Light and Moisture Requirements
For Selected Indoor Plants
The following list includes most of the indoor plants that you will be growing. This list contains
information on how large the plant will get at maturity, which light level is best for good growth,
how much you should be feeding your indoor plants and how much water is required for healthy
growth. The list gives the scientific name and, in parenthesis, the common name. Always try to
remember a plant by its scientific name, because some plants have many common names but
only one scientific name.
The following descriptions define the terms used in the following material.
Light Levels
Low - Minimum high level of 25-foot candles, preferred level of 75- to 200-foot candles.
Medium - Minimum of 75- to 100-foot candles, preferred level of 200- to 500-foot candles.
High - Minimum of 200-foot candles, preferred level of 500- to 1,000-foot candles.
Very High - Minimum of 1,000-foot candles, preferred level of over 1,000-foot candles.
Water Requirements
Dry - Does not need very much water and can stand low humidity.
Moist - Requires a moderate amount of water and loves some humidity in the atmosphere.
Wet -- Usually requires more water than other plants and must have high humidity in its
surroundings.
Fertility
General Rule - One teaspoon soluble house plant fertilizer per gallon of water or follow
recommendations on package.
Low - No application in winter or during dormant periods.
Medium - Apply every other month during winter and every month during spring and summer.
High - Apply every month during winter and twice each month during the spring and summer.
NAME
MATURE
SIZE
LIGHT
LEVEL
FERTILITY
WATER
REQUIREMENTS
Aechmea fasciata
(Bromeliad)
pot plant medium medium moist
Aeschynanthus- species
(Lipstick Fine)
pot, basket medium low moist
Aglaonema commutatum
(Chinese evergreen)
pot plant low medium moist
Aglaonema "Pseudobracteatum"
(Golden Aglaonema)
pot plant low medium moist
Aglaonema roebelinii
(Pewter Plant)
pot plant low medium moist
Aloe variegata pot plant very high low dry
Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant)
pot plant medium medium moist
Araucaria excelsa
(Norfolk Island Pine)
tree, floor,
pot plant
high medium moist
Asparagus sprengeri
(Asparagus Fern)
pot plant,
basket
medium high moist
Aspidistra elatior
(Cast-Iron Plant)
pot plant low medium moist
Begonias, other than
metallica and rex basket
pot plant, very high high moist
Brassaia actinophylla
(Schefflera) pot plant
tree, floor medium high dry
Bromeliads (many species) pot plant medium low moist
Cactus (many species) pot plant very high low dry
Calathea (many species) pot plant medium medium moist
Chamaedorea elegans
(Neanthe Bella Palm)
floor, pot
plant
low medium moist
Chamaedorea erumpens
(Bamboo Palm)
tree, floor
pot plant
low medium moist
Chamerops humilis
(European Fan Palm)
tree, floor
plant
high medium moist
Chlorophytum elatum
(Spider Plant)
pot, basket high medium moist
Cissus antarctica
(Kangaroo Vine)
pot plant,
basket
high
medium-
high
moist
Cissus rhombifolia
(Grape Ivy)
pot plant,
basket
medium medium dry
Citrus mitis
(Calamondin)
pot plant high
medium-
high
dry
Codiaeum species
(Croton)
pot plant very high
medium-
hgih
dry
Coleus blumei
pot plant,
basket
very high high wet
Columnea species
pot plant,
basket
medium-
high
medium moist
Crassula argentea
(Jade Plant)
pot plant very
high
medium
dry
Dieffenbachia amonena
(Dumb Cane)
floor, pot
plant
medium medium dry
Dieffenbachia "Exotica"
(Dumb Cane)
pot plant medium medium dry
Dizygotheca elegantissima
(Spider Aralia)
floor, pot
plant
high medium moist
Dracaena deremensis
(Green Dracena)
floor, pot
plant
medium medium moist
Dracaena dermensis
"Warneckei"
(White Striped Dracaena)
pot plant medium medium moist
Dracaena fragrans
massangeana
(Corn Plant)
floor, pot
plant
low medium moist
Dracaena marginata
(Dragon Tree)
tree, floor
plant
medium medium moist
Dracaena godseffiana pot plant, very high
medium-
high
moist
Episcia species
(Flame Violet)
pot plant,
basket
very high
medium-
high
moist
Eriobotrya japonica
(Japanese Loquat)
tree high medium moist
Fatsia japonica (Japanese Aralia)
floor, pot
plant
medium
medium-
high
moist
Fatshedera lizei
(Tree Ivy)
floor, pot
plant
mediumt
medium-
high
moist
Ficus benjamina "exotica"
(Weeping Java Fig)
tree medium medium moist
Ficus elastica "Decora"
(Rubber Plant)
tree, florr,
pot plant
medium medium moist
Ficus lyrata
(Fiddle Leaf fig)
tree, floor
plant
medium medium moist
Hedera helix
(English Ivy)
pot, basket high medium moist
Howea forsteriana
(Kentia Palm)
tree, floor
plant
low medium moist
Ficus philippinensis
(Philippine Fig)
tree, floor
plant
medium medium moist
Ficus retusa nitida tree medium medium moisti
(India Laurel)
Gynura species
(Purple Passion Plant)
pot, basket medium medium moist
Hoya carnosa
(Wax Plant)
pot plant,
basket
medium low dry
Ligustrum lucidum
(Wax Leaf Privet)
tree, floor
plant
medium medium dry
Maranta leuconeura
(Prayer Plant)
pot plant,
basket
medium medium moist
Monstera deliciosa
(Split Leaf Philodendron)
pot, floor
plant
medium medium moist
Nephrolepis exaltata bostoniensis)
(Boston Fern)
pot plant medium medium moist
Orchids (many species) pot plant very high medium moist/dry
Pandanus veitchii
(Screw Pine)
pot, floor
plant
medium medium moist
Pelargonium species
(Geranium)
pot plant,
basket
very high high dry
Peperomia carperata
(Emerald Ripple)
pot plant,
basket
low medium dry
Peperomia (many specimens)
pot plant,
basket
low medium dry(
Philodendron hybrida
(Self-Heading Philodendron)
floor, pot
plant
medium medium moist
Philodendron oxycardium
(Heartleaf Philodendron)
pot plant,
basket
low medium dry
Phoenix roebelenii
(Dwarf Date Palm)
floor, pot
plant
medium medium wet
Pilea species
(Aluminum and plant
Artiller Plant, etc.)
pot high high moist
Pittosporum tobira
(Mock Orange)
floor, pot
plant
high medium dry
Plectranus species
(Swedish Ivy, etc.)
pot plant high high moist
Pleomele reflexa
(Green Pleomele)
floor plant medium medium wet
Podocarpus macrophylla
"Maki" (Podocarpus)
tree, floor,
pot plant
high medium moist
Polyscias guilfoylei
(Parlsey Aralia)
floor, pot
plant
medium medium moist
Rhaphidophora
pot plant,
low
medium
moist
(Pothos - Devil's Ivy)
basket
Rhapis excelsa
(Lady Palm)
tree, floor
plant
medium medium wet
Saintpaulia species
(African Violets)
pot plant
Sansevieria species
(Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law's
Tongue)
pot, floor low low moist
Sinningia species
(Gloxinia)
pot plant very high
medium-
high
moist
Spathiphyllum clevelandii
"Mauna Loa"
pot plant medium medium dry
Syngonium podophyllus
(Nephthytis)
pot plant,
basket
low medium moist
Tradescantia species
(Wandering Jew)
pot plant,
basket
medium medium moist
Zygocactus truncactus
(Christmas Cactus)
pot plant,
basket
high medium moist/dry
