20180510A HC.jpg
Most houseplants actually adapt well to full sun, as long as they get used to it gradually. Source: Claire Tourigny, from the book Les 1500 trucs du jardinier paresseux by Larry Hodgson

The truth is that more indoor plants lack light than receive too much of it. Even so-called “low-light plants” (which would be better called “low light tolerant plants”) do much better with plenty of sunshine than in a shady corner.

When damage due to excess light does occur, it’s almost always due to a plant sitting on a south or west window ledge or in a sunny greenhouse. Even then, it isn’t likely to be a problem except in late spring and summer. In temperate climates, nearly any plant can take full sun during the winter when light is naturally weaker.

Most damage blamed on excess light is actually due to overheating. With sunlight streaming through glass windows and little air circulation, heat can build up tremendously, causing injury to even sun-loving, heat-tolerant plants such as cacti and other succulents. Temperatures right next to a sunny window can reach 140? F (60? C) or higher, which is far more heat than most plants can tolerate.

Symptoms of excess light and heat include the following:

20180510B HC.jpg
The leaves of this Brugmansia burned with it was moved too quickly from a cool, dark basement spot to a hot, sunny window.. Source: laidbackgardener.blog
  • Wilting during the hottest hours of the day;
  • Foliage curled downward;
  • Brown spots or pale and translucent spots developing on the side of the plant exposed to the sun—referred to as burning;
  • Yellowing and thickening of new growth;
  • Excessively compact and stunted growth.

If your plant shows symptoms of excess light, use any of the following methods to decrease light intensity.

  • Move plants away from the window. The worst symptoms of excess light most often occur in plants that are almost touching the windowpane. Moving the plant just a foot (30 centimeters) away from the glass can help.
  • Move the plant to a less brightly lit location, such as in front of an east-facing or north-facing window or to either side of a south-facing or west-facing one.

    201810C pinterest.ca.jpg
    Sheer curtains will keep the hot sun off plant leaves. Source: pinterest.ca.
  • Draw sheer curtains between your plants and the window when the sun is at its brightest—around noon and during early afternoon.
  • Plant outdoor trees or shrubs in order to shade your home’s windows during the hottest hours of the day. Use deciduous plants in temperate climates. When they lose their leaves in the autumn, they let in more light just when the plants need it most. In tropical climates, evergreens make better choices because they filter the sun year-round.
  • Put shade-tolerant plants behind other plants that can put up with the high light levels in the room.

Simple, n’est-ce pas?

*Text partly derived from the book Houseplants for Dummies by Larry Hodgson, IDG Books

Sign up for the Laidback Gardener blog and receive articles in your inbox every morning!

Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career. Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.

0 comments on “When Houseplants Receive Too Much Light*

Leave a Reply