Imagine you are a plant. Not just any plant: a shiny, green, tropical plant. As your name suggests, you live in the jungle. And besides all of the colourful birds and exotic reptiles that also live with you, your home is a literal rainforest: there are plants everywhere! High above you is the canopy, the largest of trees that shield you from the intense equatorial sun. On the tree trunks around you are plants like Bromeliads, Tillandsia, and Orchids; they grow without soil, and get their water during torrential downpours when it rushes past their roots. And all of you get water from the air, because the humidity around you is enough to sustain your growth.

I hope that image is locked in your imagination, because I have a point, and this is it: this is what we are trying to replicate when we say that your plant requires bright indirect light. Minus the bugs and poisonous snakes, of course. Try not to replicate Jumanji in your home.

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Now, not every tropical plant is a jungle-based tropical plant – the word “tropical” is used quite broadly to refer to many types of leafy, mild-to-moderate sun-loving plants. Crotons and Hawaiian Tis are often thought of as “tropical” plants, but they flourish in brightly lit locations, like southern coastal regions in the Caribbean. We call this light requirement “bright” or “direct” light. So not every tropical plant necessarily requires bright indirect light: your friendly Dutch Growers staff know which ones want which light – more on that in a second!

But those plants that do require bright indirect light are mostly from those jungle regions, where the light is bright – scorching, even – but the plant is protected by sun-loving plants, like, say, Birds of Paradise. The light is filtered through the leaves of thousands of other plants, but is still bright enough so they can photosynthesize.

Sidenote: You should check the individual needs of your tropical plants, but this is also why some plants need a little extra humidity, like a pebble tray or a nearby humidifier. A little microclimate nearby can work wonders for preventing some pests and preventing brown edges on your leaves.

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How to Achieve Bright Indirect Light at Home:

Ok, so this is not complicated, but we do live in Saskatchewan, so we have some constraints when we are trying to create that jungle vibe!

· You will need to know what direction your windows face. For those of us who are directionally challenged, this can be awkward. If you can never remember which way your windows face, try Googling your address and figuring out where the front of your house is. The top of the map in Google always faces north, so if the front of your house faces the top of the map, your house faces north (and hopefully from there, you can figure out which way the other rooms of your house face!)

· South and west-facing exposures are almost always too bright. However, you can mitigate that: a fine curtain in front of a west-facing window – or partially closed blinds in front of a south-facing window – provide some protection from the direct sun. Or, I will tell people to place the plant across the room or around the corner: a little distance from that bright window is often enough to protect it.

· I have been known to hide a Monstera behind a Bird of Paradise: the bright-loving plant shields the bright-indirect plant, and the juxtaposition of sizes and textures lends a tropical feel to my indoor oasis.

· South and west-facing are also fine if there are buildings, fences, or large outdoor trees outside that help to block the harshest of sunrays. Check the spot between 1pm and 3pm: if the space is bright but filtered (IE not direct), this is a great place for a Fiddle Leaf Fig, Monstera, or Brazil Philodendron!

· East-facing exposures will allow your bright indirect plant to sit right in front of the window. In the middle of summer, this will feel “too hot” to you; rest assured, you are a mammal, so your body is converting that heat for your benefit. Your plant does not experience the same level of light intensity in the east-facing window.

· I can’t recommend North-facing exposures for bright indirect plants unless you have an open floor plan: my townhouse has the very awkward lighting of “Northwest” at one end, and “Southeast” on the other. The openness of the space allows a lot of light from both ends. And luckily, I am a sucker for a challenge.

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When you come to Dutch Growers looking for a plant, the first thing I ask is always: “what direction does the closest window face?” From there, I show you a large selection of plants that suit your lighting, as well as any other care or aesthetic requirements you might have. If you have visions of a plant that will flourish across the room from a brightly lit window, we’ve got options for you! (Large spiders, poisonous frogs, torrential downpours, and equatorial sunshine not included).

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Now when you come to visit us and see a plant that requires “Bright Indirect Light,” you can imagine it in the canopy of the jungle and know exactly how to care for it.

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