Growing houseplants indoors is a negotiation between what the plant wants and what your home provides, and the negotiation is mostly about light. A monstera deliciosa wants bright indirect light; your living room may have it, your hallway almost certainly does not. A calathea medallion wants humidity; your bathroom may have it, your heated living room does not. The plants that thrive indoors are the ones whose needs match the room they are in, and the gardener's job is to match them honestly rather than to force a plant into a spot where it cannot succeed.
This guide covers the indoor conditions that matter — light, temperature, humidity, and air — room by room, and the plants that suit each one. It uses real plants from our collection, and it is honest about the rooms where almost nothing will grow. Your local extension service can advise on the plants that suit your home and climate.
Light indoors, room by room
Light is the limiting factor indoors, and it varies enormously from room to room. A south-facing living room with large windows is the brightest spot in most homes and suits the monstera deliciosa, the fiddle-leaf fig, the rubber plant, and the bird of paradise, all of which want bright indirect light and will tolerate a little direct morning sun. An east- or west-facing room suits the golden pothos, the philodendron Brasil, and the monstera adansonii. A north-facing room, or a room some distance from the window, is low light, and it suits only the toughest plants: the snake plant Laurentii, the ZZ raven, and the golden pothos will survive there, but they will grow slowly and they will not thrive. A windowless bathroom or hallway will grow almost nothing, whatever the label says — a plant needs light to photosynthesize, and no plant can do it in the dark. The sunlight calculator can help you measure what each window receives, and the grow light calculator can help if you want to grow plants in a dim room with supplementary light.
Temperature: the indoor range
Most houseplants come from tropical forests and want the temperature range that humans find comfortable: roughly 18–24°C during the day, and not below about 13–15°C at night. The monstera deliciosa, the golden pothos, and the philodendron Brasil are all happy in that range. The snake plant Laurentii and the ZZ raven tolerate cooler conditions, while the calathea medallion and the African violet dislike cold draughts and sudden changes. Keep plants away from radiators, which dry the air and scorch the leaves, and away from cold draughts from doors and windows in winter. A plant on a windowsill in winter can be several degrees colder than the room, because the glass is cold, so move plants back from the glass on frosty nights. The humidity temperature checker can tell you what your rooms actually provide, which is often different from what you assume. Do not put a houseplant in an unheated room over winter unless it is one of the few that tolerates cold.
Humidity: the invisible problem
Humidity is the indoor condition that beginners notice last and that tropical plants feel first. Most homes in winter, with central heating, have a relative humidity of 30–40%, while a monstera deliciosa, a calathea medallion, or a boston fern comes from a forest where the humidity is 60–80%. The symptoms are brown, crispy leaf edges and tips, and new leaves that emerge damaged. The remedies, in order of effectiveness, are: group plants together, so they humidify each other's air; stand the pots on a tray of pebbles with water in it, so the water evaporates around the plants; and run a humidifier in the room. Misting the leaves helps for an hour and is not a lasting solution, and it can encourage fungal disease if the leaves stay wet. The snake plant Laurentii, the ZZ raven, and the rubber plant are far less fussy about humidity, and they are the right choice for a dry, heated home. A bathroom with a window is the most humid room in most houses and suits the calathea medallion and the boston fern well, provided it gets enough light.
Air, draughts and the living room
Houseplants need air movement, but not draughts. Still, stale air encourages fungal disease and pests, while a cold draught from a door or an air-conditioning vent will check the growth of a tropical plant and cause leaf drop — the fiddle-leaf fig is notorious for dropping its leaves after a draught. Open a window on a mild day for fresh air, but keep plants out of the direct path of the draught. Do not put plants directly above a radiator or next to a heat source, and do not put them in the path of a fan that runs all day. Dust the leaves every few weeks with a damp cloth, since a dusty leaf photosynthesizes poorly — a monstera deliciosa with clean leaves grows noticeably faster than one with dusty ones. And give each plant room: a shelf crowded with plants so that the leaves touch is a place where pests and disease spread quickly, and our houseplants pest control guide explains why.
Choosing plants for each room
In the living room, with the best light, grow the monstera deliciosa, the fiddle-leaf fig, the rubber plant, and the bird of paradise. In a bright bedroom, grow the golden pothos, the philodendron Brasil, and the snake plant Laurentii, which tolerates the cooler night temperature of a bedroom. In a bright bathroom with a window, grow the calathea medallion, the boston fern, and the African violet, which all appreciate the humidity. In a kitchen with a bright window, grow herbs and the golden pothos, which tolerates the temperature changes of a kitchen. In a dim hallway or office, grow only the toughest plants — the snake plant Laurentii, the ZZ raven, and the golden pothos — and accept that they will grow slowly. And in a room with no window, grow no plants at all, and enjoy a picture instead. Matching the plant to the room is the single most useful skill in indoor growing, and it is worth more than any fertilizer or gadget.
The indoor year: seasons inside the house
Indoor plants have seasons too, even though they never go outside. In spring, as the light increases, they start growing: this is the time to repot, to start feeding, and to take cuttings. In summer, they grow fastest and need the most water. In autumn, as the light falls, growth slows: reduce the watering and stop feeding. In winter, most houseplants are semi-dormant: water sparingly, do not feed, and do not repot. The most common winter mistake is to keep watering on a summer schedule in a dark, cool room — the plant is not using the water, the mix stays wet, and the roots rot. Adjust the care to the season, not to the calendar, and watch the plant: a plant that is growing needs water and food, and a plant that is not growing needs very little of either. If you are unsure about a diagnosis, a product, or a local rule, check your local extension service — its advice is tailored to your soil, climate, and the pests and diseases active in your area.
Frequently asked questions
Which room is best for houseplants?
The brightest room, usually a south- or east-facing living room. A monstera deliciosa, fiddle-leaf fig, and rubber plant all want bright indirect light near a window.
Can houseplants grow in a room with no windows?
No. Almost no plant can photosynthesize in a windowless room. Use a grow light if you want plants in a dark room.
Why do my houseplant leaves have brown crispy edges?
Usually low humidity, especially in a heated home in winter. Group plants together, use a pebble tray or humidifier, and choose tolerant plants such as snake plant and ZZ.
What temperature do houseplants like?
Most tropical houseplants want 18–24°C in the day and not below about 13–15°C at night. Keep them away from radiators and cold draughts.
Should I mist my houseplants?
Misting helps for about an hour and is not a lasting solution for humidity. Grouping plants, a pebble tray, or a humidifier works better.