If you live in a bright, sunny house, you may struggle with keeping plants alive because they get too much light. Struggle no more! Find yourself a new green companion from the many houseplants that are good in direct sunlight, and you’ll have a beautiful array of plants indoors in no time.
What You'll Learn Today
Houseplants That Are Good In Direct Sunlight
Cactus
Because these spiky beauties hail from the hot, dry desert conditions, they are ideal for placing in bright places other plants can’t handle.
They like very well draining, gritty soil and very little water, as this mimics their natural conditions the best.
If you have a direct light position that your other plants don’t like, then get a cactus or two – they will thrive with very little care and a lot of sunlight!
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is a wonderfully easygoing succulent that does very well with very little input from you.
It will absolutely thrive in a sunny position, and you will probably notice lots of offshoots and baby plants, which make great gifts.
The leaves of this plant store a lot of moisture, so you don’t need to water too often even when the soil looks dry.
Jade Plant
Also known as a Money Plant, this gorgeous succulent is a great house guest. It is happy in either sun or shade, and you can neglect the watering and still have it thrive.
They are not too fast growing, so you don’t have to worry too much about repotting, and they aren’t particularly “hungry” plants either.
If you need a plant for the brightest spot in your house, a Jade Plant is the perfect answer! We can’t guarantee they’ll make you rich, however.
Snake Plant
Another succulent, the Snake Plant is a great plant to stick in your sunniest spots. This being said, they will also happily grow in the shade!
You will need to make sure that your Snake Plant has well draining potting soil, and make a real effort not to overwater this one.
You will notice it looking particularly healthy in a full sun position; it will grow and thrive, and you can even take cuttings to propagate.
Kalanchoe
A succulent that puts on a bright coloured display with its beautiful flowers, Kalanchoe is ideal for a direct sun position.
This pretty plant will put on even more of a show if you give it its favourite direct light position – in fact, it needs the sunlight to be able to flower well.
A good warm spot, some well draining potting mix, and plenty of sunshine will keep this plant incredibly happy.
Croton
This brightly coloured plant loves a full sun position – in fact, the brighter coloured ones simply demand it!
Croton also enjoy warmth and humidity, so if you have a good, sunny, warm spot then this is the plant to put in it!
Once you have found the right home for your Croton, try not to move it too much – they don’t like being relocated, and can lose leaves.
String Of Pearls
This trailing succulent looks absolutely lovely when hanging or dangling down in a nice warm, bright, sunny spot.
It is very easy to grow and to propagate – you can grow a new plant from one of the little green balls on the stem!
This is an easygoing plant that loves a bright sun position – but bear in mind that it is mildly toxic, so may not be the best choice if you have children or pets.
Bird Of Paradise
Happily for those of us that like bright, flashy plants, Birds of Paradise are pretty easy to grow – and they love more direct light than many other plants can handle!
Get them in some good soil and keep them warm and humid, and they will reward you with their striking flowers.
You can also place your Bird of Paradise outside, to give it more of the bright light it loves – just remember to bring it in in the winter!
Yucca
These popular houseplants are great for those with bright, sunny areas like a conservatory or large, south facing window.
Yuccas don’t generally need a lot of maintenance; they don’t need too much watering and are also happy in poor soil – as long as it drains well.
These plants thrive in direct light positions in your house, and they will also love a good sunbathing session outdoors when the weather is warm.
Corn Plant
This striking plant is grown for its eye catching leaves, which are beautiful shades of green and yellow.
As a tropical plant, this one will thrive in your brightest, warmest spot. It also likes to be kept humid, so don’t forget to mist it regularly.
Many plants can’t grow well in direct sunlight, but the Corn Plant can’t grow without it, so find it a good, bright position.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a very beautiful plant, with highly sought-after flowers. These flowers actively need sunlight in order to bloom at their best.
They will happily grow indoors, as long as you choose your sunniest position – you know, the one that other plants can’t survive in!
You can also grow your Hibiscus outside, and it will love the extra light it gets. It won’t like to get cold though, so bring it indoors before winter strikes.
Sago Palm
As the name suggests, this palm comes from warm climates, and as such it absolutely thrives in direct sunlight.
It’s a very low maintenance plant, requiring very little water or fussing – in fact, it likes to dry out completely before you water it.
These are toxic plants, so make sure you keep them in a bright spot that your kids and pets cannot get to!
Final Thoughts
We often think that more light is better when it comes to plants – but this is not always the case; some really don’t like too much light.
Once you have found yourself a few sun-lovers, you’ll be laughing all the way to your indoor rainforest!
Can I keep my Yucca plant in partial shade? There is only one sunny spot in the house, and it’s not sunny all day…
Although these plants love sunshine, they can still grow with a bit of shade during the day. Perhaps you could put it outside to catch even more of the sun’s rays?