Due to photosynthesis, all plants need at least some light to survive, some needing more than others. This can mean natural sunlight coming through your window, artificial lighting from your home or a grow light.
Lighting conditions for plants can be a beast to understand. However, in this blog post, we will break down the basics of lighting conditions for your plants and how to help them thrive!
First, we will start with the difference between low, medium, and high light.
Low Light:
It is important to remember that all indoor plants naturally get less lighting indoors than they would if they were outdoors, regardless of whether they're in a fully lit, south-facing room or in a shaded north-facing room. However, Low-light plants will be in areas of your home that get no direct sunlight throughout the day. This could mean that they are several feet away from a window or it could also mean that they are next to a window that naturally gets less light. Windows that are north facing will always get the weakest natural lighting. If you have a low-light plant that is at risk for sunburn and you want to avoid any direct sunlight, a north-facing window is perfect. A lot of low-light plants can be placed several feet from your window or light source, for example, on your dining table, on an office desk that is far from a window, and more. If you're placing a low-light plant in a lighter room that has more direct sun, placing it farther from the window is ideal. A good rule of thumb that I go by is if your plant can see the window but not see the sky, you're usually in good shape!
See the illustration below for an example of north-facing window lighting conditions.
Medium Light:
Medium-light is also called "filtered" or "dappled" sunlight. This is because medium-light plants will be placed away from a window's direct sun rays. Medium-light plants like to stay close to a window but they can get damaged if in direct sunlight. Another way to get medium lighting conditions is by placing a sheer curtain between a bright window and a plant, creating a filter between the two and protecting that plant's foliage. Theoretically, plants in the medium light category need about 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight a day.
See the illustration below for an example of direct vs. indirect light.
Bright Direct Light:
Bright Light comes in two different ways, the first being direct lighting and the second being indirect lighting. You will mostly see direct light in south-facing windows and west-facing windows. So, what exactly is direct light? Direct light is when the sunlight from your window is shining directly onto your plants. This light is the warmest and brightest of all houseplant lighting and therefore can get pretty hot. You want to put plants in a direct light that won't be at risk of sunburn and can tolerate these bright sunrays on their foliage. Some plants that won't tolerate bright lighting very well are plants like the Chinese Evergreen, Dracaena, English Ivy, Ferns, and more.
Bright Indirect Light:
Indirect Lighting can be one of the hardest lighting conditions to grasp because it goes a little further than just understanding the lighting coming from a window. Indirect light comes in through your window, bounces off another surface, and then onto your plant. Plants that require indirect lighting should be shielded from the harsh direct rays that come through your windows so placing them a few feet away from a bright light source or on the side of your window where the direct light won't touch is a great spot for these plants.
Now that we have discussed the differences between lighting conditions and what they mean, I want to touch base on what it means to place your plants near different windows of your home. What kind of lighting comes into each of these windows and what can we expect with our plant placement?
Let's start with north-facing windows
North Facing Window:
North-facing windows get the least amount of lighting. No direct sunlight will shine through these windows, only filtered or indirect light. Therefore, these windows are perfect for low-light plants!
Popular Low-Light Houseplants:
Snake Plant
Spider Plant
Cast Iron Plant
Monstera Adansonii
Nerve Plant
Pothos
Check out our list of the 7 best low-light houseplants here!
East Facing Window:
Since the sun rises in the east, these windows will get a couple of hours of direct light in the mornings. This being said, many plants that are sensitive to direct light on them can actually handle this light because it isn't as harsh as afternoon lighting. The east-facing window will get large amounts of indirect light which makes this window a popular and efficient spot to place many of your houseplants.
Popular Indirect Light Houseplants:
South Facing Window:
The south-facing windows are the beasts of all windows. These guys get the most direct light out of the others. The plants near these windows should be able to tolerate lots of direct lighting on them. If you place a plant near a south-facing window that cant tolerate such harsh light, you risk the light burning its leaves and an overall sad plant. Therefore, be thoughtful of which plant you choose for your south-facing window.
Popular Direct Light Plants:
Succulents
Cacti
Snake Plant
Jade Plant
Ponytail Palm
Croton
West Facing Window:
The west-facing windows are known for being great windows to put plants that do well with the afternoon sun, known for being a bit harsher than the morning sun. Since the sun sets in the west, these windows will get little direct light in the morning but bright light in the afternoons.
Popular West Window Plants:
Bird of Paradise
Air Plants
Schefflera
Norfolk Island Pine
When talking about plants and plant lighting, I always go by this rule of thumb: Choose a plant for the space, not the space for a plant. In other words, do some research before adding a new plant baby to your collection. Choose a plant that will go great in a space you already have ready and available, versus getting a plant and then not having a place for it to live in your home.
I hope this guide gave you some more answers on what the heck lighting is and how to apply this knowledge to your plants!
As always, stay planted my friends! ✿
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