Lighting 101
With houseplants, it really is all about location. Chances are when you aren’t sure where to keep your plant, you will look online. There are care guides, plant groups on social media, and so many other resources available online. One thing that can get super confusing, and sometimes goes unexplained, is lighting.
Bright indirect light, east facing window, and filtered sunlight all sound like nonsense when you simply want to know what kind of light your plant needs. I’m here to break it down for you guys and take away at least some of the stress that goes into caring for your houseplants. I’ll start with the most common lighting needs.
Bright, indirect light
This light requirement is most common for leafy foliage plants and flowering plants. You should keep your plant a few feet away from a window that gets bright sunlight, like one that faces south. This can be a southeast or southwest facing window. These windows are going to give your plants the most time in the sun during the day, and many plants need at least four-six hours. Monstera deliciosa, spider plants, bird of paradise, pothos, and ivy are just a few plants that thrive under these conditions.
Full Shade or low light
This one is easy to remember because it’s pretty self explanatory. In this type of lighting, your plant stays in the shade where it doesn’t receive direct or indirect light. You can expect this kind of light from a north facing window. There aren’t many plants that will thrive in these conditions, like snake plants and zz.
Diffused/ Filtered light
This type of light has just been separated from its original source (the the window) by something like a curtain, blinds, or a sheer cloth. Plants like Christmas cacti and Dumb cane that will burn if they get even a little direct sunlight love filtered light.
Full Sun
Unless you’re a succulent or cactus parent, you probably don’t have many plants that need full exposure to sunlight. Many plants quite literally shrivel at the thought of being in direct sunlight.
Artificial Light
This type of light is very beneficial for all you plant parents who want to provide the best environment for your plants but might not have a good spot for them. Great news is that you can create ideal lighting for your plants using grow lights and keep them very happy! They even come in different colors and intensities.