If the room faces south, it gets an enormous amount of light and warm sunshine throughout the day. This is a real challenge for most indoor plants. But there are also plant varieties that can cope well with these extreme conditions and absolutely need them to thrive. Sun-loving plants can even withstand the strong midday heat without burning the leaves and flowers.
location
General information
The sun shines almost all day on the south side of apartments and houses. Extreme heat can develop in these conditions during the summer months, especially around midday. Only certain houseplants can withstand these conditions. Plants with small, thick leaves are particularly suitable for these demanding locations. But hairy and leathery leaves also do well in full sunlight. The plants store a lot of water in the fleshy leaves and can therefore even survive long periods of drought. Tropical and Mediterranean plants in particular thrive on the south window, as they are used to such hot conditions in their country of origin.
- full sun from early morning to late afternoon
- Spurge plants and cacti are well suited for this
- tropical plants like hibiscus love south-facing windows
- Plants from the tropics need to be watered often
- need a lot of light and sun to develop flower buds
- Leaves with sharply defined and brown spots suffer from sunburn
- Put the plant in more shade immediately
- move the plant approx. 50 cm away from the window in midsummer
- Window glass amplifies the heat too much
- always ensure good air circulation
plant examples
Spurge Family
Depending on the variety, spurge plants often look like cacti. This extremely hardy plant family is used to plenty of sun from its native land and grows best when placed in a south-facing window. If the plant is constantly wet during the dark months, it will begin to rot.
maintenance
- Water spurge plants more often in summer
- check by finger test when the soil has dried
- during the winter months the demand for water decreases
- give fewer watering units in winter
- Cactus soil is ideal
- alternatively mix normal potting soil with sand
Steppe Spurge
yucca
The palm lily has the botanical name Yucca elephantipes and is therefore colloquially simply called Yucca. The sun-loving houseplant has become very widespread in local households because it is very easy to care for and robust. It should be noted that the palm lily needs more space over time, as it not only grows in height but also in width. With ideal site conditions and appropriate care, growth can even get out of hand enormously. Then the yucca must be repotted if necessary so that the plant has enough space to spread out. However, the new bucket should be heavy enough so that the growing yucca is stable and cannot tip over.
maintenance
- needs a sunny and airy location
- water regularly and sufficiently
- but do not water excessively to avoid waterlogging
- requires less water during the winter period
- Apply commercial flower fertilizer from April to August
- fertilize every 2 weeks during the growing season
- normal potting soil will do
- alternatively use special palm soil
- March and April are ideal for repotting
hibiscus
The hibiscus is also known as the rose mallow and is a member of the mallow family. Thanks to its large and brightly colored flowers, the plant is the epitome of exotic countries. The funnel-shaped flowers are traditionally red, but hibiscus also comes in white, pink, orange, and yellow flowers. There are also varieties with single, double and fringed flowers. If the rose mallow is in a location that is much too dark, it will only bloom rarely or not at all. If there is a drop in buds, it is often due to poor lighting conditions, too little water or not enough fertilizer. However, the hibiscus does not tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations either.
maintenance
- Flowering time from February to October
- loves a sunny spot on a windowsill
- protect from the strong midday sun in midsummer
- good protection is blind or curtain
- needs at least 14° Celsius in winter
- water regularly and sufficiently
- water daily in summer
- Absolutely avoid dry balls and waterlogging
- Fertilize weekly from March to September
- copes well with normal potting soil
hibiscus, rose mallow
spider plant
The green lily has the botanical name chlorophytum and is colloquially called the Flying Dutchman. The ornamental leaf plant is very easy to care for and does not hold a grudge when it comes to care mistakes. However, regular watering and fertilizing should not be forgotten. Due to the numerous and hanging runners, the plant is ideal for a hanging basket on the south window. The spider plant can cope with room temperatures all year round and does not have to move in winter. If the Flying Dutchman develops brown leaf tips, then either the room air is too dry, the watering is too irregular or root rot has developed due to waterlogging.
maintenance
- water regularly but not excessively
- prefers moderately moist plant substrate
- normal potting soil is sufficient
- It is essential to avoid waterlogging and dry balls
- give normal liquid fertilizer from spring to autumn
- fertilize every two weeks
- repot if necessary
- If the room air is dry, spray with lime-free water
Spider plant, Chlorophytum
madagascar palm
The Madagascar palm has the scientific name Pachypodium lamerei and is not a palm at all. Rather, the plant belongs to the succulent family and is a member of the dogbane family. As the name suggests, these are poisonous, so children and animals should not have access to the madagascar palm. The easy-care plant forms a columnar trunk with numerous thorns. Visually, the Pachypodium lamerei is a cross between a cactus and a palm tree, with long and narrow leaves. The plant thrives best in a sunny spot on a south-facing window, but it can also do well in bright locations.
maintenance
- prefers extremely sunny site conditions
- tolerates even the dry heating air
- needs temperatures of at least 15° Celsius in winter
- is able to store water for a long time
- Allow the substrate to dry superficially first, then water
- water sparingly in winter
- special cactus soil is ideal
- alternatively, loosen unit soil with sand
Madagascar palm, Pachypodium lamerei
Strelitzia
The Strelitzia has the botanical name Strelitzia reginae and originally comes from South Africa. A common name is also bird of paradise flower, based on the exotic flowers that are reminiscent of the graceful head of a crane. The sun-loving plant is perfect for the conservatory, where it gets plenty of light throughout the day. In a sufficiently large plant pot, the plant can also be kept on a south-facing window without any problems. However, the Strelitzia reginae can grow up to two meters in height, so it needs a lot of volume and space. Most window sills are clearly too small for this. In a location with too little light, the Strelitzia reginae usually does not form flowers.
maintenance
- can form flowers all year round, but mostly in winter
- Increase the light intensity with plant spotlights if the locations are too dark
- needs cooler but bright winter quarters, approx. 10-15° Celsius
- higher water demand in summer
- water more sparingly in winter
- Absolutely avoid waterlogging
- fertilize every 2 weeks from spring to autumn
- use normal potting soil or special palm soil
- grows a lot, repot if necessary
Strelitzia, Strelitzia reginae
ribbon bush
The ribbon bush bears the scientific name Homalocladium platycladum and belongs to the knotweed family. The look of the plant is very unusual, instead of leaves it has flattened shoots. These drives are divided into sections and take over all tasks in the supply. The easy-care ribbon bush originally comes from the Solomon Islands and is therefore used to tropical local conditions. The plant forms numerous white flowers and red fruits, but the flowering period does not last long. The shrub grows quickly and can easily grow over a meter high. However, the Bandbusch needs a sufficiently large planter for this.
maintenance
- needs acclimatization time for full sun locations
- needs cooler site conditions during wintertime
- in winter, temperatures of around 10° Celsius are sufficient
- Water regularly, but only when the soil has dried
- Avoid waterlogging and dry balls
- Water more in summer and less in winter
- fertilize every 4 weeks from spring to autumn
- normal potting soil is sufficient
- alternatively use palm soil
- grows quickly, repot if necessary
Ribbon bush, Homalocladium platycladum
old man's head
The old man's head is a cactus and has the botanical name Cephalocereus senilis. The plant comes from Mexico and is very easy to care for and undemanding. Cacti usually don't mind if watering units are forgotten. The old man's head has long white or gray hairs that look like a coiffure. Unfortunately, as a houseplant, the cactus does not form flowers, since the flowering zones required for this only appear at a growth height of about six meters. Usually only grows up to a meter indoors.
maintenance
- loves warmth and full sun
- prefers cooler site conditions in winter, approx. 8-12° Celsius
- water regularly but only moderately in summer
- water significantly less in winter, keep substrate almost dry
- Fertilize 1-2 times a month from spring to autumn
- special cactus fertilizer is ideal
- needs permeable plant substrate, cactus soil is optimal
- repot young and fast-growing specimens annually
Greisenhaupt, Cephalocereus senilis
Australian fuchsia
The Australian fuchsia bears the scientific name Correa and belongs to the rue family. From its homeland, the plant is used to full sun location conditions. This Australian beauty is still quite rare as a houseplant in the local latitudes. The evergreen shrub enchants with its lush bell-shaped flowers, which appear in white, yellow, green, pink or red, depending on the variety. The flowering period is during the winter months, a beautiful ornament for the living area during the dreary season. The plant grows slowly but steadily and can reach heights of up to two meters with good care.
maintenance
- is ideal for conservatories
- needs cooler winter quarters
- optimal is guest room with temperatures between 10-15° Celsius
- prefers moderately moist plant substrate
- Avoid waterlogging and dry balls
- give normal flower fertilizer from spring to autumn
- fertilize every 2 weeks with a low dosage
- prefers very well drained substrate
- Loosen the potting soil with sand or fine gravel
Australian Fuchsia, Correa
flower mallow
The flower maple bears the scientific name Abutilon and is colloquially referred to as the room maple. The plentiful flowering houseplant belongs to the mallow family and comes from tropical and subtropical zones. In addition to the flowers in unusual colors, the green foliage is also a real adornment. The evergreen shrub grows bushy and upright and is very easy to care for. If the maple feels comfortable in its location and has a sufficient supply of nutrients, then it will bloom from March, often well into November. The bell-shaped flowers are numerous and are either white, yellow, orange, pink, purple or red in color.
maintenance
- loves sunny locations
- does not tolerate blazing midday heat in summer
- needs protection in the form of awnings, blinds or curtains
- needs cooler temperature values during the winter time, up to approx. 15° Celsius
- prefers evenly moist plant substrate
- Avoid waterlogging and dry balls
- Water more in summer and much less in winter
- Fertilize every two weeks from March to August
- normal potting soil will do
- repot in early spring if necessary
Flowering Mallow, Abutilon