Moha7 — Houseplant Care Basics | moha7.com
A lookup table of common houseplants with their light needs, watering rhythm and difficulty level.
Light and water are one system: a plant in a weak north-facing window uses water slowly, so the soil stays wet and the roots sit in soggy conditions longer. In the northern hemisphere, south-facing windows give the strongest natural light and north-facing the weakest, and that single fact drives most of the difference in watering rhythm between rooms.
Pothos and snake plants tolerate low light, which makes them the forgiving choices for dim rooms — but low light also means you should let the soil dry out partially for longer between waterings. Most succulents and fiddle-leaf figs need bright light; without it they stretch, and the soil around their roots stays wet too long.
Most houseplants prefer their soil to dry out partially between waterings rather than stay permanently wet. The practical test is tactile: press a finger into the top layer of soil, and water only when that layer has lost its moisture while deeper soil is still slightly damp.
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Many popular houseplants originate from tropical forest floors, which is why they prefer indirect light and even moisture — bright but filtered light, and a watering rhythm that avoids both drought and saturation. Direct midday sun through a south window can scorch leaves that evolved under a canopy.
Use room-temperature water: it is kinder to roots than cold water straight from the tap. Water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom, then empty the saucer so the pot never sits in standing water — a pot without a drainage hole lets water pool at the bottom, which leads to root rot.
The table below is the quick reference: pick your plant, read its light column, and let that light level set your watering check interval.
Further reading