What to grow in a window with no direct sun?
April 8, 2019 2:38 PM Subscribe
At work I have a window by my desk with a really big ledge. I'd like to grow some plants there. It's an unobstructed north-facing window (in Canada) so there isn't any direct sun but it is fairly bright. My preference is for things I can eat or that are colourful
Orchids are really fun and rewarding. Definitely a different beast, though, so do your homework if you go that route.
posted by lovableiago at 3:26 PM on April 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by lovableiago at 3:26 PM on April 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
Geraniums need a lot of sun. So do most herbs. Maranta has colorful leaves. I killed the one I tried but later saw one in a greenhouse under a waterfall so it needs a lot of moisture. African violets might work and there are a lot of flower colors and types. Most plants recommended for north light are pretty much green as I suppose they need all the chlorophyll they can get.
posted by Botanizer at 3:27 PM on April 8, 2019
posted by Botanizer at 3:27 PM on April 8, 2019
Seconding African violets. My grandmother had a whole bunch of them in her Vermont living room window facing north towards a mountain the entire time she lived there.
posted by General Malaise at 3:35 PM on April 8, 2019
posted by General Malaise at 3:35 PM on April 8, 2019
Generally things that you eat, doubly so for fruit (but not so much for mushrooms), require lots of sun so that's going to be tough. Could you fake that with an overnight growlight or are you stuck with just the window and office lighting?
posted by RolandOfEld at 4:29 PM on April 8, 2019
posted by RolandOfEld at 4:29 PM on April 8, 2019
Seconding an orchid. I can't think of other colorful plants that can tolerant low light, but other green plants would work- ferns, ivy, pothos, zz plant...
posted by pinochiette at 5:38 PM on April 8, 2019
posted by pinochiette at 5:38 PM on April 8, 2019
Last time I went to the plant store it felt like something like 75% of the plants were advertised as wanting "bright, indirect light". Your setup's not super hard to buy for so I'd suggest you just go to the store and buy what strikes your fancy and is advertised as being compatible. In terms of colorful specific plants... I have a Chinese Evergreen "Lady Valentine" in a setup like you describe and it seems to be digging its position.
posted by phoenixy at 5:59 PM on April 8, 2019
posted by phoenixy at 5:59 PM on April 8, 2019
RolandOfEld is right about food plants, unfortunately. I'm also a little concerned about the temperature next to a Canadian window in the winter (especially if it's one of those places where they don't heat the building when people aren't there). But here are seven plants that I think are the best fit:
• Some of the Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) varieties with silver, gray, or yellow markings ('Silverado,' 'Emerald Bay,' 'Gold Dust,' 'Silver Queen,' 'Peacock,' etc.) are somewhat colorful and would do fine with the available light, though they are not particularly cold-tolerant (keep above 60F/16C). They are, however, much more cold-tolerant and sturdy than the varieties containing any pink or red, which in my experience need so much heat and humidity to keep looking good that they tend to fall apart in a couple years. Even the gray/green/yellow ones will develop long, bare stems within about three or four years and may or may not sprout replacements if you cut them back.
• Chlorophytum 'Fire Flash' (also "mandarin plant" or the more objective "green orange") is bright orange and green, and does well with north light. Temperatures below about 55F/13C aren't good. Will eventually develop long, bare stems but it takes forever.
• There are some colorful Dracaena deremensis varieties out there: 'Limelight' (solid chartreuse), 'Lemon-Lime' (chartreuse, white, various shades of green), 'Malaika' (dark green, white, chartreuse), etc. Temperature above 60F/16C. Will eventually get bare stems, and they need the soil flushed out pretty regularly so minerals don't build up (they'll develop burnt leaf tips and margins).
• Philodendron hederaceum (heart-leaf philodendron) varieties are more colorful than they used to be: there's a chartreuse 'Lemon-Lime,' a chartreuse-and-green 'Brasil,' and a dark brownish green var. micans. May eventually need to be restarted from cuttings, but that should take at least a few years.
• Tradescantia pallida (purple heart, purple queen) is a very pretty purple in strong light, becoming greener with less light. May produce small pink flowers. Excellent cold tolerance. Will need to be restarted from cuttings every 1-3 years, as they get leggy and the stems break easily, but otherwise it's very difficult to think of an easier and more tolerant indoor plant.
• Tradescantia spathacea (Moses in the cradle) is green with a purple underside, and occasional white flowers on mature plants. Cold tolerance is good. Color intensity might be a little reduced in northern light, but I doubt it would go away entirely. Restart as for T. pallida.
• I've grown some variegated Yucca guatemalensis in north windows before, for a long time, without any problems. The two I have are green with yellow margins or green margins with sort of random gray and green streaks in the center. Temperatures above 60F/16C. They grow pretty slowly but will develop a bare stem after several years. Variegated plants don't seem to be as commonly available as the plain green ones, alas.
And if you don't like any of those:
• Clivia cvv. -- shiny green leaves, orange flowers, plants offset and fill in instead of getting leggy; some cold actually a plus
• Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (corn plant)
• Dracaena reflexa 'Riki,' 'Song of India,' 'Song of Jamaica'
• Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet)
• Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
• Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday cactus) -- If you have two genetically-compatible varieties that bloom at the same time, you can cross-pollinate and get bright pink berries which are technically edible (though not very interesting: kinda just watery and faintly sweet), about 6-12 months later, which can hang on to the plant being colorful for as much as two years after.
• Stromanthe sanguinea 'Magicstar' and 'Triostar' -- not good in cold, though
• Synadenium grantii and S. g. var. rubrum (African milk bush) -- though they grow really fast and aren't easy to find
• Syngonium podophyllum cvv. (arrowhead vine)
• Tradescantia zebrina cvv. (wandering Jew, inch plant)
Happy to discuss further via MeMail.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 6:48 PM on April 8, 2019 [6 favorites]
• Some of the Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) varieties with silver, gray, or yellow markings ('Silverado,' 'Emerald Bay,' 'Gold Dust,' 'Silver Queen,' 'Peacock,' etc.) are somewhat colorful and would do fine with the available light, though they are not particularly cold-tolerant (keep above 60F/16C). They are, however, much more cold-tolerant and sturdy than the varieties containing any pink or red, which in my experience need so much heat and humidity to keep looking good that they tend to fall apart in a couple years. Even the gray/green/yellow ones will develop long, bare stems within about three or four years and may or may not sprout replacements if you cut them back.
• Chlorophytum 'Fire Flash' (also "mandarin plant" or the more objective "green orange") is bright orange and green, and does well with north light. Temperatures below about 55F/13C aren't good. Will eventually develop long, bare stems but it takes forever.
• There are some colorful Dracaena deremensis varieties out there: 'Limelight' (solid chartreuse), 'Lemon-Lime' (chartreuse, white, various shades of green), 'Malaika' (dark green, white, chartreuse), etc. Temperature above 60F/16C. Will eventually get bare stems, and they need the soil flushed out pretty regularly so minerals don't build up (they'll develop burnt leaf tips and margins).
• Philodendron hederaceum (heart-leaf philodendron) varieties are more colorful than they used to be: there's a chartreuse 'Lemon-Lime,' a chartreuse-and-green 'Brasil,' and a dark brownish green var. micans. May eventually need to be restarted from cuttings, but that should take at least a few years.
• Tradescantia pallida (purple heart, purple queen) is a very pretty purple in strong light, becoming greener with less light. May produce small pink flowers. Excellent cold tolerance. Will need to be restarted from cuttings every 1-3 years, as they get leggy and the stems break easily, but otherwise it's very difficult to think of an easier and more tolerant indoor plant.
• Tradescantia spathacea (Moses in the cradle) is green with a purple underside, and occasional white flowers on mature plants. Cold tolerance is good. Color intensity might be a little reduced in northern light, but I doubt it would go away entirely. Restart as for T. pallida.
• I've grown some variegated Yucca guatemalensis in north windows before, for a long time, without any problems. The two I have are green with yellow margins or green margins with sort of random gray and green streaks in the center. Temperatures above 60F/16C. They grow pretty slowly but will develop a bare stem after several years. Variegated plants don't seem to be as commonly available as the plain green ones, alas.
And if you don't like any of those:
• Clivia cvv. -- shiny green leaves, orange flowers, plants offset and fill in instead of getting leggy; some cold actually a plus
• Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (corn plant)
• Dracaena reflexa 'Riki,' 'Song of India,' 'Song of Jamaica'
• Saintpaulia cvv. (African violet)
• Sansevieria trifasciata cvv. (snake plant)
• Schlumbergera cvv. (holiday cactus) -- If you have two genetically-compatible varieties that bloom at the same time, you can cross-pollinate and get bright pink berries which are technically edible (though not very interesting: kinda just watery and faintly sweet), about 6-12 months later, which can hang on to the plant being colorful for as much as two years after.
• Stromanthe sanguinea 'Magicstar' and 'Triostar' -- not good in cold, though
• Synadenium grantii and S. g. var. rubrum (African milk bush) -- though they grow really fast and aren't easy to find
• Syngonium podophyllum cvv. (arrowhead vine)
• Tradescantia zebrina cvv. (wandering Jew, inch plant)
Happy to discuss further via MeMail.
posted by Spathe Cadet at 6:48 PM on April 8, 2019 [6 favorites]
Pea shoots might actually do OK in bright but not direct sun. They're just leaves and stems and you eat them when they're young and tender, so all they need to do is grow upward. Great in salads or stir-fried. Use the regular dried peas you find at the supermarket.
posted by Gordafarin at 1:31 AM on April 9, 2019
posted by Gordafarin at 1:31 AM on April 9, 2019
My office is similar. I’m coveting a Legrow planter (scroll down for the smaller window sill sets and single units) - they are “self-watering” which should help me not kill things, and you can add components like small grow light or a humidifier.
Legrow is supposed to be a pun on LEGO, because it’s a modular system. Not some sort of retro callback to “le car” and “le bag”.
I kept a nice bamboo arrangement alive for nearly 2 years on my northeast facing office window sill. It only died because I stopped watering it...
posted by Kriesa at 5:11 AM on April 9, 2019
Legrow is supposed to be a pun on LEGO, because it’s a modular system. Not some sort of retro callback to “le car” and “le bag”.
I kept a nice bamboo arrangement alive for nearly 2 years on my northeast facing office window sill. It only died because I stopped watering it...
posted by Kriesa at 5:11 AM on April 9, 2019
You may want to give arugula a try. I grow arugula indoors and outdoors every year. It's pretty much flourished everywhere I've grown it, even where the seed has spilled into shade. It looks pretty when it blooms if you get the plants that far, but you can also just harvest outer leaves as you want them. Re-sow new seedlings in alternating pots on alternating schedules so you constantly have a nice little supply.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:47 PM on April 9, 2019
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:47 PM on April 9, 2019
Coming back because I also thought of a rubber tree plant. I have one in my north-facing window and despite me kind of ignoring it, it's thriving; I find new leaves shooting out all the time. Unlike a lot of houseplants, it doesn't seem to need particularly moist air (which is why a lot of things like marantas/prayer plants and ferns really only stand a long-term chance sunny bathrooms, iunless you live in a generally humid climate). You can't eat it but it's really dramatic looking and they can get pretty big. You can also find them easily for cheap anywhere that carries houseplants.
posted by lovableiago at 9:26 AM on April 10, 2019
posted by lovableiago at 9:26 AM on April 10, 2019
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posted by quaking fajita at 3:06 PM on April 8, 2019