Proper Lighting and Placement in Your House for your Houseplants

Finding the right spot for your newly bought houseplant can be a difficult decision. You not only have to find the perfect spot where your plant thrives, but also complements the space they will now be inhabiting. If it’s too bright, your plant will burn and wither away in no time! On the flip side, too little light will cause your plant to develop long, leggy growth or stunt your plant’s growth all together. If you are unsure where to put your houseplant or which side of your home is best for your plant, keep reading along.

To start off, it’s good to think about which windows in your home are facing which direction. Some windows will naturally be exposed to more sun than others. Additionally, morning sun is cooler than afternoon sun. You’ll learn which plants prefer the morning sun to the afternoon sun.

Windows that face the North will give your plant the least amount of sunlight so plants that like low light settings will be best suited in these spaces. But remember that the sun will get slightly stronger in the summer when the sun rises. Eastern facing windows will give the indirect sunlight for most of the day along with cooler temperatures. Houseplants that can’t tolerate warmer temperatures should be kept here. Southern facing windows will provide the most light (especially during winter). You can place all of your houseplants that love sunlight in windows facing this direction. Just remember that with a lot of sun comes higher temperatures. Be mindful of your plants and if their foliage starts to burn. If you see that your plants are developing scorched leaves, you can add blinds or sheer curtains to help regulate the sunlight coming in. Western facing windows will have some indirect sunlight in the morning to early afternoon, but as the day progresses, this window will bring strong, direct sunlight in the mid to late afternoon. Plants with bright light needs will thrive in this space.

Moving along, we can categorize light requirements in 4 general categories: Sunny or direct sunlight, bright or indirect sunlight, partially shaded or low light, and shaded light. A plant that likes to be in a sunny environment will be best suited within 2 feet from a window sill facing South/South-West or in a sun room (if you have one). Although most houseplants will not fall into this category since most will burn under full sun conditions. Plants with bright/indirect sunlight needs will do best 4-5 feet from a window facing East or West. Any place where the sun hits for several hours. For plants that prefer a partially shaded climate, it would be best to have these on a East-facing window. That way your plant will get the cool morning sunlight for a few hours and not have the harsher afternoon rays beaming on them. Lastly, plants that need a shaded environment will do best in places like hallways, stairways, and corners of rooms. These plants can also be placed more than 6 feet away from a South/South-West-facing window or near a window that is shaded by trees.

So to sum it all up for you, there is a plant suited for anyone’s home in any light environment. It is just up to you to find the plants you like and to learn the requirements of that specific plant.