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Almost all plants love sunlight. But each of them needs it in different quantities.
Therefore, all plants are divided into:
- photophilous;
- shade-tolerant;
- shade-loving.
Adoring solar radiation, heliophytes cannot tolerate long periods of being in the shade. This is why they look depressed and their growth and development are stunted.
In light-loving representatives of the flora, the process of photosynthesis occurs faster; short, branched shoots often become lignified, and thorns and thorns appear on them. This serves as the main difference from their shade-loving counterparts.
Physiology and morphology of light-loving plants
Light-loving plants have adapted to sunlight due to their physiology and morphology. They have thickened leaves that are located almost vertical to the sky and change position according to the height of the sun. Basically, their size is small, the shape can be dissected. The surface can be shiny or fluffy.
Heliophytes have superbly formed mechanical tissues with many veins and a huge number of stomata. Their representatives are fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs, luxurious herbs and charming flowers.
Among them are well-known trees:
- pine;
- acacia;
- birch.
Shrubs also like to bask in the sun:
- hawthorn;
- rose hip;
- barberry.
Herbaceous plants reaching for the sun:
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- plantain;
- linen;
- St. John's wort.
Flowers love rays of light:
- peonies;
- roses;
- marigold;
- petunia.
Which house flower is the most sun-tolerant?
Cacti and lithops are considered the undoubted leaders in terms of resistance to sunlight. They are able to develop in hot climates, do not suffer from bright light, and calmly tolerate periods of drought. In terms of endurance and resistance to negative external factors, only aloe and “mother-in-law’s tongue” are compared with cacti. These plants are able to calmly tolerate sunlight and heat, sudden drops in temperature, lack of moisture and drafts.
Reference! Plants that require large amounts of sunlight are called heliophytes.
Signs of sun-tolerant flowers:
- narrow, symmetrical leaves;
- on the surface of the leaf blade there is often a slight pubescence, which acts as protection against burns;
- short shoots.
Popular garden crops
Light-loving plants in the country are appropriate as vegetables, fruits, fruit trees and shrubs, as well as flowers.
Planted in the beds:
- potatoes;
- onion;
- tomatoes;
- cucumbers
Plants that bear fruit also reach for the sun:
- grape;
- strawberry;
- currant;
- gooseberry;
- Apple tree;
- apricot;
- pear;
- plum;
- peach.
The kingdom of all flowers gives the summer cottage the status of an Eden.
Houseplants
When choosing indoor plants, the housewife always focuses on flowering, light-loving specimens. They bring solemnity and warmth into the atmosphere of the house.
- Azalea is a capricious beauty, like the princess and the pea. She is so beautiful that everyone who sees her for the first time cannot resist her charms. Different in color, but equally charming, flowerpots with azaleas require careful care.
- Anthurium is an original flower with rich emerald leaves and large colorful flowers that look like little bags. People call these flowers men's happiness.
- Begonia is a rich, luxurious flower that will captivate with its brightness and unearthly beauty. Flowerpots with begonias will decorate the windowsill and make it cute and cozy.
- Geranium. In almost every home, window sills and balconies are decorated with unpretentious, wormwood-scented, delightfully bright geraniums. And such a variety as royal pelargonium blooms all year round.
- Rose. In indoor conditions you can grow the queen of flowers - the rose. Its delicate, unsurpassed aroma will bring charm to any home. And the divine inflorescences of multi-colored colors will heal the soul.
- Orchid - the most popular and exquisite flowers in the form of flying butterflies, have different colors, bloom almost all year round.
These beautiful plants are light-loving. Under no circumstances should they be left without sun!
What points are important not to miss when planting perennial plants for sunny places?
- Succulents - They store moisture in thick, fleshy leaves and stems.
- Plants with pubescent leaves - this surface reduces moisture loss. Plant chickweed (Stachys), woodweed (Cerastium), anaphalis (Anaphalis).
- Species with silvery and bluish coloring of leaves - it contributes to less heating. Most of them acquire this color precisely due to the whitish pubescence. To create a silver flower garden, wormwood is suitable: Steller's (Artemisia stellerana), Schmidt's (Artemisia schmidtiana) and others, seaside cineraria (Cineraria maritima), paniculated gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata), pinnate carnation (Dianthus plumarius) and other carnations.
- Plants with thin and small leaves - they have a smaller area for evaporation. These are the majority of cereals and conifers.
- Bulb plants - the bulb also serves as a store of moisture and nutrients.
Most steppe and desert plants have precisely these qualities, sometimes several of them at once.
To expand the range of species and make an open sunny place more comfortable, it is worth artificially adjusting the humidity balance. A well-thought-out automatic watering system will help ensure regular watering. When choosing its type, keep in mind that sprinkling in an open sunny place can only be carried out in the early morning (before sunrise) and late evening hours. Otherwise, drops of water that settle on the plants will cause burns.
Description of species
The beautiful appearance and abundant flowering of some plants directly depend on the amount of sunlight they receive. But not all sun-loving flowers can tolerate direct bright sunlight; some prefer diffused light.
Begonia
A plant whose family includes several hundred varieties. Each type has its own external distinctive characteristics, as well as individual characteristics and maintenance needs. Large species of the family can grow up to 2-3 meters in height, the smallest dwarf varieties do not exceed 20 cm. The flower loves diffused light and does not particularly favor direct sunlight.
The plant grows well not only in pots, but also in open ground , where it has more space for the root system. Caring for a begonia is to ensure that it absorbs scattered sunlight in a dosed manner; there is no need to keep it in direct rays around the clock. Loves regular, abundant watering, loose fluffy soil, fresh air, but without drafts.
Geranium
It loves light very much, ideal for southern windows; on very sunny days it needs to be slightly shaded so that the beautiful velvety leaves do not get burned. Geranium was born in South Africa, so it tolerates any bright light, feeling quite comfortable. The flower loves open ground and grows well until autumn, after which it should be dug up and placed in a pot to be kept on the windowsill. It prefers moderate watering and does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil , so you need to lay out a drainage system at the bottom of the pot. For abundant flowering, it requires nutritious soil and regular fertilizing.
The flower cannot be sprayed with water, since the upper surface of the leaves is pubescent and water can collect on the hairs, which can negatively affect their appearance.
A beautiful ornamental medicinal plant, loves bright light, easily tolerates direct sunlight, ideal for an apartment with windows facing south. Feels great in open ground, loves regular watering, loose soil, mineral fertilizers, and moist air. This plant loves to be sprayed with water, it is very prolific, small children grow on the cloves of each leaf, which, once in the ground, take root on their own and begin to grow quickly.
Coleus
This spectacular decorative flower has carved elongated leaves of incredible beauty, the variegated colors of which contain ideal combinations of green, pink, red and yellow. The surface of each leaf is covered with small fibers. The plant is easy to care for, the main thing is to provide it with warmth and sufficient light. Without intense lighting, the leaves of the plant begin to fade, and the bright variegated coloring disappears.
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The plant can be classified as a crop that loves sun and heat. For comfortable life, coleus needs a warm room, constant air humidification and spraying with water at room temperature. Does not tolerate dry air and dry soil well.
The plant is perfect for the flowerbed of a private home; compositions of coleus of different colors look impressive and noble.
Pedilanthus
Belongs to the Molochaev family, originally from Latin America. In open ground it turns into a beautiful spreading shrub, has beautiful oval leaves of white and light green colors. Home conditions for keeping such a plant include a constant source of lighting without direct sunlight, placing it in the east or west of the apartment, moderate watering, regular pruning to form a decorative shape of the bush, and periodic feeding.
In spring and summer it likes to be kept warm, and cool in winter. Needs a constant supply of fresh air. The room where this flower is located needs to be ventilated more often.
Phalaenopsis
This is an orchid, an incredibly beautiful and exotic plant. Includes about 70 species, growing in the wild in Australia and Asia. Each type of phalaenopsis has its own requirements for lighting and watering. Some species are not afraid of the bright sun, others prefer shaded places for a comfortable existence. Light-loving orchids need long daylight hours, good watering, and moist air . It is demanding on the composition of the soil and does not tolerate frequent replanting.
It takes several months for an orchid to take root in a new place . In winter, daylight hours need to be artificially lengthened using additional lamp lighting. In the period between flowering it loves warmth, during flowering it prefers coolness.
Ficus
A beautiful light-loving plant, native to hot countries, the variety of species and varieties distinguishes this crop from others similar to it. Ficus can take the form of a tree, bush or vine. Depending on the species, the leaves of the plant can be plain or variegated, large oval or small narrow. Loves the sun, but does not tolerate direct sunlight, good regular watering, spraying with water at room temperature.
The beautiful leathery leaves of the plant must be wiped once a week with a damp cloth to remove accumulated dust. Needs warmth, does not tolerate drafts and cold. In winter, due to lack of sunlight, the plant needs additional artificial lighting. The lack of light negatively affects the life of the crop; its beautiful leaves fade, dry out and fall off.
Cyperus
A perennial ornamental plant, native to Madagascar, in the wild it grows along rivers and reservoirs, forming dense thickets. It has a spectacular appearance, thin long stems are crowned with narrow leaves that grow from nodules and are very similar to an open umbrella. Loves sunlight and damp places. Consuming moisture, cyperus evaporates it into the air, thereby moistening it, which has a beneficial effect on the development and growth of other plants located next to it.
It prefers placement on southern or western windowsills; it is better to slightly shade the plant from direct sunlight. Loves abundant watering, stable thermal conditions of at least 20 degrees Celsius in summer, needs coolness in winter . Loves fresh air and regular air humidification.
How to properly care for light-loving flowers?
Many of those who plan to buy indoor plants rarely think about their lighting needs. Basic flower care is limited to watering, periodic feeding and spraying of leaves on particularly hot days. But it is worth knowing that there are light-loving sprouts, and there are those that calmly tolerate shade or even shade-loving ones for which bright light is destructive. And before you decorate your home with potted flowers, you should know which of them grow well in the light. This will help prevent the plant from dying.
Dry places in our garden
In addition to rockeries, rock gardens and slides, dry places may appear in any sunny area. Irrigation systems are laid before perennials are planted. Sometimes it happens that a small bush or tree grows over time and blocks the sprinkler’s ability to supply water to one or another area of the garden.
If we live in the city and come to the dacha only on weekends or holidays, the lack of moisture will definitely be felt, especially in sunny, dry summers.
In any garden there will be areas for which watering is not provided, or which dry out very quickly:
- in close proximity to a stone or concrete fence;
- on paved paths;
- adjacent to various steps, ladders connecting terraces;
- on the sunny terraces themselves with a small layer of soil.
But this shouldn't be a problem! The choice of perennials that grow in full sun is huge.
Features of care
Light-loving shoots, as the name implies, are those that need a lot of sun for normal development. If shade-loving flowers grow calmly in such extreme conditions as partial shade and coolness, then these flowers may begin to get sick or even die if there is not enough sun. You just need to protect the leaves from direct rays to prevent burns from forming on them. The ideal option is a large, bright room with windows facing south, southwest or southeast, where plants can be placed not next to the window, but still receive the required amount of light.
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But this is not the only condition that such pets require for their life. In most cases, these are tropical, subtropical desert inhabitants: ficus, hibiscus, gardenia, Kalanchoe, oleander, agave and others. Consequently, such flowers also need other mandatory conditions for normal growth, often very different from those that shade-loving or even shade-tolerant sprouts prefer.
The soil
Light-loving flowers, for the most part, love fertile soil. You can either purchase suitable soil in the store, or make a mixture of peat soil and turf. For ficus and succulents it is worth adding sand. And be sure to first pour a layer of drainage into the pot, and only then add soil. This will help prevent stagnation of water in the roots and, as a result, rotting of the plant.
Temperature
Sun-loving flowers, in addition to a lot of sun, are heat lovers. It is advisable that the air temperature in the room be kept within +24-+26 degrees. Some plants, for example ficus, are able to live at temperatures below +20. But most often, under such conditions, shoot growth gradually slows down. These shade-loving pets live quietly in the cool, and sun lovers begin to get sick. If this happens and the flower begins to shed its leaves, then it is worth finding a warmer place for the green pet. They also do not like drafts, as well as currents of hot air. Therefore, it is worth keeping light-loving sprouts away from radiators and from places where there may be cold air.
Humidity
If shade-loving pets can go without water for a long time, then these flowers need sufficient watering. The water should be soft and warm. Light-loving flowers should be watered at least twice a week in summer - as the soil dries out. In winter, the amount of water should be reduced to once a week. In some cases, watering once every two weeks will be sufficient if the soil does not dry out completely.
As for spraying, these indoor green pets, for the most part, are lovers of moist air. Therefore, it is worth periodically spraying them with water from a spray bottle. Especially on summer days, when the air becomes very dry and the leaves of flowers may begin to dry out and fall off. In addition, it will not be a bad idea to occasionally bathe houseplants in the shower, or you can place pots in trays with wet gravel. These simple methods will help keep the air quite comfortable.
Top dressing
Any indoor flowers, including those who love a lot of light, need fertilizer periodically. Additional feeding should not be carried out constantly, but only from spring to autumn. It is during this period that flowers are actively growing, and the minerals contained in the soil are not enough for them. In addition, fertilizing should be carried out after replanting plants and after pruning.
What problems might you encounter?
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Experienced flower growers know well what light-loving plants like, and based on this, they create the necessary conditions. Beginners who love indoor plants achieve everything through trial and error, which can often lead to negative consequences. Therefore, you should carefully monitor your green pets in order to take the necessary measures in time. The main trouble is, of course, not enough sun.
Signs of lack of lighting are:
- new shoots become thin and weak;
- the plant stops growing;
- the lower leaves dry out, turn yellow, and begin to fall off;
- the flower stem becomes thin;
- on flowering plants, new buds rarely appear and immediately fall off;
- the color of the leaves becomes paler, the variegated ones change color to green.
In case of such manifestations, the first thing to do is to move the flower pot to a brighter room or closer to the window. If this is not possible, you should turn on a fluorescent lamp or a special phytolamp next to the green pet. Such devices can compensate for the lack of sunlight in winter or in those houses where the windows face north. Perhaps in just a few days the plant will become brighter, stronger and produce new shoots.
In addition, novice flower growers are faced with a lack of moisture and heat in their wards. While shade-loving plants can easily tolerate low temperatures, sun lovers may die in such conditions. If indoor flowers have stopped growing, the leaves began to dry out or turn yellow and fall off, the variegated color has become faded or even changed to green, then perhaps the plants do not have enough moisture or the room is too cold. The solution is simple - change the watering mode and move the pot to another room. But you should be especially careful with water. Watering too frequently can lead to rotting of the roots and subsequent death of the plant.
Those who decide to grow a light-loving flower will have to try to create suitable conditions. But with the right approach and proper care, it is not as difficult as it might seem.
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You may also find the following materials useful:
- How to quickly and correctly grow petunia seedlings
- How to make drainage for flowers with your own hands?
- Growing viola from seeds: recommendations from experienced gardeners
- Marigolds planting and care
- Growing pansies from seeds
