Indoor plant north facing room

[Twigaletta]

I'm excited that my new study is ready and I'm looking for a plant or plants to keep on the windowsill to give me some life to the room.

It's a very wide window (1.8m) with a 20cm window sill and it's completely north facing. It also has the garage sticking out at one side so even east sun doesn't get to the window.

Can people recommend a house plant which would thrive in a dark but hopefully warm/cosy study please?

I’ve got a fern that seems to be doing ok in my dark hallway, but it’s still early days for it!

I’ve been toying with a fern and ivy for my dds dark desk, but I may just resort to a grow light.

I have 2 north facing windowsills and orchids really like them.

I remember reading in an RHS book to look for plants with leaves with red underneath as they are shade loving. But I’ve had mixed results I think there’s shade and shade!

Go for shade loving plants - but rotate them occasionaly to give them some light somewhere.

My orchids do well on a gloomy windowsill. As does a ZZ plant.

www.houzz.com/magazine/these-houseplants-love-north-facing-windows-stsetivw-vs~86829261

My peace lily does well north facing. Its flowing now in winter too, it seems to do so all year round if it's happy enough.

Try Maranta Leuconeura (prayer plants) if you can find them. They're undergrowth plants so prefer to grow under others or in shade, and have very colourful leaves. I find them tough as old boots as long as they're kept damp, and you can propagate by snipping off a stem and sticking in water until it grows roots, then potting up.

The three-coloured one is best for bright colours, but there are lots of variants. I have those and a kerchoveana.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranta_leuconeura

Peace lilies, ferns, ivies and orchids will all enjoy your north facing windowsill. As will sanseverias (mother in law’s tongue) and aspidistras, both of which are tough as old boots and will tolerate utter neglect in the most unpromising locations!

Another vote for peace lilies. The most gorgeous plants. They are not actually lilies either so don't stink!

Maranta Leuconeura is a great suggestion. A friend has one on her bookcase in north facing room - and it's lovely and really happy.

I've just bought one at our local garden centre. You can get them on line too.

These are mine, all North facing ; 3 types of Tradiscantia, a bowl of succulents and a small fern, a Kalanchoe and in the distance a Hoya.
On another windowsill I have two Christmas Cactus.

In addition to the other suggestions, the umbrella plant (Schefflera I think).

Wow so many fantastic suggestions thank you! I like the idea of a leafy one and a flowering one so I will see what a good combination would look like. We have a south facing conservatory which I affectionately call the greenhouse because of my super success with heat loving plants but hadn't got a clue with north light/shade loving ones.

My ZZ plant and parlour palm do well in darkened rooms.

Great suggestions for plants. The only thing I would advise about north facing windows, is to keep watering to a minimum. The cold air will rot the roots quickly. Also might want to move them away from the window when nights are predicted to be very cold.

I have two Christmas cacti on my north facing windowsills and they are spectacular this year, also have orchids and a peace lily.

I have a monstera in a north facing room!

I have a venus fly trap on a north facing windowsill and it seems very happy. That side of the house is overshaddowed from next door so the plant never gets any direct sunlight.

@FLOrenze

Great suggestions for plants. The only thing I would advise about north facing windows, is to keep watering to a minimum. The cold air will rot the roots quickly. Also might want to move them away from the window when nights are predicted to be very cold.

More great advice thank you.

Is there a radiator underneath the windowsill?

Yes there is. Does that change things?

I have a bowl of water among my house plants to stop the air being too dry.