No matter the color of your thumb, this guide will help you select plants and care for them so they thrive. Place them next to a window facing east or west. Light levels, humidity and temperature vary throughout every home. Match plants to specific conditions. All plants need light to manufacture food, but the amount needed varies from one plant to another.
Most houseplants thrive in moderate to bright, indirect light.
Flowering plants and those with colored leaves usually need higher light levels than plants with green leaves. And a select group of plants, including the popular Chinese evergreen and cast-iron plant, will tolerate very low light levels. Plants show signs of stress when light levels are too low or too high. Weak, spindly growth indicates insufficient light. Variegated foliage will lose all or part of its markings.