26 Plants for the Windowsill to Create a Charming Display

Burro’s Tail

Covered in pale green leaves, this plant is a perennial succulent worth growing that flowers pinkish blooms. It’s native to Mexico and Honduras, making it happy to sit in a sunny windowsill where its trailing leaves won’t be disturbed.

It loves a bright spot where it won’t be bumped into, Price says. 

Geranium

These plants work well in window boxes, but if you have a large window space, they can bloom there too. This is because most geraniums grow as annuals in many temperate zones.

Snake Plant

This is a classic and beloved houseplant because it is so easy to care for. Since it can handle darker spots, the snake plant can do well on windowsills that don’t always get much sunlight. 

Aloe Vera

This plant thrives in containers inside. But it likes full to partial sun, so you can easily care for this succulent placed on a windowsill. Just be sure to water it sparingly. 

Hoya ‘Tricolor’

Commonly called wax plants, hoyas are vining plants from Asia. Price says this specific variety is gorgeous due to its sun-flushed red growth when it's exposed to more light, which makes it a great pick for the windowsill. Hoyas are also generally easy to care for and can handle a range of light.

Spider Plant

The spider plant is a warm-weather perennial. When grown indoors, it will survive less-than-ideal conditions, like a lack of sunlight. Put this plant in a window that is exposed to plenty of shade.

Rubber Plant

Although this plant needs to be consistently moist, Price explains it can afford to dry out a bit between waterings. Hence, the rubber plant can handle a bit of sun, which makes it a somewhat easy tropical houseplant for the home.

“It’s another houseplant staple, with glossy leaves, and it loves bright light," Price says.

African Milk Tree

A succulent with an interesting shape, the African milk tree prefers bright, indirect sunlight. Thus, a southern-facing window works great for this reason. While the plant can tolerate full sun, it does not want very hot temperatures.

String of Pearls

This plant looks great sitting on a windowsill and can do well in dry, warm spots.

“A succulent creeping plant, the string of pearls has leaves perfectly engineered to store water," Price says. Water a string of pearls less often for the best results.

Chinese Money Plant

This flowering perennial is native to China and grows naturally in high places like the region’s Himalayan mountains. The Chinese money plant can handle cooler, nighttime temperatures, so placing them on an east-facing windowsill is ideal, Price says.

Echeveria

As a succulent, the plant likes sun. The plant will remain on the smaller size, making it great for a small windowsill ledge.

Moth Orchid

There are many different types of orchids, but some orchid houseplants like the sun more than others. The moth orchid likes a nice sunny spot and can happily sit in a north-facing window.

Polka Dot Begonia

With striking polka dot leaves, this plant tolerates full and partial sun, making it a great windowsill plant, whatever the sun exposure. Just be sure to water this tropical plant twice a week for windowsills that tend to get more sunlight.

Peace Lily

This flowering tropical plant blooms twice a year and likes low light. Price recommends placing it on an east-facing or north-facing windowsill for good growth. She explains how the direct light of a south-facing windowsill could scorch the leaves.

Venus Flytrap

As a bug-eating plant, the Venus flytrap prefers to be where its prey is. Which is why being perched on a windowsill makes the most sense for it.

“Plus, this bog-dwelling carnivorous plant loves bright, direct light," Price says. "Just make sure they’re always standing in a little dish of water."

Spiney Pincushion Cactus

The spiney pincushion cactus is from Mexico and likes low humidity. It does great as an indoor cactus under or behind glass, so a windowsill is a great spot to put this plant. Expect to see a crown of pink flowers around the growing tip.

Maidenhair Fern

Known for its small size, the maidenhair fern can last up to 15 years. They favor indirect or dappled light but prefer warm, humid conditions, which is why the plant does well on a windowsill during summers wherever the climate turns humid.

Flamingo Lily

A stunning tropical plant that flowers indoors, the flamingo lily likes indirect sun because it grows naturally in forest undergrowth. Place it in a window without a lot of sunlight, so its leaves don’t get sunburned.

Christmas Cactus

A bright spot in the middle of winter, this plant blooms around the holidays, hence the name. This plant does well in shady spots or in bright windows and is quite versatile in its sun exposure needs.

Nerve Plant

With delicate veining leaves, the nerve plant is stunning and unique. It prefers partial sun, so keep it in a window that happens to have low light conditions.

Cyclamen

A compact, flowering plant, the cyclamen works great on a windowsill. It flowers pink, purple, red, or white blooms. But be aware that it appreciates partial light.

Philodendron Birkin

This plant likes northern light exposure. But it will grow large once it’s full size, so while a small, north-facing window will work in its early years, transfer the plant to a sunny space once it's fully grown.

Rosemary

With flowers ranging in color from blue to white, rosemary needs sunlight to bloom. In fact, when grown indoors, this plant requires tons of bright light. Place it in a bright, south-facing window for the best results. 

African Violet

These plants can tolerate a lower light situation. But to make sure they flower, put the African violets in a window with plenty of indirect to bright, indirect sunlight.

Aeonium

Aeoniums want bright, direct light. Therefore, a bright, sunny window will do nicely for an aeonium. A desert variety, these plants prefer harsher conditions. So, water only when the dirt dries out.

Jade

Jade plants grow best in full sunlight. Place these in a south-facing window with lots of light if you want to foster the growth of the plant’s celebrated red tips on their leaves.