Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada meets a plant expert at a local greenhouse to talk about different houseplants and tropical plants. The two discuss the importance of the direction windows face, as it determines how much sunlight the room will get. Matching this sunlight to the right type of plants will allow them to thrive.
How to Choose Houseplants for Your Home
1. Room and Window Layout Come First
Before deciding on which plants you’d like for a particular room, it’s important to consider the room and window layout. Different plant species thrive in different light conditions, and the direction the window faces determines the amount of light.
In the northern hemisphere, windows on the south side of a home will get full sunlight. Windows on the east or west are considered partial sunlight. Windows on the north side of the home are considered full shade.
Keep in mind that these are general rules. Structures like tall buildings, trees, and other obstructions can greatly reduce the amount of sunlight a window gets.
Not sure how much light a spot actually gets? According to This Old House Magazine, there’s a simple test: hold your hand above a piece of white paper. A crisp shadow indicates bright light, a fuzzy shadow means medium light, and a faint shadow signals low light. You can also supplement existing light by training a halogen fixture on a plant.
Pro Tip: Chris Bell, a specialist in houseplants and tropical plants, advises treating indoor light the same way you would outdoors: “You wanna figure out where your house is oriented, the shade patterns of nearby structures and trees, same is inside, right? You just have a slightly different set of variables with house plants. You’re gonna be looking at what window is in that room.”
2. Shaded Windows
Plants in shaded windows need to thrive in low light conditions. Floor plants like bamboo palms can fill up a shaded corner, while a Chinese evergreen will bring interest as a table plant. For hanging plants, look for different varieties of pothos.
Pro Tip: Chris Bell, a specialist in houseplants and tropical plants, explains that light orientation is everything when choosing indoor plants: “For low light house plants, you’re gonna be talking about a north facing window or a plant that you’re gonna have oriented in your home that’s pulled back from a certain window.”
3. Partial Light
Windows on the east and west side of a home, or south-facing windows semi-obstructed by buildings or trees, will receive partial light. Floor plants that thrive in these conditions are Dracaena or dragon trees, as do tabletop plants like birds nest ferns. When it comes to hanging baskets or trailing plants, consider Swiss cheese vines.
4. Full Sun
South-facing windows are the most likely to see a lot of sunlight, and the plants in these windows need to be capable of handling it. Crotons do well as floor plants in these windows, and snake plants are a great choice for tabletop interest (they’re incredibly hardy, as well). String succulents like String of Pearls, String of Bananas, String of Hearts, or String of Dolphins plants can also thrive in these bright, intense windows.
Pro Tip: If you’re new to houseplants, a snake plant in a sunny south-facing window is an excellent starting point. As one This Old House segment noted, snake plants are so hardy they’re sometimes called “the rent plant” — if you water your plant every time you pay your rent, it will thrive. They’re practically indestructible, even when neglected in a corner for extended periods.
Resources
Jenn Nawada and Chris Bell, the houseplants and tropical plants expert at Weston Nurseries, gives insight on how to choose houseplants for different areas of a home.
