Placing your plant in a well-lit room may seem fine at the time, but if it starts exhibiting any of the below signs of light-starvation, then you may need to reassess its location. Light is food to plants and through photosynthesis, they are able to feed themselves and continue growing healthy and lush leaves. Casas Adobes Flower Shop has outlined for you signs your plant gives you to let you know it needs more light.

Tell-Tale Signs Your Plants Needs More Light

Leggy

A plant with skinny, light-deprived stems and wide spaces between each leaf is known as “leggy.” It’s not that pleasant a look and is far removed for lush and bountiful as most plants should be.

Small Leaves

If the fresh leaves your plant is growing look much smaller than they should, then it is likely not obtaining adequate light. Compare new leaves to the older ones to see if there is a marked difference.

Leaning

When a plant requires more light and has to stretch and reach it, then it’s not getting enough. The result is one side leaning more than the other side and appearing lopsided. Move the plant closer to the light source and turn it once a week to ensure all the leaves get adequate sunlight.

Abnormal Leaf Color

Pale yellow leaves or variegated leaves that have lost their colors are signs of light deficiency. When there’s too little light, the leaves will become pale green, yellow, and then finally fall off.

Slowed Growth or No Growth

If the growth of your plant appears stunted, then you may need to relocate it to a sunnier spot. Light is the lifeforce of plants and gives plants energy to grow and thrive. If there is no new growth or very slow growth, then there is likely insufficient light.

Getting the Light Right

Observing some of the above signs in your plant does not inevitably mean you should just put in an area with bright sunlight. Doing so could result in your plant getting too much light. A window that gets direct sunlight can get pretty warm and be too much for your plant to handle. Only sun-loving plants like cacti, palms, and succulents should be placed in direct light.

For most other indoor plants, medium to indirect bright light is best. This consists of a room that gets light for most of the day except during peak hours between 12 and 2. Also, this is typically somewhat diffused by a sheer curtain, or a bit of shade, a dappling effect coming in the window. If you have a plant in a room like this that still exhibits one or more of the above signs, you may want to invest in a grow light.

It may take trial and error to get the lighting just right for your indoor plants, but as long as you know what to look for, you will be able to keep them thriving and healthy.