A Guide To Indoor Plant Lighting

What exactly is bright indirect light verse low light? We’re here to give you the breakdown on the difference in indoor light conditions and what plants survive and thrive best in each.

 
 

Bright Light or Direct sunlight is not usually common in most households. This would be a large, southern or west facing windows with no outside obstructions (such as trees/buildings/etc) The majority of your common house plants cannot handle this type of sunlight because it will burn their leaves or foliage. Some examples of houseplants that like direct sunlight are:

  • Citrus plants/trees

  • Coleus

  • Datura

  • Desert Rose

  • Euphorbia

  • Geranium

  • Begonia

  • Hibiscus

  • Kalanchoe

  • Madagascar Palm

  • Mandevilla

  • Succulents

  • Cacti

  • Most types of herbs/veggies

Bright Indirect light is just beyond that direct sunlight…usually never more than a few feet away from the window. This usually sunny spot avoids the harsher rays of the sun hitting the window and will also still get good like on cloudier days to keep your plants happy. There are house plants that require bright indirect light, however, your lower light plants will also be happy in this spot and will thrive and grow at a quicker pace! Here is a list of some plants that want brighter indirect light:

  • Rhapis Palm

  • Kentia Palm

  • Bamboo Palm

  • Money Plant (Pachira)

  • Dracaena marginata

  • Phalaenopsis Orchid

  • African Violet

  • White Bird of Paradise

  • Areca Palm

  • English or Hedera Ivy

  • Schefflera

  • Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)

  • Monstera

  • Sago Palm (Cycad)

  • Peperomia

  • Calathea

  • Dracaena Warneckei

  • Prayer Plant (Maranta)

  • Dieffenbachia

  • Anthurium

  • Alocasia

  • Bromeliad species

  • Most fern species

Low sunlight is more of a moderate indirect light. This type of light would be where your plants would receive direct sunlight on the leaves for 2 – 4 hours per day, but no more. Usually this would be a Eastern facing window where you get good morning light as the sun rises and then have some light throughout the rest of the day.

  • Ficus Benjamina

  • Ficus Lyrata

  • Ficus Alii

  • Christmas cactus

  • Norfolk Island Pine

  • Ming aralia (Polyscias)

  • Ponytail Palm

  • Wax Plant (Hoya)

  • Spider Plant

  • Dracaena Arborea

  • Jade (Crassula)

  • Most succulents

  • Yucca

  • Asparagus Fern

  • Caladium

  • Alocasia

  • Aloe vera

  • Purple Passion (Gynura)

  • Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)

  • Syngonium

  • Areca Palm

  • China Doll

  • Croton

Low light, is minimal sun, but does not mean a room with no windows. Low light is still a room with windows, such as a northern facing window, or in a room with southern facing windows where your plant would be about 6 feet or so away and getting cross light. A good way to judge low light is if you can still sit in that spot at any point during the daytime and still be able to read comfortably without having to turn on any lamps. Here are some plants that can handle lower conditions…however! Remember these will thrive in brighter light.

Pothos

  • Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’

  • Dracaena ‘Lisa’

  • Dracaena Massangeana (Corn Plant)

  • ZZ Plant

  • Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)

  • Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

  • Peace Lily

  • Philodendron

  • Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans)

  • Lucky Bamboo

  • Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra)

HAPPY PLANT-ing!!!

Lauren Austin