Top 20 'Floor-to-Ceiling' Food Forest Plants to grow for city dwellers creating a vertical harvest on their balcony - Goh Ling Yong
Living in the city often feels like a trade-off. We get the convenience, the energy, and the opportunities, but we often lose our connection to the earth, to the simple joy of watching something grow. Staring out at a concrete balcony, it’s easy to think that a lush, productive garden is a dream reserved for those with sprawling backyards. But what if I told you that your balcony isn't a limitation? It’s a canvas. A vertical canvas waiting to be painted with green.
The secret is to stop thinking horizontally and start thinking vertically. By embracing the 'floor-to-ceiling' food forest concept, we can transform even the smallest of spaces into a thriving ecosystem that provides food, beauty, and a daily dose of nature. This isn't about a few sad pots in a corner; it's about creating layers of growth, from the floor up to the rafters, mimicking the structure of a natural forest. We're talking about climbers that race up trellises, slender trees that reach for the sun, and hanging baskets that cascade with edible leaves.
Ready to turn your urban outpost into a vertical harvest? Here are 20 fantastic plants that will help you build your own floor-to-ceiling food forest, proving that you don't need a plot of land to be a gardener—you just need a bit of creativity and a willingness to grow up!
1. Malabar Spinach (Basella alba/rubra)
Forget everything you think you know about spinach. Malabar Spinach isn't a true spinach, but a tenacious, heat-loving vine that will happily scramble up any support you give it. Its thick, succulent leaves are fantastic in stir-fries and soups, holding their texture much better than traditional spinach. It comes in two beautiful varieties: one with green stems and another with stunning reddish-purple stems (rubra), adding a splash of ornamental color to your edible landscape.
This plant is the quintessential vertical gardener's dream. Provide it with a simple trellis, a net, or even just some strings running up a wall, and it will take care of the rest. Plant it in a medium-sized pot (at least 5 gallons) with rich, well-draining soil. It loves sun and water, so don't let it dry out, especially on hot afternoons. The more you harvest its leaves, the more it will produce, giving you a continuous supply all through the warm months.
2. Pole Beans (Long Beans)
While bush beans are great, pole beans are the true champions of small-space gardening. Varieties like the Asian Long Bean (or Yardlong Bean) can grow incredibly fast, producing tender, delicious beans that can be a foot long or more! They are nitrogen-fixers, meaning they actually improve the soil they grow in, making them a fantastic companion for other heavy-feeding plants on your balcony.
To grow them, you'll need a sturdy support structure. A bamboo teepee in a large pot or a trellis secured to your balcony railing works perfectly. Plant several seeds at the base of each pole. As they sprout, they will naturally find their way up, twining and climbing towards the light. They require full sun and consistent watering to produce a bountiful crop. Harvesting is a daily joy; the more you pick, the more they'll flower and produce new beans.
3. Vining Cucumbers
There's nothing quite like the taste of a homegrown cucumber. For a balcony, choose vining varieties rather than bush types. Smaller-fruited types like Japanese or Persian cucumbers are often the most productive and manageable. They produce crisp, thin-skinned fruit with a refreshing flavor, perfect for salads or a quick, healthy snack.
Cucumbers are thirsty and hungry plants. Plant them in a large container (at least 7-10 gallons) with plenty of compost mixed in. A strong, vertical trellis is a must, as the vines will need support to hold the weight of the fruit. Training the vines upwards not only saves space but also improves air circulation, which helps prevent common fungal diseases like powdery mildew. Keep the soil consistently moist, and you'll be rewarded with a surprisingly large harvest from a single plant.
4. Cherry Tomatoes (Indeterminate)
Tomatoes are a gateway plant for many gardeners, and for good reason! When choosing a tomato for your vertical garden, look for "indeterminate" varieties. Unlike "determinate" (bush) types that grow to a fixed size, indeterminate tomatoes will keep growing and producing fruit all season long, like a vine. Varieties like 'Sungold', 'Sweet Million', or 'Black Cherry' are prolific and delicious.
You will need to provide serious support. A tall, sturdy cage or a trellis system is essential. As the plant grows, gently tie the main stem to the support. Prune off the "suckers"—the little shoots that appear between the main stem and the branches—to encourage the plant to focus its energy on fruit production and upward growth. Plant in a large pot (10+ gallons), give it at least 6-8 hours of direct sun, and feed it regularly.
5. Passion Fruit
Ready to bring a taste of the tropics to your balcony? Passion fruit is a vigorous, fast-growing vine that produces both stunning, exotic flowers and incredibly delicious fruit. The vine's tendrils will eagerly grab onto any support, quickly covering a trellis to create a living wall of lush green foliage. The reward for your efforts is a supply of tangy, aromatic fruit perfect for drinks, desserts, or just scooping out with a spoon.
Passion fruit vines need a large, sturdy container and a robust trellis to support their weight. They thrive in full sun and require well-draining soil. It's important to provide regular, deep watering and to feed them with a balanced fertilizer during the growing season. While some varieties are self-pollinating, you may get a better fruit set by hand-pollinating the flowers with a small paintbrush.
6. Loofah Gourd
Grow your own sponges! Loofah (or Luffa) is a fascinating and useful plant. It's a member of the gourd family that grows on a vigorous vine. When the gourds are young, they are edible and can be cooked like zucchini. If you let them mature and dry on the vine, the skin can be peeled back to reveal the fibrous skeleton inside—a natural, biodegradable sponge for your kitchen or bath.
This is a fast-growing vine that needs plenty of space to climb, so a strong trellis is non-negotiable. Plant seeds in a large pot with rich soil after the weather has warmed up. Loofah loves heat and sun. Keep it well-watered, and be patient. It can take a while for the female flowers (the ones with a tiny gourd at the base) to appear, but once they do, you'll be amazed at how quickly the gourds grow.
7. Bitter Melon
A staple in many Asian cuisines, bitter melon is prized for its unique flavor and health benefits. This vining plant is another excellent candidate for vertical growth, producing fascinating, warty-looking fruit that hangs down from the foliage. It’s a beautiful and productive plant that adds an interesting element to any edible garden.
Similar to cucumbers and loofah, bitter melon needs a sturdy trellis to climb. It thrives in hot, humid conditions and requires full sun and rich, well-draining soil. Keep the soil consistently moist. Harvest the fruit when it is still green and firm for the best flavor and texture. Growing bitter melon is a great way to expand your culinary horizons right from your own balcony.
8. Dwarf Papaya
Think you can't grow a tree on a balcony? Think again! Dwarf papaya varieties are bred to fruit at a much smaller height, often when they are just a few feet tall. They have a single, slender trunk with a crown of large, tropical-looking leaves, making them a perfect "canopy" layer for your floor-to-ceiling garden. They don’t take up much horizontal space but provide a wonderful vertical accent.
You'll need a very large container for this one, at least 15-20 gallons, to provide stability and room for the roots. Use a well-draining potting mix, as papayas are susceptible to root rot. They need full sun, heat, and protection from strong winds. Ensure your pot has excellent drainage and water regularly, but don't let the soil become waterlogged. With a little care, you could be harvesting your own sweet, homegrown papayas.
9. Moringa (Drumstick Tree)
Often called the "miracle tree," Moringa is a nutritional powerhouse. Its leaves, pods ("drumsticks"), and flowers are all edible and packed with vitamins and minerals. It’s a fast-growing, slender tree that can be kept compact through regular pruning, making it surprisingly suitable for container life. By harvesting the leaves for your morning smoothie or a stir-fry, you are also controlling its size.
Plant Moringa in a deep pot (at least 10-15 gallons) to accommodate its taproot. It prefers full sun and well-draining, sandy soil. Moringa is incredibly drought-tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance choice. To keep it from getting too tall, you can prune the main trunk back when it reaches your desired height. This will encourage it to become bushier, providing even more leaves for you to harvest.
10. Lemongrass
No balcony food forest is complete without a supply of fresh herbs. Lemongrass grows in a dense, fountain-like clump, adding a wonderful grassy texture and a fresh, citrusy aroma to your space. It's the perfect "understory" plant. The tender base of the stalks is essential for many Southeast Asian dishes, from curries to marinades, and the leaves can be brewed into a refreshing tea.
Lemongrass is easy to grow in a medium-to-large pot. It loves full sun and needs consistent watering to thrive. The clumps will expand over time, and you can easily divide them to create new plants. To harvest, simply pull a stalk from the outer edge of the clump, or use a sharp knife to cut it at the base. Its vertical, grassy form provides a great contrast to broad-leafed plants.
11. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
Roselle is a type of hibiscus grown not for its flowers, but for its fleshy, red calyces—the part that encloses the flower bud. These calyces have a tart, cranberry-like flavor and are used to make vibrantly colored teas, syrups, and jams. The plant itself is a beautiful, shrubby annual with reddish stems and lovely pale-yellow flowers, growing to a manageable height of 4-6 feet in a container.
Plant Roselle in a sunny spot in a large pot with well-draining soil. It's a low-maintenance plant that is fairly drought-tolerant, though it will be more productive with regular watering. The calyces are ready to harvest about two to three weeks after the flowers bloom. Simply snap them off the plant. This is a fantastic "dual-purpose" plant, offering both beauty and a unique, delicious harvest.
12. Sunflowers
Sunflowers are the embodiment of summer, and they are a perfect vertical element for a balcony garden. While you might think of vast fields, many varieties grow beautifully in containers. Choose single-stem, non-branching varieties to maximize your vertical space. They not only provide stunning beauty but also produce edible seeds (if you can get to them before the birds do!).
You’ll need a deep, heavy pot to prevent the tall stalks from toppling over in the wind. A 5-gallon pot is a good minimum for most varieties. Plant the seeds in a sunny spot and keep the soil moist. As my mentor Goh Ling Yong often says, "Observe and learn from nature," and watching a sunflower track the sun across the sky is a simple, powerful lesson in itself. They are a joyful addition that draws in pollinators and adds a cheerful vertical line to your garden design.
13. Sweet Potatoes (for the vines)
While growing large sweet potato tubers can be tricky in a container, this plant is worth growing for its beautiful and edible leaves alone! The vines are vigorous climbers or spillers, quickly creating a lush cascade of green or deep purple foliage, depending on the variety. The leaves are a popular green in many parts of the world, nutritious and delicious when sautéed or steamed, with a mild, sweet flavor.
Plant a "slip" (a rooted sprout from a sweet potato) in a hanging basket or a pot near a trellis. The vines will eagerly trail down or climb up, covering a surprising amount of space. They are very low-maintenance, tolerating heat and a bit of neglect. Harvesting the leaves regularly encourages the plant to become even bushier. It’s a perfect way to add a "spiller" or "climber" layer to your vertical design.
14. Kale ('Dinosaur' or 'Lacinato')
Not all kale is a low, frilly bush. 'Lacinato' Kale, also known as 'Dinosaur' or 'Tuscan' Kale, grows in a unique palm tree-like form. As you harvest the lower leaves, the main stalk continues to grow taller, creating a distinctive vertical silhouette. The dark, bumpy leaves are incredibly nutritious and have a wonderful, rich flavor that sweetens after a cool spell.
Plant your kale in a medium-sized pot with rich soil. It prefers cooler weather but can tolerate some heat if given afternoon shade and consistent water. The "cut-and-come-again" harvesting method is perfect for this variety. Simply snap off the lowest, largest leaves as you need them, leaving the top cluster to continue growing upwards. This method provides a steady supply of greens for months from a single plant.
15. Dwarf Mulberry
A fruiting tree on a balcony might sound ambitious, but a Dwarf Mulberry is an excellent choice. Varieties like 'Dwarf Everbearing' can be kept to a manageable size in a large pot (15-20 gallons) and will produce sweet, blackberry-like fruit over a long season. They can be pruned to maintain a compact, tree-like shape or a more sprawling, bushy form.
Provide your mulberry with a sunny spot and a large, stable container. Use a good quality potting mix and feed it a balanced fertilizer during the growing season. Pruning is key to keeping it manageable and productive. Regular watering is important, especially when the plant is setting fruit. The joy of picking your own sun-warmed berries on a city balcony is an experience that is hard to beat.
16. Mint
Mint is notoriously aggressive in a garden bed, but this trait makes it a perfect candidate for container gardening, where its spread is naturally contained. To incorporate it into a vertical system, plant it in a hanging basket or the pockets of a vertical wall planter. Its trailing stems will create a fragrant, cascading curtain of green that is both beautiful and useful.
There are countless varieties to choose from—spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, apple mint—each with its own unique aroma and flavor. Mint is incredibly easy to grow. It tolerates a bit of shade and just needs to be kept moist. Harvest sprigs regularly for teas, mojitos, or to add a fresh kick to salads and desserts. Pruning it back often will keep it from getting leggy and encourage lush, new growth.
17. Climbing Strawberries
Imagine reaching out and picking a fresh, sweet strawberry right from a vertical wall on your balcony. While "climbing" strawberries don't climb in the traditional sense with tendrils, they are everbearing varieties that produce long runners. When these runners are trained up a trellis or allowed to cascade from a hanging basket, they will root and fruit, creating a vertical wall of berries.
Plant them in a strawberry pot, a vertical planter, or a hanging basket with good quality potting mix. As the runners develop, gently tuck or tie them onto your support structure. They need at least 6 hours of sun for good fruit production and consistent watering. Feeding them with a fertilizer high in potassium will promote more flowers and sweeter fruit.
18. Dragon Fruit
For a truly exotic and architectural element, grow dragon fruit! This plant is a type of climbing cactus that produces stunning, night-blooming flowers followed by vibrant pink or yellow fruit with a mild, sweet taste. The succulent-like stems have a unique, triangular shape and will need a sturdy post or trellis to climb and hang from.
Dragon fruit needs a large, well-draining pot filled with a gritty cactus or succulent mix. A strong central support, like a thick wooden post, is crucial for it to cling to. It loves sun and heat but be careful not to let it dry out completely for long periods. It can take a few years to start fruiting, but the process of growing this unique plant is a reward in itself.
19. Corn
Growing a field of corn on a balcony is impossible, but a small, dense block of corn is surprisingly feasible and creates a dramatic vertical statement. Corn is wind-pollinated, so you can't just plant one or two stalks. Instead, plant at least 9-12 plants in a tight grid (e.g., 3x3 or 4x3) in a large, wide container like a half-barrel or a raised bed.
Choose a variety with a shorter maturity date. You'll need a container that is at least 12-15 inches deep. Corn is a very heavy feeder, so use rich soil amended with plenty of compost and provide regular fertilizer. It also requires full, unobstructed sun and a lot of water. The sight of tall corn stalks with their rustling leaves and developing ears is a fantastic way to bring a touch of the countryside to the city.
20. Perennial Peanut (Arachis glabrata)
While this plant doesn't produce edible nuts like its famous cousin, ornamental or perennial peanut is a superb choice for the "ground cover" layer of your balcony food forest. It forms a dense, low-growing mat of bright green leaves and produces cheerful, little yellow flowers. Most importantly, the leaves and flowers are edible, with a mild, nutty flavor perfect for adding to salads.
Plant it in a hanging basket where it can spill over the sides, or at the base of a larger plant like a dwarf papaya or moringa. It's a nitrogen-fixer, so it benefits the soil and its neighbors. This plant is incredibly tough, drought-tolerant, and thrives in the sun. It's a beautiful, functional, and edible plant that fills in the lower level of your vertical space perfectly.
Your Vertical Harvest Awaits
Creating a floor-to-ceiling food forest on your balcony is more than just a gardening project; it's a way to reconnect with your food, beautify your living space, and create a personal green sanctuary in the heart of the city. As we've explored with this list, the possibilities are vast and exciting. From tropical fruits and sturdy greens to climbing beans and fragrant herbs, there is a vertical solution for every taste and every balcony.
Don't be afraid to start small. Pick one or two plants from this list that excite you the most. The journey of transforming your space begins with a single pot. As you learn and grow alongside your plants, your confidence will blossom, and so will your garden.
Now, I'd love to hear from you. Which of these plants are you most excited to try? Do you have any vertical gardening successes (or failures!) to share? Let us know in the comments below—let's grow this urban gardening community together
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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