🌿 Houseplant Growth Rate & Light Requirement Lookup Table

Sort, search, and filter 22 common houseplants by growth speed, Daily Light Integral (DLI) target, watering tolerance, and ideal temperature range. Data compiled from / expanded on this guide: greenerynest.com/plant-growth-calculator.

Quick Reference

Growth speed is species-dependent, not a care score. A "slow" plant growing slowly is normal — compare it to its own category, not to a Pothos.
DLI, not just light label, determines growth. "Bright indirect" can mean 8 mol/m²/day or 20 mol/m²/day depending on season and window orientation.
Fast growers need the most frequent fertilizing (bi-weekly in active season) since they exhaust soil nutrients faster.
Winter slows every category — expect growth intervals in this table to roughly double from late autumn to late winter.

Plant⇅	Growth Speed⇅	New Leaf Interval⇅	Light Category⇅	DLI Target (mol/m²/day)⇅	Ideal Temp⇅	Watering Tolerance⇅

FAQ: How do I use this table?

My plant scored low on a growth calculator — is something wrong? Check this plant's expected leaf interval first. A Cast Iron Plant producing one leaf per year is healthy; a Pothos doing the same indicates a care issue.

What does "DLI Target" mean? Daily Light Integral is the total usable light a plant receives over 24 hours, combining intensity and duration. A windowsill can deliver very different DLI in summer vs. winter even though it looks the same to the eye.

Why do two plants in the same "Light Category" have different DLI ranges? Light category (Low/Medium/Bright/High) is a simplified label; DLI ranges within a category vary by species tolerance, which is why both figures are listed separately.

How does watering tolerance map to soil type? "Low tolerance" plants (e.g., ferns, Calatheas) need consistent moisture and benefit from moisture-retentive mixes; "high tolerance" plants (succulents, ZZ Plant) prefer fast-draining mixes and forgive missed waterings.

Reference table for indoor growers, plant shop staff, and houseplant communities. View this page live via GitHub Pages or open index.html directly in a browser. See the original Plant Growth Calculator guide for the interactive scoring tool this data expands on.