This guide lists the light recommendations for various common houseplants, in footcandles.

Many
of these plants will tolerate less light than the listed values. Other guides may list much, much less
light than is recommended here. However, those guides are geared toward simply keeping the
plant from deterioriating, and are not the light requirements for plants to grow well and thrive; this
guide uses recommendations for commercial production.

Scientific name Common name Minimum FC Maximum FC

Aeschynanthus pulcher Lipstick plant 1500 3000
Agave 5000 full sun
Aglaonema Chinese evergreen 1000 2500
Alocasia 5000 full sun
Aloe 1000 full sun
Anthurium 1000 2000
Aphelandra squarrosa Zebra plant 1000 1500
Araucaria heterophylla Norfolk Island Pine, Australian Pine 4000 full sun
Asparagus Asparagus fern 2500 4500
Aspidistra Cast-iron plant 2500 6000
Asplenium Bird's nest fern 2000 4000
Beaucarnea recurvata Ponytail palm 2000 4000
Begonia 2000 2500
Bromelia 2000 3000
Calathea 1000 2000
Chamaedorea elegans Parlor palm, Parlour palm 1500 3000
Chamaedorea erumpens Bamboo palm 3000 6000
Chlorophytum comosum Spider plant, airplane plant 1000 2500
Cissus rhombifolia Grape ivy 1200 2500
Codiaeum Croton 3000 8000
Cordyline 1500 full sun
Dieffenbachia Dumb cane 1500 2500
Dizygotheca elegantissima False aralia 2000 4000
Dracaena 1500 full sun
Dypsis lutescens Areca palm 5000 6000
Echeveria 5000 full sun
Epiphyllum Orchid cactus, zigzag cactus 1000 3000
Epipremnum Pothos 1500 5000
Euphorbia 5000 full sun
Ficus Rubber plant, Fiddle leaf fig, Weeping fig 1500 full sun
Fittonia Nerve plant 1500 2500
Haworthia 1000 full sun
Hedera Ivy 1500 2500
Howea forsterana Kentia palm 2500 4000
Hoya Wax plant 1500 3000
Dragonfruit cactus Hylocereus unduatus 8000 full sun
Kalanchoe 3500 full sun
Maranta Prayer plant 1000 3500
Monstera deliciosa Swiss cheese plant, split leaf philodendron 2000 4000
Nephrolepis exaltata Boston fern 1500 3500
Peperomia 1500 3500
Phalaenopsis 500 1500
Philodendron (large, self-heading) 3000 6000
Philodendron (vining) 1500 3000
Pilea 1000 2500
Platycerium Staghorn fern 600 2000
Polyscias Aralia 1500 4500
Radermachera sinica China doll, Radar plant 1500 3000
Rhipsalis Easter cactus 1500 3000
Saintpaulia African violet 800 2000
Sansevieria Snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue 1000 full sun
Sedum
Schefflera Umbrella plant, Brassaia 1500 7000
Schlumbergera Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus 1500 3000
Spathiphyllum Peace lily 1500 2500
Strelitzia Bird of paradise 5000 full sun
Syngonium Nepthytis, arrowhead vine 1500 3000
Tillandsia Air plant 3000 7000
Yucca 3000 full sun
Zamioculcas zamiifolia ZZ plant 1200 2500
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/pdfs/crop_production/Cacti%20and%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/aglaonem.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/fp033
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/pdfs/crop_production/Cacti%20and%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/anthuriu.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/00/08/93/74/00001/EP14700.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/birdnest.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/begonias.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/calathea.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/crotons.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/cordylin.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/dieffenb.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/dracaena.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/areca.htm
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/pdfs/crop_production/Cacti%20and%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/pdfs/crop_production/Cacti%20and%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/pdfs/crop_production/Cacti%20and%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/english.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/waxplant.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS303

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/3_-_growing_the_best_phalaenopsis_part_4.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG015
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://www.plantgrower.org/uploads/6/5/5/4/65545169/holiday_cactus_production_guide.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/africanv.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/floriculture/pdfs/crop_production/Cacti%20and%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://www.plantgrower.org/uploads/6/5/5/4/65545169/holiday_cactus_production_guide.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/spathiph.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/st604
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/nephthyt.htm
https://bromeliadsocietyhouston.org/genera-intro/tillandsia/
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/EP/EP25200.pdf
%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm

%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/norfolk.htm

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/chamaed.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/chamaed.htm

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/grape.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/of-33.pdf https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006.pdf

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/pothos.htm https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_
%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006.pdf

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/fittonia.htm
%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
 https://ssl.acesag.auburn.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1095/ANR-1095-archive.pdf

st_phalaenopsis_part_4.pdf

us_production_guide.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP360
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/sansevie.htm
%20Succulents_ENHFL04-006.pdf
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/scheffle.htm
https://ag.umass.edu/greenhouse-floriculture/fact-sheets/commercial-producton-of-holiday-cacti

https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm

ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_92_16.htm
fl.edu/publication/EP360
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/resrpts/rh_90_1.htm
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/search-result/?q=production+guide
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep252
https://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Foliage/folnotes/birdnest.htm
https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/3_-_growing_the_best_phalaenopsis_part_4.pdf
nopsis_part_4.pdf