Before we look into the complete list of indoor plants and their light requirements, let us first understand the significance of light in plant growth and know about light levels and foot-candle.
Light directly influences plant growth and flowering by inducing photosynthesis and feeding plants energy. Plants are dependent on light to generate food, induce the growing cycle and allow for healthy development.
Even though all plants require light, not all require the same amount of light. Generally, the more light a plant gets, the more food it can make. When a plant gets less light than it needs, the food reserves are used up and the plant’s health declines. Your success with plants will depend largely on choosing proper plants that will grow in the amount of light you have in your home.
The light level determines the types of plants that can be grown. Recommended light levels for plants are given in foot candles.
A foot-candle is the illumination of a surface one foot from the light of a standard candle.
Plants will grow in higher light levels than the preferred levels to be mentioned, but they will not survive below minimum levels of light.
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In Sunlight:
Low designates a minimum light level of 12 foot-candles and a preferred level of 35 to 100 foot-candles.
Medium designates a minimum of 35 foot-candles and a preferred level of 100 to 250 foot-candles.
High designates a minimum of 100 foot-candles and a preferred level of 250 foot-candles.
Very High designates a minimum of 500 foot-candles and a preferred level of over 500 foot-candles.
Using Artificial Light with cool white fluorescent lamps as the standard:
Low designates a minimum high level of 25 foot-candles, preferred level of 75 to 200 foot-candles. (Just enough daylight to read by)
Medium designates a minimum of 75 to 100 foot-candles and a preferred level of 200 to 500 foot-candles. (A well-lighted room with natural light)
High designates a minimum of 200 foot-candles and a preferred level of 500 to 1000 foot-candles. (Many windows, lots of natural light)
Very High designates a minimum of 1000 foot candles and a preferred level of over 1000 foot-candles.
A foot-candle is the illumination of a surface one foot from the light of a standard candle. Light meters measure light intensity in foot-candles, luxes, or micro-Einsteins.
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Arrowhead Vine (Nephthytis, Arrowhead plant, Arrowhead Philodendron, Goosefoot plant, African evergreen, American evergreen) | Syngonium podophyllum |
| Bamboo Palm | Chamaedorea erumpens |
| Cast Iron Plant | Aspidistra elatior |
| Chinese Evergreen | Aglaonema modestum |
| Corn Plant | Dracaena fragrans |
| Figs, Creeping | Ficus pumila |
| Golden Pothos (Money Plant, Devil’s Ivy, Ivy Arum) | Epipremnum aureum |
| Heartleaf Philodendron | Philodendron scandens oxycardium |
| Holly Fern | Crytomium falcatum |
| Kentia Palm | Howea forsteriana |
| Lipstick Vine | Aeschynanthus pulcher |
| Monstera (Split-leaf philodendron)delicious monster, fruit salad plant) | Monstera deliciosa |
| Parlor Palm (Parlour Plant) | Chamaedorea elegans |
| Rabbit foot fern | Davallia fejeensis |
| Snake Plant | Sansevieria trifasciata |
Complete list of indoor plants that need medium light
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Aluminum Plant (Pilea) | Pilea cadierei |
| Asparagus Fern (asparagus grass, lace fern, climbing asparagus, or ferny asparagus) | Asparagus setaceus |
| Baby’s Tears | Soleirolia soleirolii |
| Bird’s Nest Fern | Asplenium nidus |
| Boston Fern | Nephrolepis exaltata |
| Climbing philodendron | Philodendron ‘Red Princess’ |
| Coffee Plant | Coffea arabica |
| Coral berry | Ardisia crenata |
| Crossandra | Crossandra infundibuliformis |
| Cryptanthus | Cryptanthus |
| Daffodil ( trumpet narcissus, bulb-forming plant) | Narcissus |
| Dumb Cane | Dieffenbachia amoena |
| Earth-star | Cryptanthus spp. |
| Exacum | Exacum affine |
| Fatshedera (Botanical Wonder ) | Fatshedera lizei |
| Fiddleleaf philodendron ( Horsehead Philodendron) | Philodendron bipennifolium |
| Figs, Fiddle Leaf | Ficus lyrata |
| Fingernail Plant | Neoregelia spectabilis |
| Flame Flower | Episcia spp. |
| flame violet | Episcia cupreata |
| Gold-Dust Plant | Dracaena surculosa |
| Goldfish plant | Columnes |
| Grape Leaf Ivy | Cissus rhombifolia |
| Hedera Ivy ( English Ivy) | Hedera helix |
| India Rubber Plant (Rubber fig, Rubber bush, Rubber tree, Rubber plant, Indian rubber bush, Indian rubber tree) | Ficus elastica |
| Japanese Fatsia (Japanese Aralia) | Fatsia japonica |
| Kaffir Lily (Natal lily or bush lily | Clivia miniata |
| Lady Palm | Rhapis excelsa |
| Maidenhair fern | Adiantum raddianum |
| Mosaic Plant | Fittonia verschaffeltii |
| Moses-in-the-cradle (Moses-in-a-Boat, Boat Lily, Cradle Lily, Moses-in-the-Bullrushes) | Tradescantia spathacea |
| Peace Lily ( White sails, Spathe flower) | Spathiphyllum |
| Philodendron (Spadeleaf philodendron, burgundy philodendron) | Philodendron domesticum |
| Pigmy Date Palm | Phoenix roebelenii |
| Pleomele | Dracaena reflexa |
| Prayer Plant | Maranta leuconeura |
| Screw Pine | Pandanus veitchii |
| Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum |
| Spiderwort | Tradescantia spp. |
| Spotted Dumb Cane | Dieffenbachia maculata |
| Staghorn Fern | Platycerium spp. |
| Striped Dracaena | Dracaena deremensis |
| Swedish Ivy | Plectranthus verticillatus |
| Ti Plant | Cordyline terminalis |
| Umbrella Plant | Cyperus alternifolius |
| Urn Plant | Aechmea fasciata |
| Velvet Plant ( Purple Passion) | Gynura aurantiaca |
| Wandering Jew (Inch Plant) | Tradescantia zebrina |
| Wax Plant ( Porcelainflower, Honey plant) | Hoya carnosa |
| Weeping Fig | Ficus benjamina |
| Zebra Plant | Cryptanthus zonatus |
Complete list of indoor plants that need high light
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Areca Palm | Chrysalidocarpus lutescens |
| Blushing Bromeliad | Neoregelia carolinae |
| Buddist Pine (Yew plum pine ) | Podocarpus macrophyllus |
| Caladium bicolor (Angel wings) | Caladium |
| Calla Lily | Zantedeschia sp. |
| Chenille Plant | Acalypha hispida |
| Christmas Cactus | Schlumbergera bridgesii |
| Christmas Kalanchoe (Flaming Katy, Florist Kalanchoe, Madagascar widow’s-thrill) | Kalanchoe blossfeldiana |
| Christmas Pepper | Capsicum annuum |
| Cineraria | Senecio cruentus |
| Crown of Thorns | Euphorbia milii splendens |
| Cupid’s Bower (Magic flowers, Widow’s tears, Hot water plant, Nut-orchid, Star of India) | Achimenes longiflora |
| Cyclamen | Cyclamen persicum |
| False Aralia | Dizygotheca elegantissima |
| Flaming sword | Vriesea splendens |
| Flowering Maple (Indian mallow) | Abutilon |
| Japanese Pittosporum (Pittosporum ) | Pittosporum tobira |
| Jerusalem Cherry (Madeira winter cherry) | Solanum pseudocapsicum |
| Lantana | Lantana camara |
| Mother of thousands | Kalanchoe daigremontiana |
| Oleander | Nerium oleander |
| Oyster Plant ( Boat Lily, Moses in a Basket,Moses-in-the-Cradle) | Rhoeo spathacea |
| Panda Plant (pussy ears ) | Kalanchoe tomentosa |
| Piggyback Plant | Tolmiea menziesii |
| Primrose | Primula spp. |
| Primula | Primula vulgaris |
| Rex Begonia | Begonia x rex-cultorum |
| Sago Palm | Cycas revoluta |
| Sensitive Plant (sleepy plant, action plant, touch-me-not) | Mimosa pudica |
| Shrimp Plant | Justicia brandegeeana |
| Silk Oak (silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak) | Grevillea robusta |
| Streptocarpus | Streptocarpus spp. |
| Zebra Plant | Aphelandra squarrosa |
Complete list of indoor plants that need very high light
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| African Violets | Saintpaulia ionantha |
| Aloe | Aloe spp. |
| Bougainvillea | Bougainvillea spp. |
| Burro’s Tail | Sedum morganianum |
| Busy Lizzie( Balsam, Sultana, Simply impatiens) | Impatiens walleriana |
| Chrysanthemum | Chrysanthemum spp. |
| Coleus | Coleus blumeri |
| Croton | Codiaeum variegatum |
| Fuchsia | Fuchsia spp. |
| Gardenia | Gardenia jasminoides |
| Geranium | Pelargonium x hortorum |
| Gloxinia | Sinningia speciosa |
| Hibiscus | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis |
| Jade Plant | Crassula argentea |
| New Guinea Impatiens | Impatiens hybrids |
| Orchid | Orchidaceae |
| Passion Flower | Passiflora |
| Poinsettia | Euphorbia pulcherrima |
| Strawberry Geranium | Saxifraga stolonifera |
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