Top 5+ perennials you should never grow in containers, according to garden experts
Some plants just aren’t built for pots.
Not every perennial is meant for a container—and even seasoned gardeners can be surprised by which ones struggle! While container planting has its perks (like easy portability), it can also restrict your plant’s growth and even shorten its lifespan.
Unfortunately, some perennials are just destined for the ground. Here, we asked experts to share which ones you should never grow in containers, so you have a thriving mix of potted and in-ground plants.
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Bamboo
“Bamboo takes the top spot among container disasters,” says Andy Wu, founder of Backyard Oasis. “The rhizome grows with such vigour that it punctures planters made of concrete in two growing seasons—the underground stems create enough pressure under anything put in containers to knock off the bottom.”
Although it must be noted that bamboo is very challenging to maintain in the ground. It grows incredibly fast (some species gaining nearly 3 feet of growth per day) and can quickly take over yards, damaging other plants and even property.
So fair warning: Either option is a tricky one! If you plant directly in the ground, create a hard barrier around the plant to prevent extra growth, and ensure it’s far from your foundation and neighboring houses.
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Irises
According to Ward Dilmore, founder and head landscape designer at Petrus Luxury Estate Landscaping Company, the longer an Iris can stay in the ground and continue to grow, the larger and fuller it will get.
“Growing them in containers—which are often used for seasonal flower displays—is not the best idea,” he says. “Even if your container is full of irises, they are short-lived flowers, and this will cause your container to look bare for all but a couple of weeks.”
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Peonies
Peonies are another great example of a very seasonal plant that does best when it’s left to grow over a few seasons, Dilmore says. “Peonies are best planted in a mixed perennial border,” he recommends. “If planted in a container, it will not be able to reach its full potential compared to if planted in the garden.”
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Prairie Flowers
Prairie flowers are among the most common native plants, including beloved perennials like coneflowers and black-eyed Susans—and, as their name suggests, they belong in the ground (preferably in a prairie).
The reason? “They have roots that extend 3 to 4 feet deep,” Wu explains. He adds that the roots will attempt to grow in circles if placed in a pot, forcing the plant to become root-bound and making it difficult to absorb water and nutrients.
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Extra-Large Hostas
According to Wu, extra-large hostas (like the 'Sum and Substance' variety) look like the obvious shade container choice, but they need steady moisture, which containers cannot adequately provide.
“Even with daily watering, contained hostas will show brown edges on their leaves around midsummer,” he explains. “The amount of soil and water needed to support their large foliage output exceeds the capacity that most containers provide.”
What Happens if You Pick the Wrong Perennial for Container Gardening?
Picking the wrong perennial for your container (or the wrong size container for your perennial!) can be detrimental to your plant’s health. Plants exhibit stress during their initial year of development, leaves turn yellow prematurely, fewer blooms are produced, and development is slowed. In fact, Wu says prairie flowers that are cultivated in containers grow 60% fewer flowers than plants grown in garden beds.
To boot, you might not even be able to salvage the plant if you try to introduce it to a garden bed—the damage has been done. “Root-bound root systems typically cannot survive, even when transplanted,” Wu cautions.
On a (slightly) positive note, Wu points out that container issues occur more frequently than plants perishing. “The roots of large plants exert enough pressure to shatter the heavy pot walls after only two growing seasons,” he says. “Shattered pots, cracked pots, and ruptured planters lead to expensive replacements.” So, in short, the wrong perennial can cost you not only the plant, but also the pot!
