Filler plants are the bridge between the thrillers (tall, attention-grabbing plants) and the spillers (trailing plants that spill over the edges of the container). They serve as the backbone of your arrangement, filling the space between the focal point plants and the edge of the pot. These plants are typically medium in height and have a bushy or mounding growth habit, helping to provide a well-rounded and visually pleasing structure to your container garden.
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Sisyrinchium nashii 'Suwannee'
Item #: 4789
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Solidago mexicana 'Endless Stares'
Item #: 17600
Zones: 6a to 9b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00 -
Solidago sphacelata 'Golden Fleece'
Item #: 734
Zones: 4a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Solidago stricta 'Yellow Rockets'
Item #: 17683
Zones: 5a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Solidago virgata 'Golden Voices'
Item #: 17652
Zones: 6b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Spigelia marilandica 'Little Redhead'
Item #: 6866
Zones: 5b to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 21" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $28.00 -
Sold outSpiranthes bightensis 'Chadds Ford'
Item #: 9235
Zones: 5a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $30.00Next crop available: 03/27/2026Sold out -
Spiranthes cernua 'Tightlips'
Item #: 16987
Zones: 6a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $30.00 -
Spiranthes vernalis 'Wake Up'
Item #: 16643
Zones: 5a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Summer, Fall
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $28.00 -
Sprekelia formosissima
Item #: 5279
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00 -
Sprekelia formosissima 'Mobile Queen'
Item #: 15658
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $30.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $30.00 -
Sold outSprekelia formosissima 'Yucatan'
Item #: 14296
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 14" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $28.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $28.00Sold out -
Stellaria pubera 'Chick-a-boom'
Item #: 16629
Zones: 6a to 9a, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Stokesia laevis 'Honeysong Purple'
Item #: 4336
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Stokesia laevis 'Mary Gregory'
Item #: 1404
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Stokesia laevis 'Peachie's Pick'
Item #: 4726
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'
Item #: 953
Zones: 3a to 7b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00Sold out -
Sold outSyneilesis aconitifolia
Item #: 3400
Zones: 3a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00Next crop available: 11/14/2025Sold out -
Sold outSyneilesis x hybrida
Item #: 12606
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00Next crop available: 03/13/2026Sold out -
Sold outSyneilesis palmata
Item #: 5617
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $26.00Next crop available: 03/06/2026Sold out -
Tanacetum vulgare 'Isla Gold'
Item #: 4219
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Asia, Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $21.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $21.00 -
Teucrium 'Eugen'
Item #: 17655
Zones: 5a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 2" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mediterranean Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00 -
Teucrium marum
Item #: 8687
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Italy, Sardinia, Spain, Yugoslavia (former)
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $22.00 -
Thelypteris ovata var. lindheimeri 'Austin City Limits'
Item #: 4847
Zones: 7a to 9b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price perSale price $23.00
More Information About Fillers
Like the name says, filler plants are there to fill up space in a container garden. The term "filler" does not do these plants justice though. It would be better to call filler plants "accessories" or "accents" or "visual cement" but unfortunately none of these words rhymes with thriller and spiller and the focus groups did not like the alternative marketing term "presenters-cementers-descenters". Like any accent or accessory, filler plants for container gardening support the main theme of the container garden and highlight the main decorative element, the "thriller".
Container gardening is a versatile and delightful way to bring a touch of greenery and beauty to any space, no matter how limited. While the spotlight often shines on show-stopping thriller plants and cascading spiller plants, it's the unsung heroes known as filler plants that bring harmony and cohesion to your container arrangements. These unassuming plants play a crucial role in creating lush, well-balanced compositions that captivate the eye and elevate your outdoor or indoor spaces.
Choosing the Right Filler Plants
When selecting filler plants for your container garden, consider factors like color, texture, growth habit, and the specific growing conditions of your chosen location. Here are a few excellent choices for filler plants:
Salvia - With its vibrant spikes of flowers in hues of blue, purple, red, or white, salvia is a reliable filler plant that attracts pollinators and adds a pop of color to your containers.
Monarda (Bee Balm) - Known for its unique tubular flowers and aromatic foliage, Monarda adds both color and fragrance to your container arrangement, attracting pollinators along the way.
Lantana - With clusters of small, brightly colored flowers, lantana provides long-lasting blooms and attracts butterflies, making it an excellent choice for a filler plant.
Heuchera (Coral Bells) - These plants offer a range of foliage colors, from deep purples to vibrant greens, and they thrive in both sun and shade, adding versatility to your container garden.
Hosta - With their elegant and broad leaves, hostas are great filler plants that bring a lush and textured look to your containers, especially in shade or part-shade conditions.
Cyrtomium (Holly Fern) - If you're looking for a filler plant with interesting foliage, the holly fern's glossy fronds add a touch of evergreen elegance to your container garden.
Tips for Using Filler Plants Effectively
- Balance and Proportion: Aim for a balanced composition by choosing filler plants that complement the size and shape of your thriller and spiller plants.
- Color Harmony: Select filler plants that harmonize with the color scheme of your container garden. Contrasting or complementary colors can create captivating visual effects.
- Height Variation: Opt for filler plants with varying heights to add depth and dimension to your arrangement. This will prevent your container from appearing flat and monotonous.
- Maintenance: Consider the maintenance needs of your filler plants. Choose plants that have similar care requirements to ensure your container garden thrives.
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Regular Pruning: Filler plants can become leggy over time. Regularly trim and deadhead to maintain their shape and encourage healthy growth.
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