Whether planted alone as a specimen plant or as the main visual element of a mixed container (along with fillers and spillers), thrillers are there to please. These showstoppers add a touch of drama and excitement to your outdoor spaces. By strategically incorporating these thrilling elements, you can transform your container gardens into stunning focal points that captivate the eye and elevate your gardening game.
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Cypripedium 'Michael Pastel'
Item #: 13368
Zones: 5a to 7b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $90.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cypripedium 'Philipp'
Item #: 8074
Zones: 4a to 8a, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $65.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Cypripedium 'Philipp Dark'
Item #: 17079
Zones: 4a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $85.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Cypripedium reginae
Item #: 3897
Zones: 2a to 7a
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $68.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cypripedium reginae 'Alba'
Item #: 8548
Zones: 2a to 7a
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $78.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cypripedium 'Sabine'
Item #: 7478
Zones: 5a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $90.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Cypripedium 'Sabine Pastel'
Item #: 9607
Zones: 5a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $90.00Regular priceUnit price per -
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Cypripedium segawae
Item #: 12042
Zones: 6a to 7a, guessing
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Taiwan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $190.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Cypripedium x ventricosum
Item #: 8075
Zones: 4a to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Siberia Russia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $78.00Regular priceUnit price per -
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Cypripedium 'Victoria'
Item #: 8916
Zones: 4a to 7b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $90.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Dahlia imperialis 'Double or Nothing'
Item #: 5926
Zones: 7b to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 108" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Central America
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $26.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 05/17/2024Sold out -
Dasylirion gentryi
Item #: 9906
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $0.00Regular priceUnit price perThis plant is available for JLBG Members only.
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Dasylirion leiophyllum 'Chaves'
Item #: 16042
Zones: 5a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $27.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Dicentra spectabilis 'Valentine' PP 22,739
Item #: 9243
Zones: 3a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Summer, Fall
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Digitalis laevigata
Item #: 17065
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Digitalis thapsi 'Spanish Peaks'
Item #: 16658
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Portugal, Spain
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $20.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Dracunculus vulgaris
Item #: 2821
Zones: 5b to 8b
Dormancy: Summer, Fall
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Mediterranean Europe
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $25.00Regular priceUnit price perSold out -
Dryopteris x australis
Item #: 3546
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 50" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance'
Item #: 5293
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Eastern Asia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Sold out
Dryopteris lepidopoda
Item #: 6360
Zones: 6b to 7b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Taiwan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price perNext crop available: 05/17/2024Sold out -
Dryopteris ludoviciana
Item #: 611
Zones: 6a to 9b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $23.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Dryopteris sieboldii
Item #: 1836
Zones: 6a to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Taiwan
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Dystaenia takesimana
Item #: 17252
Zones: 4a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Korea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Echinacea 'Big Kahuna' PP 26,159
Item #: 14337
Zones: 4a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 28" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)
Regular price $22.00Regular priceUnit price per
More Information About Thrillers
These plants for containers don't belong in a scary movie or a Michael Jackson video, they belong in container gardens! In the container gardening world, Thriller plants get the pulse racing with their wonderful flowers and fascinating foliage. Whether planted alone as a specimen plant or as the main visual element of a mixed container (along with fillers and spillers), thrillers are there to please.
Our Favorite Thriller Plants
Container gardening offers a canvas of creativity to cultivate captivating displays, and one way to add an element of excitement is by incorporating thriller plants. These are the showstoppers, the plants that grab attention and create a focal point in your container arrangements. From vibrant foliage to striking blooms, thriller plants elevate the aesthetics of your outdoor space. Let's explore six thrilling examples: Canna, Paeonia, Crinum, Bletilla, Hedychium, and Hippeastrum.
Canna
Canna plants are renowned for their impressive height and bold foliage. With leaves that come in an array of colors including green, bronze, and even variegated options, they bring a tropical flair to your container garden. The tall flower spikes topped with vibrant blooms in shades of red, orange, yellow, and pink make Cannas a true thriller. Their lush appearance creates a stunning contrast against smaller filler and trailing plants.
Paeonia
Peonies are perennial favorites for their luxurious and fragrant blooms. While traditionally grown in gardens, they can also thrive in containers. The large, showy flowers in hues ranging from pure white to deep magenta are a sight to behold. Their dramatic presence instantly transforms any container arrangement into an elegant focal point.
Crinum
Crinums are often referred to as the "Queen of Bulbs" due to their regal appearance. These bulbous plants produce clusters of stunning trumpet-shaped flowers that come in various shades, from pale pinks to deep purples. Crinums lend an air of sophistication to container gardens while adding a touch of vintage charm.
Bletilla
Bletilla, commonly known as the 'Hardy Orchid,' is a thriller that brings an exotic touch to your container garden. Their intricate, orchid-like blooms in shades of pink, purple, and white are truly captivating. The arching flower stems rise above the foliage, making Bletilla an excellent choice for adding vertical interest to your arrangement.
Hedychium
Hedychium, or Ginger Lily, boasts lush foliage and magnificent flower spikes that emit a delightful fragrance. These plants are known for their tropical appeal and come in various species with different bloom colors. The bold, architectural presence of Hedychium adds a touch of drama to your container garden, making it a true eye-catcher.
Hippeastrum
Hippeastrum, often referred to as Amaryllis, is renowned for its stunning and oversized blooms. These bulbs produce large, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white, and even multi-colored varieties. Planted as a central thriller in a container, Hippeastrum commands attention and adds a burst of color to any space.
Tips for Using Thriller Plants in Your Container Garden
When designing your container garden with thriller plants, consider the overall color scheme, texture, and growth habits of the accompanying filler and trailing plants. This balance ensures that your thriller plants truly stand out and create a visually appealing composition. Remember to choose containers with adequate drainage and appropriate sizes to accommodate the growth of these captivating specimens.
Incorporating thriller plants into your container gardens will undoubtedly infuse them with intrigue and excitement. These plants are more than just decorations – they are the heart of your container masterpiece, bringing life and drama to your outdoor or indoor oasis.
Check out all our blog posts on plants for containers.