If a window faces west, it stays fairly dim until midday, then gets bright, direct sun through the afternoon and into the evening. That late sun is the hottest light of the day, so it powers sun-lovers and burns tender, shade-loving plants. Pick the right plants and a west window is hard to beat. Here is what thrives, what to skip, and how to be sure for your specific spot.
What light does a west-facing window get?
West-facing windows get little direct sun in the morning and several hours of strong direct sun in the afternoon, as the sun drops through the western sky. Because that sun lands when the day is already warm, it runs hotter and harsher than an east window's morning light, even for the same number of hours. The result is a bright, high-energy spot that sun-lovers crave and delicate foliage struggles with.
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 west-facing window
All of these want strong light and shrug off the afternoon heat, so a west window keeps them full, colorful, and (for the bloomers) flowering.
- Jade PlantCrassula ovataA succulent that wants all the direct sun it can get.
- Aloe VeraAloe barbadensisThrives on hours of strong afternoon sun.
- EcheveriaEcheveria elegansTight rosettes and color need intense light.
- Snake PlantDracaena trifasciataTakes bright direct sun as easily as shade.
- CrotonCodiaeum variegatumThe stronger the sun, the bolder its color.
- Ponytail PalmBeaucarnea recurvataA desert native that loves a hot, bright window.
- String of PearlsCurio rowleyanusBright light keeps the beads plump and trailing.
- HibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensisNeeds strong sun to set its big blooms.
- GeraniumPelargoniumA sun-lover that flowers hard in a west window.
- YuccaYucca elephantipesArchitectural and built for full sun.
- KalanchoeKalanchoe blossfeldianaA flowering succulent that blooms in bright light.
- Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginaeWants the brightest, longest sun you can give it.
Plants to avoid at a west-facing window
These tender, shade-loving plants scorch in hot afternoon sun. Give them an east or north window, or set them well back from the glass:
- Calathea and Prayer Plant, whose leaves bleach and crisp in direct sun
- Ferns (Maidenhair, Boston), which want cool, indirect light
- African Violet and Rex Begonia, easily burned by harsh rays
- Fittonia (Nerve Plant) and other delicate, thin-leaved foliage
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
Are west-facing windows good for plants?
They are excellent for sun-lovers. A west window stays fairly dim in the morning, then gets strong, direct sun through the afternoon. That light is hot and intense, which succulents, cacti, and many flowering plants love, but it can scorch delicate, shade-loving foliage. Match the plant to the heat and it is one of the best windows you have.
How much light is a west-facing window, in plant terms?
It reads as bright light with several hours of strong direct sun in the afternoon. Because that sun arrives when the day is already warm, it is hotter and harsher than the same hours in an east window. It suits full-sun plants, but tender leaves can burn against the glass.
Why do my plants burn in a west-facing window?
Afternoon sun is the hottest, most intense light of the day, and a west window catches all of it. Sensitive plants like calatheas, ferns, and African violets scorch in it. Move tender plants a few feet back, add a sheer curtain to soften the rays, or choose heat-tolerant, sun-loving plants for that window instead.
Do east and west windows flip in the southern hemisphere?
No. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west everywhere, so a west window gets afternoon sun and an east window gets morning sun in both hemispheres. It is the north and south aspects that swap. Plant Compass accounts for your latitude either way.
Next: Best plants for east-facing windows for gentle morning sun, south-facing windows for the brightest spot, or north-facing windows for low light.