Light is probably the most important factor for indoor plant growth. In most houses, it's probably the most limiting factor as well. To add to the problem, light levels begin to dwindle in fall as the days become shorter. This means you may need to make some adjustments in the arrangement of your indoor plants during fall and winter.

When thinking about light levels for indoor plants, consider light intensity, duration and quality. Light intensity influences the manufacture of plant food, stem length, leaf color and flowering. For example, a plant that needs bright light that is grown in low light tends to be spindly with light green leaves. A similar plant grown in bright light would generally be shorter, better branched and have longer, darker green leaves.

The distance the plant is from the light source and the direction the windows in a home face determine the light intensity a houseplant receives. Southern exposures have the most intense light. Western and eastern exposures receive about 60 percent of the intensity of southern exposures, while northern exposures get only 20 percent of the light of southern exposures. Light intensity is also affected by the presence and type of curtains, the weather, shade from buildings or trees, the cleanliness of the windows and the reflectiveness of the surroundings.

When a plant gets too much direct light, the leaves become pale, sometimes sunburn, turn brown and die. During the summer, houseplants need to be protected from too much direct sunlight.

Ivy plants, philodendrons, foliage begonias and peperomias - grown mainly for their foliage - do well in indirect bright light. Tender plants, such as African violets, also should receive indirect light during the summer when the sun's rays are extremely intense.

Flowering plants require higher light levels for the development of good flowers. These plants grow best where they receive direct sunlight for at least half a day. Placing them near windows with an eastern exposure usually suits them best.

Here are some suggestions of houseplants for various light situations taken from the UC Master Gardener Handbook.

Low Light Plants

  Medium Light Plants 

Bright Light

*These plants are poisonous, keep away from kids and pets.

Ed Perry is the emeritus Environmental Horticultural Advisor for University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Stanislaus County where he worked for over 30 years.