Best Plants For South Facing Window

Many factors affect a plant’s overall condition, like humidity, temperature, and light. In the case of light, selecting where to keep your plant is incredibly important, as various areas in a home receive different amounts of sunlight.

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North-facing windows often receive lots of soft, yet bright, sunlight, especially in the morning. East-facing windows often receive moderate amounts of light, while south-facing windows receive a consistent amount of strong, direct sunlight.

If you have a south-facing window, you’ll need to avoid placing plants that can’t handle bright light in this area. Even though lots of plants need to avoid direct, bright sunlight, some types of plants can handle these conditions.

You’ll discover some of the best plants for south-facing windows in this post, so you have an idea of what will work best in your home.

Why Is Sunlight Important For Plants?

Before we get into the plants themselves, it’s a good idea to go over why plants need sunlight. Sunlight helps plants create the energy required to grow through photosynthesis.

Some types of plants need a larger amount of sunlight compared to others to perform photosynthesis. This is because these plants have evolved to particular light requirements. Examples like citrus trees, lavender, and ponytail palm thrive well when kept around south-facing windows.

If a plant’s light requirements aren’t fulfilled, the plant will struggle to survive and may develop negative symptoms. For instance, if a plant doesn’t receive enough sunlight, it may start growing to reach another light source, or its leaves may turn thin.

Conversely, if a plant obtains too much light, it may begin to wilt or brown on the sides. These signs may differ based on the type of plant and its best light requirements.

South-Facing Windows

In most cases, the light conditions around a south-facing window will look like direct light between two to three feet from the window. At five feet away from the window, the light will look like indirect, bright light, while eight feet away will look like partial shady conditions.

Here’s an explanation of some of these terms:

Direct, Bright Light

You’ll notice direct, bright light directly beside, and roughly three feet from the south-facing window.

Direct bright light is sunlight that touches your plants without reflecting off a different surface. If this light travels from your south-facing window, it can remain for many hours during the day.

Indirect, Bright Light

Indirect, bright sunlight travels roughly five feet away from a south-facing window, though this may differ based on the available space.

This type of light initially comes from the sun, but it bounces off another surface, like a wall, before it comes into contact with your plants. In most cases, south-facing windows deliver lots of indirect, bright light during the day.

Plants For South-Facing Windows

Now that you know more about a plant’s light requirements, let’s get into the best plants for a south-facing window.

1. Aloe

Aloe does incredibly well in sunny conditions, as its thick, dense leaves have evolved to thrive in desert conditions. Another advantage of this is that they are easy to keep alive, as they don’t need a lot of water.

Aloe vera can burn if placed in direct sunlight for an extended period, but in most cases, it will need around six hours of direct sunlight each day. This is why south-facing windows are great to keep Aloe vera in, but it’s best to keep them near the sides of the window to prevent foliage damage.

If you’re struggling to tell when to water alow, use the weight test. Once you’ve watered them, check how heavy the pot is. Pick the pot up each week to look at the weight, then water it once more when it feels quite light.

2. Jasmine

Jasmine plants have fragile leaves and little, aromatic white blooms. Despite their delicate foliage, jasmine plants can handle a decent amount of sun.

Jasmine plants come in a few different types that form in tropical locations in Europe, Oceania, and Australasia. These areas receive a decent amount of sunlight. If a jasmine plant meets its light requirements, it can bloom a few times during the year.

Jasmine plants can grow in partially shady conditions, but their optimum conditions involve a lot of sunlight. A south-facing window is a good spot for them, particularly if you keep a few chairs near the window to enjoy jasmine’s beautiful scent.

3. Jade

Also known as the lucky plant, jade plants are succulents that love the sun. These plants are easy to take care of and have deep green, dense leaves that look great inside the home. You will need to re-pot them a few times, as jade plants can grow to a large size.

Jade plants originate from areas in Mozambique and South Africa. Some may believe that they will need a large amount of sun, but jade plants prefer indirect, bright light. It’s best to keep them close to a south-facing window but position them on a surface or shelf that obtains indirect light.

If your south-facing window receives lots of direct light, avoid keeping your jade plant in this area for the entire day, as this can make the leaves burn on the edges.

4. String Of Pearls

If you prefer more unusual plants, you may want to add a String of Pearls to your home. As the name suggests, this plant produces lengthy, pea-like leaves that trail downwards. The plant is also a succulent, which explains why it likes sunlight.

The String of Pearls plant prefers bright light, but not direct sunlight. A south-facing window’s light conditions can be too harsh, but you can keep it in a partially shaded area, or use sheer curtains to soften the light.

Consider planting String of Pearl plants in hanging baskets. The drooping leaves look amazing falling out of these baskets, creating an elegant, graceful effect.

5. Ponytail Palm

Ponytail palm plants adore heat and have evolved to thrive in lots of sunlight. They have large trunks capable of storing a large amount of water, so you won’t need to keep watering them.

The Ponytail Palm is named after its lengthy, thick leaves which grow from a dense, central stalk. As the name implies, these look a little like a horse’s tail.

It’s relatively easy to grow these plants inside, especially if you keep them near a south-facing window. These spaces are the optimum location as they can deliver a consistent amount of bright sunlight.

However, to avoid your plant burning, it’s best to keep a Ponytail Plam close to a window instead of straight within your windowsill.

6. Areca Palm

Areca Palm is a common type of palm plant you may see inside a home. People love their feathery leaves that extend in a usual palm formation. Each bract can grow as many as 100 individual leaves, turning into a gorgeous piece to have on display.

Like most palms, Areca Palms need a lot of sunlight to thrive well, even when grown inside. If you’re growing yours indoors, it’s best to keep them around a south-facing window that lets bright light travel through.

Areca Palms can handle a little direct sunlight, but not for extended periods, as their fronds can be delicate. Keep in mind that these plants can grow as much as ten feet tall, so make sure you have enough space inside for them to grow.

7. Bird Of Paradise

This interesting plant’s name comes from the blooms that it grows. A Bird of Paradise’s flowers look like a type of bird that has the same name. They have yellow, beak-like petals with hints of purple and red running through them.

A Bird of Paradise is relatively easy to grow, as long as it is cared for properly. They thrive best in sunlight and will need around six hours of sun each day. This includes a couple of hours of bright, direct sunlight, but no more than this to avoid scorching.

Choose a space close to a south-facing window that receives several hours of direct sunlight. As a Bird of Paradise originates from South Africa, it also does best in humid, warm conditions. Average home humidity levels should be fine, though it will need a misting now and then.

8. Miniature Rose

If you have a south-facing window like the look of outdoor roses, consider opting for a miniature rose plant. This plant is like a typical rose, except it has been reared to stop growing as tall.

Though miniature roses look small and delicate, they can adore direct sunlight! A south-facing window is perfect for this plant, as it needs between six and eight hours of full sun each day.

Remember to pot your roses in well-draining, moist soil and keep rotating them every other week for even growth.