Having a west-facing window in your home can be great for letting in natural light and warmth, but it’s important to choose the right plants if you want them to thrive. West-facing windows get a good amount of direct sunlight throughout the day, so many plants will benefit from this type of exposure.
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Here are 12 of the best plants for west facing windows that love afternoon sun! From easy-to-care succulents to edible plants, there’s something here for everyone. All these plants need is some basic care and a bit of love and they’ll be happy in your home.
Read on to find out more about why these plants love west facing windows!
Sun Amounts In West Facing Windows
While west facing windows won’t get the longest amount of sunlight in a day compared to other directions, this is still plenty of light for many plants. This is one of the hotter windows to plant things in, so you will want to do plants that either need less water in general or expect to give them more water than your other plants.
Keep in mind, these plants for west facing window suggestions are based on my experiences, so there is a good chance that some of these plants may be in more or less light than you’d expect!
(Have windows facing other directions in your home? Check out the best plants for: north facing windows, south facing windows, east facing windows)
12 West Facing Window Plants
Spider Plant
The spider plant is one of the most common house plants to have. It’s easy to care for, can survive many different light amounts, can be in a hanging pot, or draping off the side of a table. Spider plants need a fair amount of water, although much more in a sunny spot like a west-facing window than an east-facing window.
While you may not have expected to see the spider plant on this list of plants that get quite a bit of sunlight, I’ve found from personal experiences that this is where my plant thrives the most, out of every lighting type and situation.
Ti Plant
The ti plant is one of my favorite plants to think about. It comes in two different colors mainly – red and green. Both of them have a long history in Hawaii about guarding the house of unwanted energies and allowing in the wanted energies. While in Hawaii, these are planted outside of the entrance to the house, they can also make a great addition to your house plant collection.
Ti plants thrive in full sun, or mostly sunny areas, making this a great choice of a plant for a western facing window. With this being a larger plant, it will add a lot of foliage and even potentially block some of the heat from summer from heating your house with it’s leaves and shade it provides.
Ponytail Palm
Whether you’ve got a large ponytail palm or a pup (like me), these plants prefer a lot of light. But, unlike some other plants on this list, they do not like direct sunlight. Ponytail palms are a great choice if you’re looking for something that will fill the corner of your window sill and provide a lot of foliage without taking much light away from your plants further into the room.
Bonus, put it in a pot that looks like a face since it’s a plant that looks like hair!
Citrus
Citrus plants are also a great choice for west facing windows, since they like the heat of the sun. These are becoming a more popular indoor plant, whether you’re growing a mini lemon tree or just growing seeds from one of your plants for fun.
Strawberries
Strawberries are also a great choice for plants that love sun. They need quite a bit of sunlight, and you can even have some fruit from your house as long as it gets enough sun!
These are all great additions to any west facing window, whether you’re looking for something that can provide a lot of foliage or maybe a little bit of fruit. With the right care, these plants can all do quite nicely with the afternoon sun that west facing windows provide.
(Keep reading – how to grow strawberries indoors)
Lavender
Another plant you may expect to find outdoors more than inside but makes a great plant for a west facing window is a lavender plant. These plants thrive in full sun and don’t need or want that much water. Just make sure it is getting enough sun year round or else it won’t bloom as spectacularly as you’d like.
Bonus, plant it somewhere easy to access so you can constantly run your fingers across the leaves and enjoy the scent.
Mint
Going along with lavender, another great herb to grow in a west window is mint. This can be especially helpful since you’ll have it in a pot and growing indoors, so it can’t expand and take over any outdoor gardens. Mint needs full sun and won’t do as well in shady windows or corners.
Bonus, if you’re looking for some mint tea or a great addition to your mojito, this is a great way to have fresh mint right on hand. Plus, it’s an easy plant that you don’t have to worry about constantly checking on.
Basil
Basil is another great herb to have in your west facing window. This plant loves full sun and will wilt quickly in lower light situations. Make sure you give it enough sunlight so that it can thrive, as its leaves are packed with flavor and make a great addition to any dish.
Bonus, basil is a great plant to have to make your windowsill look as good as it smells. The leaves are beautiful and bring in a lot of color, so you can spice up the window while adding fresh herbs to your meals.
Aloe
Aloe is another great plant choice to have growing in a west facing window. It likes a lot of sun, but not full sun all day (read about your aloe plant getting burned). The west facing window will help the plant get the light requirements it needs.
Aloe is a very low maintenance plant, since it doesn’t need much water or fertilizer, and is so good to keep on hand in case of sunburns.
Succulents
Succulents are a great choice for west facing windows. They like full sun, and they usually don’t need much water or other maintenance. They come in many varieties, too, so you can find the perfect one for your window.
Bonus, succulents are easy to care for and bring in a lot of texture, especially if you decide to have multiple varieties on the same windowsill!
Jade plant
While jade plants could be considered succulents, the crassula ovata deserves its own space to talk about. The jade plant loves direct sunlight and does best in a sunny window (west facing or otherwise).
This plant is great for those who want a low maintenance plant, as it doesn’t require much water or any fertilizer. Just keep in mind that these plants are very top heavy and can fall over! So you’ll want to make sure it has a sturdy base of a pot.
Seedling Propagations in Soil
While not a specific plant, having your west facing window as your plant propagation station is a great choice for any that you want to start in soil. I’m always starting seeds in my west facing window, in covered conditions so it’s a humid environment around the seedlings, keeping them from drying out before they have a chance to grow.
In Summary: Best Plants For West Facing Windows
West facing windows are an excellent place to grow plants due to the afternoon sun they provide. From lavender and mint, which thrive in full sun and smell wonderful when touched, to succulents that bring in texture and don’t require much care or maintenance, there are a variety of options for you if you have west-facing windows. Plus, it’s a great area for propagating seedlings in soil. With all these options, you’re sure to find a plant that will fit perfectly with your west-facing window wants and needs!
