If a window faces north (in the northern hemisphere), it never gets harsh midday sun. That soft, even light scorches sun-lovers but is exactly what a lot of popular foliage plants want. Here is what thrives, what to skip, and how to be sure for your specific spot.
What light does a north-facing window get?
North-facing windows receive mostly indirect daylight and little to no direct sun, because the sun tracks across the southern half of the sky. The upside is consistency: the light barely shifts from morning to afternoon, and it stays soft enough that leaves rarely burn. The downside is intensity. It reads as low to medium light, so plants that need direct sun will slowly stretch, lean, and lose color.
The exact picture depends on your latitude, the season, and anything outside the glass (a tree, an overhang, a neighboring building). The direction is the starting point, not the whole story.
The 12 best plants for a north-facing window
All of these tolerate or prefer low-to-medium indirect light, so a north window keeps them happy with little fuss.
- Snake PlantDracaena trifasciataNearly indestructible, and happy in low light.
- ZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifoliaGlossy and forgiving, thrives on neglect.
- PothosEpipremnum aureumFast trailing vine that takes low light in stride.
- Peace LilySpathiphyllum wallisiiOne of the few bloomers happy out of direct sun.
- Cast Iron PlantAspidistra elatiorNamed for surviving the dimmest corners.
- Chinese EvergreenAglaonema commutatumPatterned leaves, very low light tolerant.
- Parlor PalmChamaedorea elegansA classic low-light palm for soft corners.
- Heartleaf PhilodendronPhilodendron hederaceumEasygoing trailer that copes with shade.
- Boston FernNephrolepis exaltataLoves the cool, even, humid light here.
- CalatheaGoeppertia makoyanaPrefers indirect light; direct sun fades it.
- Prayer PlantMaranta leuconeuraPartial shade plant that dislikes harsh sun.
- Maidenhair FernAdiantum raddianumDelicate fronds that burn in direct light.
Plants to avoid at a north-facing window
These want several hours of direct sun and will struggle in north light. Save them for a south or west window:
- Succulents and cacti (Jade, Aloe, Echeveria, Prickly Pear)
- Sun-loving herbs (Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Lavender)
- Bird of Paradise, Croton, and other bold sun-lovers
- Fiddle Leaf Fig, which wants the brightest indirect light you can give it
Not sure which way your window faces?
Plant Compass Lite reads the sun's path for the exact direction you point your phone, then tells you which of your plants will thrive, cope, or should be avoided there. It accounts for your latitude, so the ratings are right in either hemisphere.
Get Plant Compass LiteFrequently asked
Do north-facing windows get any direct sun?
In the northern hemisphere a true north window gets little to no direct sun across the year. You get bright, soft, indirect light that stays fairly even all day. Near midsummer some far-northern windows catch a sliver of low sun early and late, but never strong midday sun.
How much light is a north-facing window, in plant terms?
It reads as low to medium indirect light. That suits forest-floor foliage like snake plants, pothos, and ferns. It is too dim for sun-lovers like succulents, cacti, and most herbs, which stretch and pale without direct sun.
Can succulents live in a north-facing window?
Usually not for long. They want several hours of direct sun, which a north window cannot give, so they etiolate (stretch and lose color). Move them to a south or west window, or pick a low-light foliage plant for the north instead.
What if I am in the southern hemisphere?
It flips. South-facing becomes the low-light window and north-facing is the bright, sunny aspect. Plant Compass accounts for your latitude automatically, so the ratings stay correct.
Next: Best plants for south-facing windows, the brightest, sunniest spot in the house.