden with grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Serendipity' Allium

$18.99
$18.99

A dense cluster of bright yellow 'Tuscan Sun' False Sunflower (Heliopsis) with green leaves, grows in a garden against a black lattice fence and other plants - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A cluster of bright yellow 'Tuscan Sun' False Sunflower (Heliopsis) blooms with green leaves fills the frame, creating a cheerful, dense display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Tuscan Sun' False Sunflower (Heliopsis)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of fresh green Amazel Basil® Sweet Italian Basil (Ocimum) leaves with visible veins and soft texture, growing densely in bright natural light - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A lush garden features vibrant green Amazel Basil® Sweet Italian Basil (Ocimum) leaves in the foreground, deep purple sweet potato vine, and clusters of yellow and orange flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Amazel Basil® Sweet Italian Basil (Ocimum)

$10.99
$10.99

Top-down view of Amazing Daisies® 'Marshmallow' Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum) with white, frilly-petaled blooms with yellow centers, great for brightening gardens amidst lush green foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. A cluster of Amazing Daisies® 'Marshmallow' Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum) with white petals and yellow centers blooms in a garden bed with green leaves and mulch, set against a grassy background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Amazing Daisies® 'Marshmallow' Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of Amazing Daisies® 'Spun Silk' Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum) blooms with yellow centers and long, narrow petals, set against lush green foliage for a fresh, vibrant look in a perennial garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Amazing Daisies® 'Spun Silk' Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum) displays white, frilled petals and yellow centers among green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Amazing Daisies® 'Spun Silk' Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)

$17.09
$18.99 $17.09

Top-down view of Amazing Daisies® Daisy May® Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum) features clusters of white blooms with yellow centers and lush green foliage, creating a cheerful, perennial display that brightens any garden when grown in sunny outdoor spots - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Amazing Daisies® Daisy May® Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum) blooms with white petals and yellow centers, nestled among green foliage and soil, highlighting the beauty of this classic perennial - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Amazing Daisies® Daisy May® Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)

$19.99
$19.99

A large brown pot displays vibrant Americana® Cherry Rose Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium), on a wooden surface outdoors with water and green foliage softly blurred in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.A large pot of Americana® Cherry Rose Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium), rests on a weathered dock by a tranquil lake, surrounded by trees and rocks beneath a gentle evening sky - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Americana® Cherry Rose Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of vibrant Americana® Salmon Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) flowers bloom among lush green leaves and unopened buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A black pot displays green leaves and clusters of large pink Americana® Salmon Zonal Geraniums (Pelargonium) in full bloom, set against a plain light background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Americana® Salmon Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of purple lavender Salvia 'Amethyst Fringe' flowers in a field with a soft, blurred background of similar blossoms and green foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A flowering Salvia 'Amethyst Fringe' with tall spikes of purple blossoms and abundant green foliage, photographed outdoors among other plants under a cloudy sky. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Amethyst Fringe' Perennial (Salvia)

$19.99
$19.99
Close-up of vibrant Angelface® Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) with delicate purple petals and yellow-white centers, densely clustered among green stems and leaves in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Angelface® Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Angelface® Perfectly Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) featuring vibrant magenta-pink flowers with deep purple centers and lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A large gray planter features Angelface® Perfectly Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) with pink blooms, white and yellow flowers, and trailing greenery, set in a landscaped garden with red mulch and other blooming plants in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Angelface® Perfectly Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of vibrant purple Angelface® Super Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) flowers with green leaves and white-centered blossoms create a lush display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Angelface® Super Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

Tall spikes of Angelface® Super White Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) bloom above green foliage, accented by lush plants and touches of pink and red flowers in the garden background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Angelface® Super White Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) with delicate white petals on upright green stems, surrounded by slender leaves and buds - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Angelface® Super White Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

Tall stems with purple and white tubular flowers, surrounded by slender green leaves. Angelface® Wedgwood Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) offers a vibrant, dense display for any garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Clusters of tall green stems with abundant small purple and white blooms, Angelface® Wedgwood Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia), thrive in a lush garden bordered by leafy foliage and vibrant flowers at the bottom right corner - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Angelface® Wedgwood Blue Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

A cluster of Angelface® Wedgwood Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) with green, lance-shaped leaves in the background. The flowers feature delicate tubular blooms with striking yellow and purple centers - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Angelface® Wedgwood Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) showcases abundant pink and white blooms with green leaves in a stylish light-blue ceramic pot - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Angelface® Wedgwood Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Angelface® White Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) featuring heat-tolerant, ruffled white flowers with yellow-green centers, set against green leaves and stems. The blurred background highlights the delicate blossoms - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A large decorative planter filled with lush green foliage and Angelface® White Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) with white flowers sits on a stone ledge outdoors, framed by a table and house in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Angelface® White Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99
A close-up of Angelflare™ Black Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) shows clusters of dark purple-black velvety flowers and green leaves with a blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of Angelflare™ Black Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) showing deep purple, velvety petals with a yellow-speckled center against a soft pink and green blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

AngelFlare™ Black Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99
A cluster of Autumn Sunset™ Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) displays vibrant orange and yellow blooms with bright centers and lush green leaves, creating a dense, colorful floral show perfect for fall gardens. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA potted Autumn Sunset™ Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) displays dense, vibrant orange and yellow blooms with green leaves in a terracotta-colored pot. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture

Autumn Sunset™ Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$10.79
$11.99 $10.79

The Baby Blue Bouquet Eucalyptus features round blue-green leaves on slender stems, growing in a pot outdoors with wood chip mulch and partial sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A Baby Blue Bouquet Eucalyptus plant with blue-green foliage sits potted on a stone, surrounded by wood chips in the sun, highlighting its fragrant beauty - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Baby Blue Bouquet Eucalyptus

$11.99
$11.99
A dense clump of tall, slender, purple-tinted Blackhawk' Big Blue Stem Grass (Andropogon) grows in a garden with green grass and other plants in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of dark purple blades of Blackhawk' Big Blue Stem Grass (Andropogon) with yellowish pollen, set against a blurred green background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Blackhawks' Big Blue Stem Grass (Andropogon)

$17.99
$17.99
A close-up of the Boulevard® Tumaini™ Clematis, a vibrant, compact clematis ideal for patio containers, featuring pointed petals and a cluster of dark purple and white stamens at its center, framed by green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's ClematisClose-up of blooming Boulevard® Tumaini™ Clematis with delicate purple petals and intricate centers, set amid green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Boulevard® Tumaini™ Clematis

$18.89
$20.99 $18.89

A cluster of Cape Town Blue Blue Felicia Daisy displays purple daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers, surrounded by green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Cape Town Blue Blue Felicia Daisy (Felicia)

$10.99
$10.99

A vibrant Coconut A-Peel® Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia) features clusters of five-petaled white blooms with dark centers and lush green leaves, all on a healthy, flourishing plant - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA large potted Coconut A-Peel® Black-Eyed Susan Vine displays lush green foliage and abundant small white blooms, set outdoors on a grassy lawn surrounded by other plants and trees - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Coconut A-Peel® Black-Eyed Susan Vine (Thunbergia)

$11.99
$11.99

thriller mum flowers for containers

Planting Showstopping Thriller Plants in Your Containers

Looking to create a stunning focal point in your containers? For containers between 12 and 18 inches in diameter, one thriller plant gives you all the height and drama you need! It’s the perfect starting point for any upright container planting.

Containers over 18 inches may need two or more thriller plants to fill the space properly. When you use multiples, stick with the same variety, as that repetition creates a cleaner, more intentional look.

Colorblaze® thriller plants for containers

Find the Best Thriller Plants for Your Containers

From colorful blooms to striking foliage, thriller plants bring life, drama, and structural contrast to any composition. Garden Crossings features full-shade, full-sun, and part-shade plants for a range of USDA hardiness zones, ensuring compatibility and performance in almost every gardener’s space. We even have deer-resistant varieties! Order online for delivery or pick-up.

FAQs

Your best thriller plants depend on your light conditions and hardiness zone. Canna lily, mandevilla, and purple fountain grass are great, sun-loving thrillers. Caladium and elephant ear are excellent for shady pots and containers.

You generally need just one thriller for each standard garden arrangement. This prevents roots from overcrowding. Large containers may need two.

Placement depends on how the container will be viewed. If it's viewed from all sides, like in the middle of a patio, put the thriller in the center so it's visible from every angle. If it's viewed from just one side, like against a house or fence, place the thriller in back (the same way you'd put tall plants at the back of a garden bed).