What Plants Grow Best On North Side Of House?

Plants like light, right? We all know this! But did you also know that you can grow some plants in areas which receive little light? If you’re looking for what plants grow best on north side of house, we’ve got you covered – read on for your north-facing plant shopping list!

North Facing House Plants

Spider Plant

This hardy, easygoing little plant requires very little attention, and will survive in areas of much lower lighting than many others.

It also needs very little maintenance in general – great for the lazy indoor gardener who doesn’t have much time!

Peace Lily

This beautiful plant will be quite happy with very little natural light, and will live in your north facing windows far better than other house plants.

Aspidistra Elatior

The Cast Iron Plant is, as its name suggests, almost indestructible! It will tolerate being almost totally neglected, and it actively dislikes too much light so it is perfect for a north facing window.

Snake Plant

This unusual, spiky looking plant is great at occupying space that other plants would turn their noses up at.

It likes a low light position, and too much direct light can actually do it a lot of damage, so shady areas are ideal.

Monstera Deliciosa

This eye catching plant is a well loved house plant – not least for its hardy, easygoing nature – and the fact that it doesn’t need too much light!

Native to forests, it is used to not receiving a lot of direct sunlight (in fact, too much can scorch the leaves), so it is perfect for darker areas of your house.

Moth Orchid

Although orchids have a reputation for being fussy, it is not actually too difficult to grow an orchid to its full blooming potential.

The moth orchid actively enjoys low light conditions, so it will be happy in a part of your house that receives very little natural light.

Golden Pothos

This is a striking plant that will be an amazing addition to your indoor garden – and the best thing about it is that it needs very little light!

It can grow incredibly tall, so you may have to watch it as it grows and make sure it doesn’t outgrow its space.

Zamioculcas Zamiifolia

The ZZ plant, as it is commonly known, is great for areas of low lighting – in fact, it is one of the few plants that can survive in a room with no windows.

It is slow growing and produces beautiful dark green foliage – a great addition to brighten up the darker areas of your home.

Fittonia

This funky plant boasts different colored veins in its green leaves, which makes for a lovely, colorful plant to have around.

It loves low light conditions, but it also needs to be kept warm and humid – this plant is perfect for adding some foliage to your bathroom!

This video takes you through a few of the different plants that you can grow indoors in low lighting:

North Facing Garden Plants

Erythronium

This plant is great for borders – it does not grow too big, meaning that it will not block out any other plants or compete for light.

Another advantage is that it does not need too much light – shady areas are perfect for this lovely plant.

Lily Of The Valley

A beautiful, delicate little plant with a wonderful scent, Lily Of The Valley is one of those old fashioned lovely plants.

It is very easy to grow and will be happy in a shady area; the flowers will attract pollinators to your garden as well as looking lovely.

Hosta

This gorgeous plant will brighten up any border you care to place it in – and it doesn’t need too much light to bring out its natural beauty.

It will need SOME sunshine, but chances are that your north facing area will get at least a little morning sun, just enough to help Hosta thrive.

Snowdrops

These little beauties emerge bravely right at the end of winter – often when there are still frosts and even snow! Snowdrops are very hardy.

These little flowers actually like to be kept a bit shady – the blooms will last much longer in shady areas than in sunny ones.

Rhododendron

If you have a shady garden with acidic soil, you simply must plant Rhododendron. Many types of this gorgeous plant absolutely love a shady area!

Some Rhododendrons prefer the sunlight, so check which type you have before you fill your garden with them.

Snakes’ Head Fritillary

A wonderful pollinator, the Snake’s Head Fritillary is ideal for planting in your shadier areas. It will bring flowers as well as lovely foliage, in case you needed persuading!

This is also a very easy plant to grow; just site it in its favourite shady spot, and watch it flourish and thrive.

Astilbes

Astilbes do very well in shadier areas of your garden – they won’t compete with the sunshine-lovers as they prefer to be kept on the dark side.

Bear in mind that these beauties do need a soil that is rich in moisture, so you need to change out dry soil – or remember your watering can!

Hydrangea

A hardy beauty, the Hydrangea is happy in north facing areas as it doesn’t need too much light.

The flowers are stunning, and although both flowers and foliage die back every year, it will pop back up again in the spring.

Fern

The humble fern is a really lovely addition to any garden. It adds texture and a pop of bright green to your borders, and can be a perfect foil for other plants.

And the best thing about this plant is that is loves shady areas! In its natural environment it grows under trees, so your north facing garden is perfect.

This great article lists lots of plants you can grow in your north facing outdoor garden.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, not all plants need direct sunlight from the south, or a west facing window – some can grow just as happily on the north side.

Hopefully the above has given you some inspiration so you can go out and get hold of all the plants that thrive in north facing conditions.

If you are looking for more inspiration, here is our article on growing houseplants in a greenhouse.