When it comes to choosing the right plant for a north facing window, you want something that is able to tolerate low light and minimal sunlight. While these plants often require more attention than their sun-loving counterparts, there are plenty of options available that will thrive in this environment.
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In this article, we’ll explore some of the best plants for north facing windows that require no direct sunlight. We’ll discuss what makes them suitable for this area and go over some requirements for them to keep them healthy and alive!
Sun Amounts From North Facing Windows
North facing windows get the least amount of direct light of any other window, especially the further north of the equator than you are. This means that these areas don’t get a lot of direct sunlight in the summer and can be quite dark for part of the year.
This doesn’t mean you have to skip out on adding a few plants to your home. Instead, it just means you’ll need to choose plants that thrive in low light environments. And keep in mind that these plants are based on my personal experiences with light requirements, and you may need to acclimate some of your plants slowly to these lesser light nooks.
(If you live in the southern hemisphere, north facing windows will have most of the sunlight and the plants recommended here will be for south facing windows).
Have windows facing other directions in your home? Check out the best plants for: south facing windows, west facing windows, east facing windows
12 Of The Best Plants For North Facing Windows
Boston Fern
The Boston fern, or most ferns for that matter, thrive in low light conditions. Place them in an area that only gets indirect (but still bright for part of the day) light and they will be happy. If you try and grow Boston ferns in direct light, they will just shrivel up and turn brown.
That’s what makes this the perfect north facing window plant, since they really don’t need light to thrive and add a vibrant green color to the area. Just keep these plants watered thoroughly to keep them happy.
Monstera
What makes monstera plants a great large houseplant is that it can acclimate to all sorts of lighting situations. From having multiple hours of direct light a day, to all day bright but indirect light, your monstera can thrive.
Just make sure that, while you’re putting your monstera plant in a north facing window, it still is in an area that is bright from the windows around it.
Air Plants
Give your north facing windows extra dimension by hanging air plants in open glass bobbles or on driftwood in front of your windows. Air plants do best in spaces where they don’t get direct sun or bumped around too much. They will thrive in these north facing windows.
Just be sure to water your air plants regularly (and try to keep them out of drafty cold areas during winter, as they don’t like extreme temperature fluctuations and can turn brown).
Baby’s Tears
Another great plant for north facing windows is baby’s tears. These are cute tiny plants that love water and not a lot of sunlight. Keep the soil moist on this plant and out of direct light and they will thrive.
These plants can trail for a ways once they grow larger, so they are perfect for windows so they can just start trailing down the wall, creating a mini waterfall of tiny leaves.
Satin Pothos
The pothos satin, or scindapsus pictus, is another great trailing/climbing plant for north facing windows. These plants don’t need much sunlight, and too much could actually bleach some of their vibrant color.
This plant is perfect for those darker north facing windows, since it will do great in the shadows and still look amazing with it’s silvery-satin leaves.
Pin Stripe Calathea
The pin stripe calathea is a breathtaking plant with green and purple striped leaves. This plant does not like the sunlight, so if you’ve got a north facing window (especially one in a humid room), this plant will absolutely thrive.
There is a balance for this plant, if you get too much sunlight the leaves will lose their stripes and start to brown, but not enough light and they will just stay green.
Philodendron
With so many philodendrons, there are almost too many to choose from! Most of the plants in this family do best in indirect light areas, but make sure to check which variety you get before taking one home to grow in a north facing window.
These are easy plants to take care of and are great as potted indoor plants.
T. Zebrina (silver inch plant)
The silver inch plant is another great plant for hanging near the edge of a north facing window. These plants do great with very low light and not a lot of watering, making them a great choice for these low light areas of your home.
To make your T. zebrina plant bushier, prune it and propagate. Then put those propagations back in the same pot. This will help create a fuller container and if they’re hanging, you’ll be able to better see the underside that’s purple!
Snake Plant
The snake plant can fit into many light categories, like the monstera, which means it’s a great versatile plant to have in your home. These plants really don’t need much light to survive and grow, so they will be perfectly content in a darker north facing window.
Just make sure that you don’t over water this plant and let the soil dry out between watering. If your snake plant is looking a bit droopy, that could mean you’re over watering it.
ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant is another great choice for darker north facing windows. As long as there is still some light coming in from other surrounding windows, this plant will be fine.
This is a tough and hardy plant, so it is perfect for those of us that don’t have the greenest of thumbs. Just remember to water this plant every few weeks and you should be good!
Peace Lily
The peace lily is a beautiful and popular houseplant due to it’s unusual look and it being easy to care for. This plant does not need much sunlight to thrive, making it great for a north facing window.
Just be cautious with choosing a peace lily as they are toxic to pets and children. So I suggest only taking on a peace lily if you’ve got no pets especially.
Nerve Plant
One of the reasons the nerve plant is so popular as a houseplant is that it will tell you when it needs water. This plant is very dramatic and likes to wilt at any sign of not enough water.
The nerve plant will be perfectly content in a north facing window, making it an easy and lovely addition to your home. Just make sure to keep an eye on it and give it a drink when it needs.
In Summary: Best North Facing Window Plants
No matter the light situation, there are a variety of plants that can survive and even thrive in a north facing window. From pin stripe calathea, to ZZ plant and philodendron – these hardy plants will do just fine with minimal sunshine! Just remember to give them some love and water when they need it, and these plants will thrive in your north facing windows.
