111 plants, zero guesswork.

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; variegation fades in gloom, leaves scorch in direct sun

Monstera

Monstera deliciosa

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light (fewer splits); no harsh midday sun

Nerve Plant

Fittonia albivenis

ModerateModerate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; direct sun scorches the thin leaves in minutes

Never Never Plant

Ctenanthe oppenheimiana

☀️ Medium to bright indirect: enough light to hold the leaf pattern, but no direct sun, which fades and scorches the painted markings

Peperomia

Peperomia spp. (e.g., P. obtusifolia, P. caperata)

Very easySlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Medium–bright indirect; tolerates lower light; no harsh direct sun

Philodendron Birkin

Philodendron 'Birkin'

Easy–ModerateSlow–Moderatetoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect; the white pinstripes fade to plain green in dim spots, scorch in direct sun

Philodendron Squamiferum

Philodendron squamiferum

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light but leaves stay smaller and lobes less dramatic; no harsh direct sun

Pink Princess Philodendron

Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'

ModerateSlow–Moderatetoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect, brighter than most philodendrons; the pink patches make no energy and need the green to work overtime

Polka Dot Begonia

Begonia maculata

ModerateModerate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; plenty of light keeps the silver dots bright and the cane sturdy, but direct midday sun bleaches and burns the leaves

Polka Dot Plant

Hypoestes phyllostachya

EasyFast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; spots fade to plain green in low light and bleach in harsh direct sun

Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura

☀️ Medium–bright indirect; direct sun fades the markings

Rex Begonia

Begonia rex-cultorum hybrids

Very easySlow–Moderatetoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect; strong enough light to fuel the leaf color, never direct sun

Snake Plant

Dracaena trifasciata (formerly Sansevieria trifasciata)

☀️ Low to bright indirect; extremely tolerant

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum

Very easyFast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light; direct sun bleaches leaves

Stromanthe Triostar

Stromanthe sanguinea 'Triostar' (syn. S. thalia)

Moderate–HardModerate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; the pink variegation needs good light but direct sun scorches it fast

Tree Philodendron

Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum (formerly Philodendron selloum; incl. compact 'Xanadu')

Moderate–HardSlow🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; tolerates a little gentle morning sun

Venus Flytrap

Dionaea muscipula

☀️ Full sun: 4–6+ hrs of direct light or a strong grow lamp; a dim windowsill is a slow death

Watermelon Peperomia

Peperomia argyreia

Moderate–HardSlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; strong light keeps the silver striping bold, direct sun scorches it

Zebra Plant

Aphelandra squarrosa

☀️ Bright indirect; needs strong light to bloom but direct sun bleaches the striped leaves

ZZ Plant

Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Very easySlowtoxic to pets

☀️ Low to bright indirect; famously unbothered, though you should avoid hot direct sun

🧗 Vining & Trailing

Arrowhead Plant

Syngonium podophyllum

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; pink and variegated forms need brighter light to hold color

Burro's Tail

Sedum morganianum

☀️ Bright light with several hours of gentle direct sun (morning is ideal); stretches and sheds in dim spots

Creeping Fig

Ficus pumila

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light; avoid hot direct sun that scorches the small leaves

English Ivy

Hedera helix

Very easyFasttoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect (variegated types need more); tolerates medium light; no hot direct sun

Golden Pothos

Epipremnum aureum

☀️ Low to bright indirect (variegation strongest in bright indirect); no harsh direct sun

Goldfish Plant

Nematanthus gregarius

☀️ Bright indirect with some gentle morning sun; too dim and the "goldfish" never show up

Grape Ivy

Cissus rhombifolia (syn. C. alata)

Very easyFasttoxic to pets

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; one of the better vines for lower light; no hot direct sun

Heartleaf Philodendron

Philodendron hederaceum

☀️ Medium–bright indirect; tolerates low light gracefully

Hoya

Hoya carnosa

☀️ Bright indirect with some gentle direct sun; more light = more blooms

Lipstick Plant

Aeschynanthus radicans

☀️ Bright indirect with a little gentle direct sun, the single biggest factor in whether it blooms

Mini Monstera

Rhaphidophora tetrasperma

☀️ Bright indirect all day; split leaves stay small and solid in low light

Monstera Adansonii

Monstera adansonii

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light but holes shrink; no harsh direct sun

Satin Pothos

Scindapsus pictus

ModerateFast (in good light)toxic to pets

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; the silver speckles dull in dim corners; no direct sun

String of Hearts

Ceropegia woodii

EasyFast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect with some gentle direct sun; strong light keeps the silver marbling and purple undersides vivid

String of Pearls

Curio rowleyanus (syn. Senecio rowleyanus)

☀️ Very bright indirect with a little gentle direct sun; needs more light than most trailers

String of Turtles

Peperomia prostrata

ModerateSlow🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; enough light keeps the turtle-shell pattern crisp, while harsh direct sun bleaches it

Swedish Ivy

Plectranthus verticillatus

Very easyFast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light but gets leggy; morning sun is fine, hot afternoon sun scorches

Tradescantia

Tradescantia zebrina, T. pallida & 'Nanouk'

Very easyFasttoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect with some gentle morning sun; purple color washes out to green in low light

🌸 Flowering

African Violet

Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia

ModerateSlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; an east/north window or a few inches under a grow light

Air Plant

Tillandsia spp. (e.g., T. ionantha, T. xerographica)

☀️ Bright indirect; silvery fuzzy species take some direct sun, smooth green ones don't

Anthurium

Anthurium andraeanum

Easy–ModerateSlow (blooms once)🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; brightness drives blooming, but no harsh direct sun

Bromeliad

Bromeliaceae (e.g., Guzmania, Neoregelia, Aechmea)

☀️ Bright indirect; most dislike harsh direct sun

Christmas Cactus

Schlumbergera spp.

ModerateModerate (winter grower)toxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect; a little gentle direct sun is fine, since it is a jungle (epiphytic) cactus, not a desert one

Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum

☀️ Bright indirect; a cool east window is ideal, since hot direct sun shortens the bloom

Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides

HardSlow–Moderatetoxic to pets

☀️ Bright light with gentle morning sun; shade from harsh afternoon rays

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

☀️ Bright light with some gentle direct sun; blooms fizzle in dim spots

Moth Orchid

Phalaenopsis spp.

ModerateSlow🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; an east window is perfect, and leaves should be grassy green, not dark

Peace Lily

Spathiphyllum wallisii

☀️ Medium–bright indirect; blooms need brightness, foliage tolerates shade

Pineapple Plant

Ananas comosus

Moderate–HardModerate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright light with several hours of direct sun; this is a full-sun bromeliad, and the more light it gets, the better its color and its odds of ever fruiting

Pitcher Plant

Nepenthes × ventrata (N. alata × ventricosa)

☀️ Bright indirect to a little gentle direct sun; it needs strong light to bother making pitchers, but it's far more forgiving of a windowsill than a Venus flytrap

Purple Shamrock

Oxalis triangularis

Easy–ModerateModerate (in its cool growing season)🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect with a few hours of direct sun; the deep purple needs strong light or the leaves pale and flatten out

🌵 Succulents & Cacti

Aeonium

Aeonium arboreum & cultivars (e.g., 'Kiwi', 'Zwartkop')

☀️ Bright light with gentle direct sun; appreciates light afternoon shade in hot climates

African Milk Tree

Euphorbia trigona

☀️ Bright light with some direct sun; acclimate gradually to full sun to avoid scorch

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera (syn. A. barbadensis miller)

EasySlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright light; tolerates several hours of direct sun (acclimate gradually)

Bunny Ears Cactus

Opuntia microdasys

☀️ Full sun: a south or west window with several hours of direct light

Crown of Thorns

Euphorbia milii

ModerateSlowtoxic to pets

☀️ Bright light with 3–4+ hrs of direct sun; the more sun, the more flowers

Desert Rose

Adenium obesum

☀️ Full sun: 6+ hrs of direct light for the fat trunk and the famous flowers

Echeveria

Echeveria spp.

EasyModerate–Fast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright light with 4–6 hrs direct sun; stretches pale without it

Elephant Bush

Portulacaria afra

☀️ Bright light with several hours of direct sun; variegated forms take a bit less

Fishbone Cactus

Disocactus anguliger (syn. Epiphyllum anguliger)

EasyModerate–Fast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect with a little gentle morning sun; harsh midday sun scorches the stems

Golden Barrel Cactus

Echinocactus grusonii

Very easySlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Full sun: the brightest window you own, ideally 4–6+ hrs of direct sun

Haworthia

Haworthiopsis fasciata (zebra haworthia) & relatives

Very easySlow🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates lower light than most succulents, but harsh direct sun scorches the rosettes

Hens and Chicks

Sempervivum tectorum

☀️ Full sun to very bright light; 6+ hrs of direct sun keeps rosettes tight and colorful

Jade Plant

Crassula ovata

EasySlowtoxic to pets

☀️ Bright light with 4+ hrs of direct sun

Mistletoe Cactus

Rhipsalis baccifera

☀️ Bright indirect to lightly dappled; tolerates medium light but sulks in hot direct sun

Paddle Plant

Kalanchoe luciae

☀️ Bright light with several hours of direct sun; full sun is what paints the paddles red

Panda Plant

Kalanchoe tomentosa

EasySlowtoxic to pets

☀️ Bright light with some direct sun; a south or west window keeps it compact and fuzzy

Pencil Cactus

Euphorbia tirucalli

☀️ Full sun to very bright light; the more direct sun, the better

String of Dolphins

Curio × peregrinus (syn. Senecio peregrinus)

ModerateFast (in bright light)toxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect with some gentle direct sun; strong light keeps the leaves plump and dolphin-shaped, while in a dim spot the "fins" flatten out and the strands stretch

🌳 Trees & Statement

Bird of Paradise

Strelitzia reginae / S. nicolai

☀️ The brightest spot you have: bright indirect plus several hours of direct sun; low light means no blooms

Calamondin Orange

Citrus × microcarpa

Moderate–HardSlow–Moderatetoxic to pets

☀️ Full sun: 4–6+ hrs of direct light; a south window or grow light is non-negotiable for fruit

Coffee Plant

Coffea arabica

Very easySlow–Moderatetoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect with a little gentle morning sun; strong light fuels dense growth, but harsh afternoon sun scorches the glossy leaves

Corn Plant

Dracaena fragrans

EasySlowtoxic to pets

☀️ Low to bright indirect; variegated types want brighter light; no hot direct sun

Dragon Tree

Dracaena marginata

☀️ Bright indirect preferred; tolerates medium light (slower, sparser); no harsh direct sun

Dwarf Banana

Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish'

ModerateFast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Full sun to very bright light; 4–6 hrs of direct sun keeps it lush, and it sulks in shade

Ficus Audrey

Ficus benghalensis

Easy–ModerateModerate–Fasttoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect to a few hours of gentle direct sun; the more light, the fuller the tree

Fiddle-Leaf Fig

Ficus lyrata

Moderate–HardModeratetoxic to pets

☀️ Very bright indirect to gentle direct morning sun; sulks in dim corners

Money Tree

Pachira aquatica

EasyModerate–Fast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light; keep out of harsh direct sun

Norfolk Island Pine

Araucaria heterophylla

EasyModerate–Fasttoxic to pets

☀️ Bright light with some direct sun; rotate weekly or it leans hard toward the window

Rubber Plant

Ficus elastica

☀️ Bright indirect; a little gentle direct sun deepens burgundy tones

Schefflera

Schefflera arboricola

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates medium light but gets leggy; no harsh direct sun

Spineless Yucca

Yucca gigantea (syn. Y. elephantipes)

☀️ Bright light with several hours of direct sun; tolerates bright indirect but stretches

Ti Plant

Cordyline fruticosa

ModerateModerate–Fasttoxic to pets

☀️ Bright indirect with a little gentle morning sun; the pink and red color washes out in dim corners

Weeping Fig

Ficus benjamina

☀️ Bright indirect with a little soft direct sun; dim corners trigger leaf drop

🌴 Palms

Areca Palm

Dypsis lutescens

ModerateModerate–Fast🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect with some gentle direct sun; too little light thins the fronds

Cat Palm

Chamaedorea cataractarum

ModerateSlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; scorches in direct sun, thins out in deep shade

Fishtail Palm

Caryota mitis

☀️ Bright indirect with a little soft morning sun; fronds bleach in harsh midday sun

Kentia Palm

Howea forsteriana

☀️ Bright indirect preferred but genuinely tolerant of lower light; no harsh direct sun

Lady Palm

Rhapis excelsa

Moderate–HardSlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect to moderate light; one of the best palms for lower-light rooms; no direct sun

Majesty Palm

Ravenea rivularis

☀️ Bright indirect with a little gentle morning sun; fronds yellow in dim corners

Parlor Palm

Chamaedorea elegans

Easy–ModerateSlowtoxic to pets

☀️ Low to bright indirect; one of the best true low-light plants, but no direct sun

Ponytail Palm

Beaucarnea recurvata

Very easySlow🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright light with some direct sun; tolerates bright indirect

Pygmy Date Palm

Phoenix roebelenii

ModerateSlow🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright light with several hours of gentle direct sun; the sun-lover among indoor palms

Sago Palm

Cycas revoluta

☀️ Bright light with some direct sun; tolerates bright indirect

🌾 Ferns

Asparagus Fern

Asparagus setaceus (also A. densiflorus)

EasySlow–Moderate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect; tolerates some gentle morning sun; yellows in deep shade

Bird's Nest Fern

Asplenium nidus

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; fronds crinkle more in brighter light; no direct sun

Blue Star Fern

Phlebodium aureum

ModerateModerate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Medium to bright indirect; tolerates lower light gracefully; no direct sun

Boston Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis'

☀️ Bright indirect; morning sun OK; scorches in hot direct light

Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum raddianum

Moderate–HardModerate🐾 pet-safe

☀️ Bright indirect to medium; direct sun scorches the papery leaflets in minutes

Rabbit's Foot Fern

Davallia fejeensis