Dear Plant Stylist: "I Live In A Pretty Foggy Area, What Kind Of Plants Can I Have?"
Photo credit: @ashleykane
In our Dear Plant Stylist series, we share styling and lighting inquiries received by our in-house stylists with our audience. So read on-- you just might find that your plant styling questions are answered below!
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Dear Plant Stylist,
I live in the Sunset district of San Francisco and my apartment receives medium to low light. The sun almost never shines directly through my windows and it’s often foggy. What kind of plants would you recommend for my home? I want an extra large plant and a couple smaller complements to flank focal points in my living room.
Best,
D.L. in San Francisco
Dear D.L.,
First things first-- we love the Sunset! That marine layer may make the neighborhood feel like Fog-gust is a year-round affair, but it’s one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in San Francisco, and it’s a wonderful place to call home-- both for you and your plants. There are so many gorgeous cities that experience that summer (or year round!) gloom, but don’t worry-- there are plants to thrive in every location, no matter what light it receives.
You mentioned that your apartment receives medium to low light, and we believe you-- but it’s important to be sure of these things, so if you want to double check before you make any purchases, you can always use our Light Requirements For Plants: Explained! blog post.
Now onto your plant options: the medium to low light that your apartment receives is not a dealbreaker. In fact, most of the houseplants we offer prefer indirect light. Houseplants are often tropical species, originating in rainforests with thick canopies which receive only diffuse light, so the bright light that can shine through (and be magnified by) glass windows is prone to scorch the leaves of many indoor plants.
In short, you have a wealth of options and I’m excited to share them with you!
The Dracaena Lisa is a gorgeous, towering statement plant that can survive and thrive with little to no natural light.
For your statement plant, I’d suggest a Dracaena Lisa. These extra-large plants average six feet in height from bottom of pot to topmost leaf, and their lush foliage is reminiscent of tropical locales- they bring a tremendous dose of greenery to any space. They’re also exceptionally easy-care and low light tolerant.
Your Dracaena Lisa would be best situated 5+ feet from any windows.
My recommendation for a pair of plants to flank your space would be two of our large Zanzibar Gems. They’re a gorgeous match for the Dracaena Lisa, with fantastic texture, deep green tonality and a height averaging three feet from the bottom of their pot to their topmost leaf.
Zanzibar Gems are low-maintenance, require remarkably little water, and are tolerant of all light levels.
Parlor Palms and a variety of Pothos varieties would make great additional accent plants, and would do well in medium to low light without direct sun. The options are almost endless, and we offer two collections exclusively for medium light and low light environments, so you can feel confident as you shop from these collections that you’re purchasing plants that will thrive in your space.
With the plants done, we can move onto the next step! What reading chair will go beneath your gorgeous Dracaena Lisa? A Barcelona Chair, I hope-- maybe with an Eileen Gray side table? Nothing says San Francisco like streamlined design!
Easy Care Plants, Delivered
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