June 29, 2021
Decorating the inside of your home with houseplants is a great way to bring life into any room. However, there are indoor plant guidelines you’ll need to follow to ensure your plants stay happy and healthy for years to come.
Sunlight is one of the most important factors in healthy plant growth. Understanding the types of sunlight each plant needs will help your plants thrive and prevent pests and diseases.
Check out our indoor plant light guide to expand your knowledge of your indoor plants and the light levels they require.
Use the links below to skip down through the article:
Direct vs. Indirect SunlightHigh, Medium and Low LightChoosing the Perfect Spot for Every PlantWhen to Move Plants Outside
Direct vs. Indirect Sunlight
The first thing we’ll cover in our indoor plant light guide is the two types of light: direct and indirect sunlight. You’ll likely find both types of light in your home – the trick is arranging your houseplants to make the most of your light options.
What is Direct Sunlight
Direct sunlight refers to sunlight in which the path of light from the sun to the plant is a straight line. For example, most windowsills provide direct sunlight. You can also create direct light with LED grow lights if your home doesn’t get enough direct sunlight to support your plant collection.
What is Indirect Sunlight
Indirect sunlight occurs when something in the path of light from the sun diffuses or filters the sunlight before it hits your plants. Examples include sheer curtains, a piece of furniture, a tree outside your window, or even another indoor plant placed in front to protect the lower-light plant.
High, Medium, and Low Light
Every plant requires a different amount of light. In this indoor plant light guide, we’ll cover the three standard levels: high, medium, and low light. Some easy-to-grow plants can survive in multiple levels of light (like ZZ plants and snake plants), but it is important to make sure your pickier plants are getting the correct amount of sunlight if you want them to thrive.
High Light
High-light houseplants require direct or indirect sun exposure for most of the day (6+ hours). Some of these include:
- Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Most varieties of palm trees
- Orchid
- Croton
- Jade
- Norfolk Island Pine
- Boston Fern
Most of these plants can withstand a lot of direct sunlight, but be sure to keep an eye out for sunburn on the tips of their leaves until you fine-tune your placement.
Medium Light
Most medium-light houseplants can survive in some direct sunlight, but they far prefer their light to be indirect. There are three types of indirect sunlight you may find in your home:
- Filtered sunlight is direct sunlight that fills the room most of the day, but is filtered by curtains, blinds, an awning, or even trees right outside the window. You can also create filtered light by placing your plant further from the window.
- Indirect sunlight is when your plant is in a shady area within an area that receives bright sunlight. It may be behind another plant or a piece of furniture.
- Partial sunlight is when the light is direct only during certain times of the day, such as in the morning or late afternoon. This is common in east-facing windows that receive a few hours of morning light, followed by a few hours of indirect afternoon sun.
Popular medium-light and indirect sunlight plants include:
- Pothos (Marble queen, jade, etc.)
- Most Dracaena
- Majesty Palm
Low Light
Low-light houseplants don’t require much light. You’ll typically find low light in rooms with few windows or windows where the blinds are often kept down/closed (like bathrooms). These plants are perfect for brightening up small rooms and drab corners. Some of these include:
Choosing the Perfect Spot for Every Plant
Now that we’ve discussed the different levels of light, our indoor plant light guide would be incomplete without talking about where to find each light level in your home. The best way to understand the light in your home is to take a few walks throughout the day and see where the light falls (say at 9am, noon, 3 pm, and 6pm). You can also categorize your home’s light more broadly based on the direction the windows in each room face.
North Facing Window Houseplants
North-facing windows rarely get any light. If you have a window that faces northeast or northwest you may get an hour or two of light during the morning or late afternoon, respectively. Low-light plants are best for these windows unless there is a nearby window facing another direction to boost the room’s light level.
South Facing Window Houseplants
Across from their north-facing counterparts, south-facing windows get the most direct sunlight during the late morning and early afternoon. While the sun rays will be strongest during these hours, direct sunlight will continue throughout the day. High-light houseplants are usually best for these windows. Medium-light plants can thrive near south-facing windows with appropriate protection from furniture, curtains, or other plants.
East Facing Window Houseplants
East-facing windows get the first rays of bright sunlight in the morning. However, their direct sunlight will wane at noon when the sun is perfectly overhead. East-facing windows still provide a good amount of sunlight and heat without being too unbearable. Medium-light plants are the best option for east-facing windows.
West Facing Window Houseplants
West-facing windows gather the most direct sunlight in the late afternoon until the sun sets in the evening. Plants placed near a west-facing window will also benefit from getting their light during the warmest part of the day. While this can cause some plants to burn, high-light plants will thrive in a west-facing window. Medium-light plants can also grow well with appropriate cover.
When to Move Plants Outside
Our indoor plant light guide is essential in the colder months when your plants need to be inside. But in the warmer months, taking your indoor plants outside can provide them with valuable natural sunlight and rainfall.
Here are our top tips on moving your plants outdoors safely:
- Start slow. Your plants are used to much weaker indoor light, and direct outdoor sunlight can be shocking even to high-light plants. Slowly acclimate your plans to the outdoors, starting in a shady spot under a tree for just a few hours and gradually adding sunlight and time until your plants are happy.
- Check (and double-check) the temperature. Most houseplants are from far more tropical regions than your backyard. If you want to move your plants outdoors during the warmer months, you’ll need to keep an eye on the temperature each day to make sure it won’t drop below 55℉. In many regions, you’ll need to bring your plants in each night to avoid freezing or chilling.
- Keep an eye on the weather. While light rain is usually good for houseplants, a sudden downpour can shock them easily. Make sure your plants are in well-draining pots so they don’t drown in rainwater, and bring them in if heavy rain is on the radar. Wind can also toss your plants around or knock them over, so be sure to place your plants in a well-protected area, like near the side of your home, and bring them in if high winds are expected.
- Watch out for pests. Unlike in the controlled environment of your home, bugs are everywhere outdoors. Give your plants a quick inspection to identify and remove any bugs before you bring them back in. You can also quarantine your indoor/outdoor plants from the rest of your collection to avoid the spread of pests and diseases should they occur. If you encounter pests such as aphids or spider mites, our experts have created a guide on how to get rid of bugs on your houseplants for when you decide to bring them back in.
What Indoor Plants Can Go Outside?
Still nervous to take your plants outdoors? Start with your hardiest plants first. The plants that aren’t super picky in terms of light level or water consumption are your best options to take outside. Examples of these plants include:
- Rubber Tree
- ZZ Plant
- Snake Plant
- Pothos
If you still have any questions about outdoor or indoor plant light requirements, you can always ask an expert at your local garden center! And remember, practice makes perfect, so keep experimenting with your indoor plants and until you find the perfect setup for your collection!
