A similar plant grown in very bright light tends to be shorter, better branches, and have larger, dark green leaves. Light exposure Plants can be classified according to their light needs, such as high, medium and low light requirements. The light intensity received by an indoor plant depends upon the nearness of the light source to the plant. Light intensity rapidly decreases as the distance from the light source increases. Window direction in a home or office affects the intensity of natural sunlight that plants receive.
Southern exposures have the most intense light.
Eastern and western exposures receive about 60 percent of the intensity of southern exposures, while northern exposures receive 20 percent of the intensity of a southern exposure. A southern exposure is the warmest, eastern and western are less warm, and a northern exposure is the coolest. Other factors such as curtains, trees outside the window, weather, season of the year, shade from other buildings and window cleanliness also effect light intensity. Reflective, light-colored surfaces inside a home or office tend to increase light intensity , while dark surfaces decrease light intensity. Day length or duration of light received by plants is also of some importance.