Sunlight. It’s one of the most fundamental things that a houseplant needs to grow and thrive, but of course, every plant is a little different. What works great for one plant may end up killing another. With each area of your home receiving different amounts of light throughout the day, it can be challenging to know exactly where to place each plant in your collection. To set you up for success, we’re sharing our lighting 101 tips and tricks to keep your houseplants thriving.

Types of Light

To break it down, we’ve divided your home into five distinct levels of sunlight:

Bright Light (Direct Sun) This comes from those south-facing windows in your home which receive direct light all day long. These will be the brightest areas in your home.

Bright Indirect Light This can either be filtered light from a south-facing window or light that’s just to the side of a south-facing window.

Medium Light Medium-light can typically be found in the interior of a room where there’s a south or east-facing window providing light.

Low Light Areas in your home which are near north-facing windows or those dark corners of a bright room can be defined as low light areas.

Little to No Light Rooms with no windows at all or rooms with windows where the sunlight is being blocked by a tree or building fall into this category.

Troubleshooting

There’s nothing worse than bringing a new plant home, and after a week or two having it start to develop crispy leaves or seeing the leaves start to turn yellow. These can be signs that your plant isn’t happy with the light it’s getting.

Not Enough Light: Have you ever seen a plant growing lopsided with all of the new growth leaning toward a window? This is the plant saying it needs more light. Limbs that appear leggy or otherwise stunted growth are sure signs that your plant needs more light. Additionally, if you see yellowing or dropping of leaves, that can also be an indicator of poor light.

Too much light: Similar to the way we get a sunburn, plants exhibit similar characteristics when they’re exposed to too much sun. If your plant develops brown, crispy leaves (especially at the tips), or you notice burned patches on the plant, you might want to try moving your plant to a darker area.

Keep in mind that some of the above symptoms like leaf drop can be caused by a few things, so lighting may not necessarily be the culprit. Check your plant for signs of over or under watering, and look for bugs or disease as well as lighting conditions. When in doubt, call us or pay us a visit. We’re always here to help.

The Right Plant for the Right Space

So you’ve identified the type of light your space gets. Now it’s time to fill it with plants! We’ve rounded up a few of our favorites to get you started.

Bright Light (Direct Sun)

Jade

Aloe

Croton

Kalanchoe

Peperomia

String of pearls

Cacti

Succulents

Citrus

Hibiscus

Hoya

Crown of thorns

Bright Indirect

Norfolk Island Pine

Fiddle leaf fig

Ficus

Schefflera

Orchid

Ivy

Money tree

Medium Light

Palms (Areca, bamboo, majesty, parlor palm)

Bromeliad

Rubber tree

Cyclamen

African violet

Pilea

Spider plant

Ferns

Monstera

Philodendrons

Begonias

Dracaena

Pothos

Low Light

Cast iron plant

Anthurium

Calathea

Snake Plant

ZZ Plant

Chinese Evergreen

Ferns

Peace Lily

Polka dot plant

Little to No Light

Snake Plant

ZZ Plant

Keep in mind that many of these plants are tolerant of a wide range of light conditions and may fall into several categories. If you’re considering moving your plant to a location with different lighting conditions, try to slowly acclimate it so you don’t shock the plant, and closely monitor it to make sure it’s not showing signs of too much light or not enough light.

Don’t see your plant on the list? Just ask us! We’d be happy to help you.

Do you have that one room in your home where all of your houseplants wind up because all the others are too dark? Or have you been avoiding houseplants altogether due to poor natural light? For those dark rooms and homes, we’ve rounded up a list of our favorite low-light houseplants that’ll thrive even if conditions are less than sunny.

Monstera

Also known as the Swiss cheese plant, Monstera plants feature beautiful heart-shaped foliage with dramatic openings in the leaves (known as leaf fenestration).

Bromeliad

These beautiful plants feature unique, waxy leaves and vibrant bracts in a wide range of colors.

Calathea

There are so many different varieties of Calathea, or Prayer plant, to choose from, all with striking patterns and colors which are sure to make a statement in any home.

Chinese Evergreen

Perfect for beginners, Chinese Evergreens (Aglaonema) produce large showy leaves, and are extremely easy to care for.

Peace Lily

Featuring delicate white bracts atop deep green foliage, Peace lilies are excellent choices for even low-light offices and are known for purifying the air.

Snake Plant

Talk about an easy plant to care for! Snake plants have tough, sword-like foliage which ranges in color from deep greens to dusty sage and even stripes of yellow.

Dracaena

Also known as the dragon plant, Dracaena features dramatic striped foliage.

Pothos

Arguably one of the easiest houseplants to take care of, Pothos, or Devil’s Ivy, thrives on neglect. Place your plant up high, and enjoy the continuously trailing foliage as part of your own indoor jungle!

Bird’s Nest Fern

Beautiful wavy fronds in a bright, lime green color make this fern a must-have in any low-light space!

Bella Palms

Create your own personal indoor rainforest with these dramatic, far-reaching leaves. Adding one of these to your space adds instant impact!

ZZ Plant

Another excellent choice for experts and novices alike, ZZ plants feature thick, shiny green leaves that start out lime green before turning a beautiful deep hue. It’s just the thing to brighten up any dark space!