Talking Plants

University of Minnesota, Clay County

Houseplants bring beauty to our homes, especially during the winter months. To stay healthy, plants need to receive adequate light. When selecting a houseplant keep light requirements in mind.
The amount of light a plant receives is important because all plants need light for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process plants use to make carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of light energy. Carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis are used by the plant for growth and maintenance. Plants receiving insufficient light generally lack new growth and may look weak. If light levels are too low, the amount of carbohydrates needed by the plant for maintenance may be greater than the amount being produced. If this situation is not corrected the plant will eventually die.
Light requirements vary by species with some requiring more light than others. Knowing the duration and intensity of light available for a given location will help determine which houseplant is the best choice. This can be accomplished by observing the location over the course of one day, preferably a sunny day. Note the amount of time light is available and if there is any direct sunlight. South facing windows generally provide the most light followed by east and west windows with the least amount of light coming from north facing windows. Generally speaking, a low light area will provide enough natural light to read a newspaper without strain while a medium to high light area will be bright the whole day with some direct sunlight. Here are a few options for low and medium to high light areas:

Houseplants for low light areas:
Chinese evergreen or Philippine evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)
Dracaena (Dracaena sp.)
Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia seguine)
English ivy (Hedera helix)
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
Pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum)
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Houseplants for medium to high light areas:
Swedish ivy (Plectranthus sp.)
Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Japanese arailia (Fatsia japonica)
Philodendron (Philodendron sp.)

University of Minnesota,Clay County 218.299.5020.
Check out our website at https://local.extension. umn.edu/local/clay