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.
Pure White Butterfly® Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum) features large petals of pure white blooms with bright yellow centers above green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Pure White Butterfly® Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum), a continuous bloomer, showcases pure white daisy flowers with bright yellow centers amid lush green foliage, seen in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pure White Butterfly® Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum)

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of Pyromania® 'Hot and Cold' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) reveals vivid orange and yellow blooms among lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Pyromania® 'Hot and Cold' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) with vibrant orange and yellow blooms, long green leaves, and stems in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pyromania® 'Hot and Cold' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

$18.99
$18.99

The Pyromania® 'Orange Blaze' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) features vibrant orange blooms amid tall, narrow green leaves, creating a striking display stands out against blurred background foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Pyromania® 'Orange Blaze' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) with its vivid flower spike blooming in a mulched garden bed, surrounded by blurred greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Pyromania® 'Orange Blaze' Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of Rainbow Rhythm® 'Sound of My Heart' Daylily shows ruffled pale pink petals with a deep purple eyezone and yellow-green center - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of two Rainbow Rhythm® 'Sound of My Heart' Daylily (Hemerocallis) blooms with ruffled pink and purple petals, yellow centers, and green leaves in a mulched garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rainbow Rhythm® 'Sound of My Heart' Daylily (Hemerocallis)

$19.99
$19.99
Close-up of tall stems and green leaves of Rockin'® Blue Suede™ Shoes Salvia, set against a softly blurred grassy background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Tall green stems of Rockin'® Blue Suede™ Shoes Salvia bear vibrant purple-blue flowers among lush leaves, shining in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rockin'® Blue Suede™ Shoes Salvia

$10.99
$10.99

A cluster of vibrant purple Rockin'® Deep Purple Salvia with tubular petals and lush green leaves stands out among foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of vibrant Rockin'® Deep Purple Salvia flowers with tubular petals and dark stems, surrounded by green foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Rockin'® Deep Purple Salvia

$10.99
$10.99

Tall spikes of vibrant magenta-purple Rockin® Fuchsia Salvia bloom above green foliage, set against blurred red and pink flowers, creating a colorful pollinator-friendly scene - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hummingbird hovers near bright Rockin® Fuchsia Salvia blooms in a sunlit garden, with a blurred green lawn behind - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rockin'® Fuchsia Salvia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of tall flower spikes from Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia, featuring vibrant purple blooms and pale green stems. This drought-tolerant Blue Sage brings striking color to any garden against lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Tall stalks of Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia, a drought-tolerant plant with purple-blue blooms, rise among green foliage, set beside bushes and pink hydrangeas in a vibrant garden scene - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rockin'® Playin' the Blues® Salvia

$10.99
$10.99

Señorita Blanca® Spider Flower (Cleome) blooms with long, white petals fills the frame. Many unopened blooms are also visible - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA bushy Señorita Blanca® Spider Flower (Cleome) with small white blooms in a garden scene - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Señorita Blanca® Spider Flower (Cleome)

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of vibrant purple and pink Señorita Rosalita® Spider Flower (Cleome) with long, narrow petals stand out among lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of Señorita Rosalita® Spider Flower (Cleome) blooms with green leaves fills the foreground, while purple and pink flowers blur into a vibrant spring garden backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Señorita Rosalita® Spider Flower (Cleome)

$10.99
$10.99

Two vibrant red and white Shadow Dancer® Betty Fuchsia flowers with elongated petals and pink stamens hang amid green leaves in bright sunlight, highlighting the plant’s compact growth - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of a Shadow Dancer® Betty Fuchsia with vibrant red and white petals, surrounded by green leaves and red buds. Dense, lush green foliage and hints of reddish-purple leaves fill the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Shadow Dancer® Betty Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99
A close-up of Solera™ Dark Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) blooms with lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.A brown pot holds vibrant Solera™ Dark Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) flowers and lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Solera™ Dark Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99
A Spikes Dracaena grows among red and white petunias in a garden border, with a grassy lawn and trees in the background on a sunny day - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A vibrant blue pot features Spikes Dracaena with tall spiky green leaves in the center, surrounded by purple, magenta, and yellow flowers, all set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Spikes Dracaena

$10.99
$10.99

A dense cluster of purple and white daisy-like Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers with yellow centers fills the frame, creating a vibrant and colorful floral pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of a cluster of vibrant purple and white Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers with yellow centers, tightly packed together, filling the entire image - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$12.99
$12.99
Close-up of Stacy™ Dazzling Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) with vibrant orange and yellow petals. Dewdrops sparkle on the main bloom, making it ideal for fall décor among other blossoms and buds. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture

Stacy™ Dazzling Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$11.99
$11.99
A close-up of the Stratosphere™ Pink Picotee Butterfly Flower (Gaura) displays its pale pink, veined petals, long stamens, and slender green stems on a dark gray background, with buds and soft-focused blooms behind - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A decorative gray pot holds a Stratosphere™ Pink Picotee Butterfly Flower (Gaura), a drought-tolerant plant with slender green stems and many small, delicate pink blooms - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Stratosphere™ Pink Picotee Butterfly Flower (Gaura)

$11.99
$11.99

Stratosphere™ White Butterfly Flower (Gaura) features delicate white blooms with long stamens set against green foliage.Hints of pink in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCStratosphere™ White Butterfly Flower (Gaura) features delicate white and light pink blooms on slender green stems and leaves, creating a soft, airy look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stratosphere™ White Butterfly Flower (Gaura)

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of the Summerific® 'Candy Crush' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) in full bloom, showcasing vibrant pink petals with a deep red center, surrounded by green leaves and flower buds in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A large pink Summerific® 'Candy Crush' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) flower with a deep red center and prominent stamen blooms among green leaves and buds, bringing vibrant charm to any garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summerific® 'Candy Crush' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$21.99
$21.99

Close-up of a Summerific® 'Evening Rose' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) features vibrant pink blooms with striking yellow stamens, set against green and purple-tinged foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Summerific® 'Evening Rose' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) features large, vibrant pink blooms and deep green leaves, thriving in garden beds bordered by grass and greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Summerific® 'Evening Rose' Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

$21.99
$21.99

Two pale peach-colored Sun Parasol® Apricot Mandevilla flowers with orange centers bloom amid rich green leaves. Their soft petals and vibrant hues create an elegant display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of a Sun Parasol® Apricot Mandevilla shows its pale peach petals with a yellow center, set among green leaves and buds, while another similar annual vine blooms in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sun Parasol® Apricot Mandevilla

$17.99
$17.99

Bright coral-pink, trumpet-shaped blooms with yellow centers of the Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Coral Dipladenia create a vivid contrast against its dense, glossy green foliage - - Vibrant pink Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Coral Dipladenia flowers with yellow centers and glossy green leaves fill the image, highlighting their bold tropical look - -

Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Coral Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of vibrant orange and yellow Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Orange Dipladenia flowers with green leaves, displayed indoors against blurred signs and shelves in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Orange Dipladenia bloom with five orange-red petals and a yellow center is set among elongated green leaves and more striking flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Orange Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of Sun Parasol® Giant Peach Sunrise Mandevilla highlights its pale peach-pink blooms with yellow-orange centers, lush green leaves, and climbing habit, displayed indoors among other flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Peachy-pink blooms with orange centers and green leaves of the Sun Parasol® Giant Peach Sunrise Mandevilla unfurl in a greenhouse, with buds nearby and the climbing vine winding along a metal frame in the background - Photo Courtesy of Sunfire Nursery.

Sun Parasol® Giant Peach Sunrise Mandevilla

$15.99
$15.99

Close-up of Sun Parasol® Giant Pink Mandevilla flowers with yellow centers, displaying lush tropical blooms and buds among green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Sun Parasol® Giant Pink Mandevilla features vivid pink tropical blooms with yellow centers that thrive on a trellis in a greenhouse. Highlights from sunlight showcase its petals and green leaves. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Sun Parasol® Giant Pink Mandevilla

$15.99
$15.99
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).