Home gardeners and people who care for plants often fret about the amount of light in their houses; many believe that without a south-facing window, there won’t be enough direct sunshine for plants to thrive.
While it is most difficult to cultivate plants in north-facing windows, which provide the mildest light, you are still in luck if your home has west- or east-facing windows.
Best Houseplants for East-Facing Window
The great news is that not every indoor plant likes direct sunshine; have a look at these species that thrive in dim light.
1. Goldfish Plant
Twenty-five different types of goldfish plants feature fish-shaped leaves with a glossy, deep green color and red, orange, or yellow blooms.
Goldfish plants require a lot of indirect, bright sunshine each day and carefully planned watering cycles to blossom with their vividly colored, fish-like blooms.
They may be scorched by intense afternoon sunshine, but they do well in the early sun’s light.
2. Watermelon Peperomia (Peperomia argyreia)
These adorable tiny houseplants have alternating pale and dark green stripes resembling those on a watermelon’s skin and heart-shaped, begonia-like leaves.
Watermelon Peperomia is a plant that is indigenous to northern regions of South America. It thrives in dense forest undergrowth. They need plenty of medium-to-bright, indirect light to grow in your house.
Put yours in front of the east-facing window with a slight shade or a little back from windows facing east. The leaf’s striped hues may become less brilliant if scorched by excessive sunshine.
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3. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis Exaltata)
Boston ferns are the ideal plants for windows that face east. Even if you only get them for the lovely plant texture, you should give the evergreen lovelies a chance.
The Boston fern is a beautiful addition to the collection of windowsill plants when used as hanging plants. Long, green, fluffy fronds of Boston ferns create a lovely arch when placed in a hanging bowl or raised plant stand.
Boston ferns are among the greatest indoor plants for windows that face east since they need magnificent intense early light to prevent the burning of their brilliant foliage.
Unless you live in humid parts of the United States, spraying your fern regularly is essential. The shrub is also quite simple to maintain; remember to remove any brown leaves that appear here and there.
4. Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus Lyrata)
Do you need plants for the northeastern corner of the house or commercial building? The fiddle leaf fig is probably the most well-liked indoor plant you may have for an east-facing window.
The fiddle fig is one of the most popular house plants in America and only requires a few hours of sunshine each day, so early sunlight is ideal.
The fiddle fig flourishes as north-east-facing window houseplants in the United States because early sunshine helps prevent leaf shedding and browning.
The fiddle leaf fig is a quick-growing plant with a maximum height of 6 feet and a moderate watering need. If you don’t give the leaves adequate water, their vibrant green color will fade.
Conversely, the leaves may drop if you water them excessively, and root rot may appear. To prevent this, try using pebble trays and choose a planter containing drainage holes.
5. Areca Palm
The majestic Areca palm, among the most popular indoor palms, has a bad image. These plants, often known as butterfly palms because of their feathery, long fronds, need indirect but bright light to flourish and stay healthy.
Areca palms are ideal for east-facing window plants because they have all the necessary elements to develop into spectacular specimens that reach the ceiling.
The browning of the leaves is a sign they need more moisture. However, they can typically withstand less humidity. They love high humidity.
The majority of pests and illnesses are repelled by this plant with well-draining potting soil and prudent watering. Spider mites are everywhere, so if you discover any, it takes a quick wash with a horticultural soap to get rid of them.
It is crucial to minimize drafts and maintain their temperatures in a pleasant home range of from 65°F to 75°F (16-24°C). The ASPCA describes areca palms as non-toxic to dogs and cats, making them ideal roommates and one of the greatest interior air purifying plants.
6. Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica)
The Japanese fatsia is a landscaping shade-loving shrub that thrives inside if given bright circumstances away from direct sunlight. It is another beauty that fills up space and has stunning leaves.
It’s a bushy, tall plant with robust, deeply-lobed leaves that may spread a foot wide, transporting the tropics. Particularly striking is the cultivar Variegata.
Fatsia is an excellent plant for an east-facing window since they thrive in the morning sunlight and often little maintenance. They like constant moisture in the soil, drain well, and require minimal fertilizing throughout the growing season. Usually, they are generally unobtrusive.
Their one obstinate need is that the season is chilly with nightly lows of 50°F; nevertheless, they perish in a frost. The solution may be a covered porch, but be ready.
The typical company of readily controlled aphids, mealy bugs, and the like may be drawn by their wide, thick leaves. The plant cannot harm pets, although its sap might irritate the skin.
7. Calathea
Get Calathea plants for your sunroom if it faces east! This houseplant’s vibrant foliage has made it famous. Burgandy’s bottom is the leaves, while the upper side appears to be painted with white brushstrokes.
Calatheas are also known as the Peacock, Cathedral Window, Zebra, and Rattlesnake plants.
Calatheas thrive in indirect but bright light and make excellent east-facing window plants. They like frequent watering, and the soil seldom becomes very damp.
They thrive very well in humid environments. A home humidifier is excellent for the pants, but we can also utilize a freshwater tray or mist them routinely.
8. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans)
The parlor palm requires a lot of medium-bright indirect sunshine, making it the ideal houseplant for an east-facing window in Texas.
Additionally, it can survive brief amounts of less severe direct sunshine. The east-facing window might provide just the bright atmosphere needed in this situation.
In the summer, when the light is a little stronger, you could think about relocating the parlor palm a few inches away from the windows to shield it from too much direct light. Remember to water the parlor palm every seven to ten days; if feasible, place it in a warm, humid area of your house.
9. Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa)
The avant-garde plant is well-liked because of its fenestrated (hole-like), glossy leaves, and vining habit, which give it a distinctively tropical appearance.
The Swiss Cheese Plant is great for indoor space. The large delicious and tiny adansonii are the two principal species planted inside.
Without the proper illumination, Monsteras won’t seem monstrously robust: too little light results in sparse air roots and weak leaves.
They may be placed right up against an east-facing window; the more direct, strong light they get, the healthier and more quickly they develop. They also produce their distinctive fenestration under bright circumstances.
High humidity is essential for Monstera’s success. They can survive on water trays and misting, but they truly prefer the steamy environment that a room humidifier provides. Rich, porous soil, regular rainfall, and somewhat warmer indoor temperatures are favorable to them.
Regular leaf cleaning can help you identify bug infestations early. Pests may be easily eliminated by taking a shower and spraying neem oil on them. Their foliage has calcium oxalates in it, which are poisonous to animals.
10. Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis)
The Moth orchid beats out the contest for southeast-facing window plants because it is hardy, robust, and adaptable.
The Moth orchid appreciates the medium light that the southeast direction provides as far as plants are concerned. They loathe much light!
The moth orchid thrives in an eastern-facing window and will bloom as long as it receives strong indirect light. They produce a moth-like flower that blooms for months and has vibrant colors. The available flower colors are blue, red, green, white, orange, or pinkish.
Moth orchids are excellent blooming plants for an east-facing window, yet they may also thrive with north-facing windows.
The Moth orchid requires a host plant species to attach to survive, similar to other orchid species. However, you’ll need to utilize a natural potting mix that originates from a tree or resembles a host tree for a potted plant growing alone. For moth orchids, any bark will do, even ground fir tree.
11. Croton
Croton plants are a popular indoor plant because of their colorful foliage, which comes in various tints of red, orange, yellow, green, and purple.
The amount of light that crotons need varies according to the kind. While some people like strong, direct sunshine, others do best in dimly lit environments. Croton generally needs more sunshine the more colorfully varied its leaves are.
Wherever feasible, croton plants also require humid, warm conditions for growth. The most vibrant crotons grow best near windows that face east.
The ideal times to propagate these plants if you want to increase your collection are in the spring, and early summer, when fertilizing may also assist in maintaining robust growth and beautiful foliage.
Additionally, you should regularly repot the croton plant to provide it with a new, nutrient-rich soil foundation and additional space for development.
It’s important to remember that croton plants may be poisonous to people and animals if consumed.
12. Umbrella Tree (Schefflera)
This venerable tropical plant is known as the Umbrella Tree because of its propensity to shed its lowest leaves until it resembles a tufted palm. Spring trimming will maintain it large and bushy, but it requires adequate indirect light.
Schefflera can tolerate various lighting situations, except direct sunlight, but they thrive in windows facing east, where they grow pretty resilient.
They like wet soil and high humidity as tropicals, although they may thrive in less optimal conditions and still look excellent. They need little monthly feeding and are mostly pest-free. Repot them only if they are root bound.
Give them a hefty pot to balance out their top-heavy growth, expert advice.
There are two common indoor Schefflera species: the huge actinophylla, which has leaves of up to one foot long, and the arboricola, which has smaller leaves but can still grow six feet tall. It is even adaptable enough to grow well as a bonsai plant. One word of caution: it is pretty hazardous if consumed.
13. Prayer Plants (Maranta Leuconeura)
Prayer plants are among the most remarkable for beginners since they are simple to maintain and can be found in any nursery. The plant seems to be praying as its leaves fold at night from being flat during the day.
The prayer plant is a tropical variant that exists in a tricolor look. It features velvety, deep green leaves with yellow spots along the center and red looping veins that give the leaves lovely edges.
Although the Prayer plant grows slowly, it may develop indoors to a height of one foot. It flourishes in some shade. Choose the plants for the northeast-facing windows of the home, as long as they get adequate morning sun, rather than placing the Prayer plant in direct sunshine.
14. Jade Plant (Crassula Ovata)
Succulent jade plants have tiny pink or white star-shaped blooms. Among the most popular and often used indoor plants is this blooming plant.
They must be located in a bright area of your east-facing window to get enough morning light. Being a rather versatile plant, they also thrive in windows that face west or south.
Jade plants feature smooth leaves and stout stalks that resemble little tree trunks. They don’t require much maintenance and need a little watering to prevent root rot in the winter. You also need to keep their soil dry.
Final Thoughts
When setting up your indoor greenery, it is best to check up on which plants will do well in the light conditions you have. The best houseplants for east-facing windows in the United States will do well under bright but indirect light.
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Hi! I’m Sophia, and I love plants – especially an expert in growing house plants. I stay in Chicago, United States of America, and through my blog and social media platforms, provide tips and tricks on how to grow healthy, vibrant plants indoors. Check out more here.