It’s evident that we spend more than 90% of our time indoors.
This means we’re often separated from nature's scenic beauty. However, there’s an easy way to incorporate nature into our living spaces.
Interior plants not only enhance the aesthetics of our living spaces but also create a calming and restful environment, contributing to our overall sense of well-being.
We’ve covered many of these interior plants in the past, ranging from flowering to large indoor and bathroom plants.
Suffice it to say, there are plants suitable for each of your living spaces more than others. That’s why, in today’s post, we’re covering those suitable around the windows.
Factors to Consider in Selecting Indoor Window Plants
As a plant parent, you need to understand the conditions inside your house that affect indoor plant growth. Light is by far the most important factor, closely followed by temperature. Without adequate light, the following will happen:
- The plant doesn’t grow as expected.
- The internodes (spaces between the leaves) on the new growth are much longer than those on the older part of the plant.
- The new leaves are smaller than the older leaves.
- The leaf color is a lighter green on the newer foliage than on the older foliage.
Based on such factors, some plants on this list will be suitable on window sills, while others should be placed near the window with a screen.
Regardless, you can be sure we’ve done all the due diligence, so you don’t have to. Therefore, whether you have a sunny south-facing window or a more subdued north-facing one, there are plenty of plant options.
13 Best Plants to Place Around Your Windows
Hens and Chicks
Hens and chicks grow best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
South-facing windows are best for hens and chicks plants because they provide bright light, encouraging growth. Make sure you rotate the plant every few days so each side receives equal sunlight and grows evenly.
String of Turtles
String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata) is a delicate trailing vining plant with round, semi-succulent, variegated leaves native to Brazilian rainforests.
The leaves look like the shell of a miniature turtle strung together along the vine. This appearance gives the plants their common name – the String of Turtles plant.
Burrow’s Tail
Also known as donkey’s tail, burro’s tail is a long-lived tender perennial trailing sub-shrub generally grown as a houseplant by many gardeners.
With bright to full sun, the burro’s tail grows quickly and fills the hanging baskets with stems hanging vertically down to bring out a beautiful dreadlock look. For maximum light exposure, hang near the window or window sill.
Aloe Vera
Aloe is a smart choice for a sunny kitchen window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns.
However, growing this plant comes with challenges. Here are the most common ones.
Pothos
One of the things I love about the Pothos plant is that it is a very easy and low-maintenance indoor houseplant.
The plant can grow even in a water-filled bottle (alone for a reasonable period) with frequent water refills or complete water changes.
Remember, you may need to choose a specific variety depending on how bright your window is. For instance, a brighter one will suit the golden pothos, while a dark one could be ideal for the jade pothos.
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Fiddle-leaf figs are tall, broad-leaved, large indoor plants that add a beautiful touch to your room or office.
Although these plants aren’t easy to keep alive, more tolerance, love, and care help them survive.
These indoor plants are suited for different types of lighting and can withstand both direct and indirect sunlight.
Mother-in-Laws Tongue
Also known as the snake plant, this plant is one of the best for filtering out formaldehyde, which is common in cleaning, toilet paper, tissues, and personal care products.
Put one near your bathroom window. It’ll thrive in low light and steamy, humid conditions and help filter out air pollutants.
Jade Plant
Jade plants are both trees and succulents that can purify the air in your home—making them one of the most sought-after large indoor plants with beautiful, showy blooms.
These plants can adapt to different light conditions; hence, you can place them anywhere near the window.
Mass Cane Plant
The mass cane plant, botanically known as Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana,' is a cultivar of ornamental corn usually grown as a houseplant.
The plant can survive under low light conditions for 2-3 years. Besides, mass cane is a low-maintenance plant, making it ideal for most beginners.
Ponytail Palm
Ponytail palms, or elephant foot palms, are unique-looking, long-lived indoor plants that thrive on benign neglect.
They are straightforward to grow—provided that you don’t overwater them! Here’s how to grow and care for a ponytail palm in your home
Zebra Haworthia
Haworthia, also called zebra cactus, pearl, star window, and cushion aloe, is a large genus of small, slow-growing succulent plants.
They resemble mini aloe plants with rosettes of fleshy green leaves generously covered with white pearly warts or bands. Commonly kept as indoor plants, they require bright light and grow well on a window sill.
Croton
Croton is an evergreen shrub or small tree with broad, vividly colored leaves that can bring a Tropical flair to any indoor space.
With more than 100 Croton varieties, there's something for everyone in terms of color combination.
String of Pearls
String of pearls is an evergreen trailing perennial succulent plant with nearly spherical pea-sized alternate leaves.
This easy-maintenance succulent is a summer bloomer and produces small daisy-like flowers. The flowers are not showy but have a sweet and spicy cinnamon-like fragrance.
Conclusion
Remember to rotate your plants around the window for even light exposure. Otherwise, you’ll have uneven growth, which isn’t ideal.
I hope you found this list of indoor window plants useful. If you did, consider sharing it to reach more people.