Houseplant SunShade Requirements
Curtis E. Swift, Ph.D., Colorado State University Extension
How you determine foot candles without a light meter.
North Exposure
(150-500 footcandles, average 300 footcandles) |
Deep Shade |
Temperature |
Genus
| Common Name |
| W |
Aglaonema |
Chinese Evergreen |
| I |
Araucaria |
Norfolk Island Pine; Monkey Puzzle |
| I |
Aspidistra |
CastIron Plant |
| I |
Chlorophytum |
Spider Plants |
| W |
Cissus |
Kangroo Vine; GrapeIvy |
| W |
Dieffenbachia |
Dumb Cane |
| C |
Fatshedera |
Ivy Tree; Pagoda Tree |
| W |
Ficus elastica |
Rubber Plant |
| W |
Fittonia |
Mosiac Plant: Nerve Plant |
| W |
Hoffmannia |
Taffeta Plant |
| C |
Ivies |
Ivies |
| W |
Marantas |
Prayer Plant |
| I |
Palms |
Palms |
| W |
Peperomia |
Peperomias |
| W |
Pileas |
Artillery Plant; Aluminum Plant, etc. |
| W |
Sanservierias |
Snake Plant |
| I |
Saxifraga |
Strawberry Geranium |
| C |
Skimmia |
Skimmia |
| I |
Tolmiea |
PiggyBack Plant |
| I |
Tradescantias |
SpiderWort |
East or West Exposure (200-4000 footcandles) |
Partial Shade |
Temperature |
Genus |
Common Name |
| W |
Alpinia |
Giant Gingers |
| W |
Anthurium |
Tall Flowers |
| W |
Aphelandra |
Zebra Plant |
| IC |
Araucaria |
Norfolk Island Pine; Monkey Puzzle |
| IC |
Asparagus |
Asparagus |
| IC |
Aucuba |
Golddust Plant; Goldiana, etc. |
| W |
Brassaia |
Flowering Kale |
| W |
Caladium |
Caladiums |
| W |
Calathea |
Rattlesnake Plant; Peacock Plant, etc. |
| IC |
Camellia |
Camellias |
| IC |
Cinerarias |
Cinerarias |
| W |
Clivia |
Kafir Lily |
| W |
Costus |
Spiral Ginger |
| IC |
Crinum |
Swamp Lily |
| IC |
Cyclamen |
Cyclamen |
| W |
Eucharis |
Amazon Lily |
| IC |
Euonymus |
Euonymus |
| W |
Ferns |
Birdsnest and Boston |
| W |
Ficus benjamina |
Weeping Fig |
| IC |
Fuchsia |
Fuschsia |
| IC |
Grevillea |
Silk Oak |
| IC |
Hoya |
Wax Plants |
| W |
Impatiens |
Balsams |
| IC |
Ivies variegated |
Ivies, variegated |
| W |
Jacobinia |
Brazilian Plumes |
| IC |
Kaempferia |
Gingerlily |
| IC |
Marica |
Apostle Plant |
| IC |
Myrtus |
Myrtles |
| W |
Oleander |
Oleander |
| IC |
Oemanthus |
Sweet Olive |
| IC |
Oxalis |
Woodsorrel |
| W |
Pandanus |
Screw Pines |
| IC |
Plectranthus |
Swedish Ivy |
| IC |
Podocarpus |
Buddhist Pines |
| IC |
Primula |
Primrose |
| W |
Pseuderanthemum |
Chocolate Plant |
| W |
Spathiphyllum |
Peace Lillies |
| W |
Torenia |
Wishbone Plant |
| IC |
Vinca |
Periwinkle; Myrtle |
| W |
Zebrina |
Wandering Jew |
South Exposure (5500-9000 footcandles) |
Full Sun |
Temp. |
Genus |
Common Name |
| W |
Acalypha |
Copperleaf; Chenille Plants |
| IC |
Azalea |
Azalea |
| W |
Bougainvillea |
Bougainvillea |
| IC |
Chrysanthemum |
Chrysanthemum |
| IC |
Citrus |
Orange; Lemon, etc. |
| W |
Coleus |
Painted Nettles; Flame Nettles |
| W |
Codiaeum |
Crotons |
| W |
Gardenia |
Cape Jasmines |
| W |
Gloriosa |
Glory Lily |
| W |
Hibiscus |
Rose Mallows |
| W |
Iresine |
Blood Leaf |
| W |
Kalanchoe |
Life Plants |
| IC |
Kumquats |
Kumquats |
| IC |
Pelargonium |
Geranium |
| IC |
Petunia |
Petunias |
| W |
Succulents |
Cactus, etc. |
Temperature notation: |
| W |
Warm, 6265 degrees F. at night; can rise to 8085 degrees
F. in daytime. |
| I |
Intermediate, 5055 degrees F. at night; can rise to 6570
degrees in daytime. |
| C |
Cool, 4045 degrees F. at night; can rise to 5560 degrees
F. in daytime. |
| IC |
Species in these genera vary according to temperature needs;
check species need. |
You can make a rough estimate of the foot-candles available for your plants by holding your hand about a foot above the foliage of your plants:
at 4,000 to 5,000 foot candles you will see a clearly defined hand and fingers on the foliage.
at 2,000 to 3,000 foot-candles you can see the hand but it is somewhat blurry.
at 1,500 foot-candles or less the shadow is totally blurry.
