Plants are gorgeous and wonderful living things to have in our home, but they can definitely be finicky. Sometimes brown or yellow spots occur for seemingly no reason at all. However, there are other signs that plant exhibits to let you know it’s in distress. Regarding lack of or insufficient light, the signs are obvious once you know what to look for. QG Floral + Landscape / Flowers by Mike, Oceanside and East Rockaway’s top florist, wants to help you keep your plants healthy and thriving, so continue to our simple guide on identifying lighting issues your plant may have and how to find the perfect light balance for your plant.

Symptoms of Plants With Insufficient Light

Leggy

Leggy is used to describe plants whose stems have grown tall and skinny with scarce leaves. The stems resemble legs more than lush, thriving plants. Also, leggy plants have large internodes, the space between adjacent leaves, which is another sign of insufficient light.

Smaller Leaves

If you see new growth on your plant has leaves smaller in size than the rest of the plant, and they’re not getting any bigger, then your plant isn’t getting enough energy to grow them the size they’re supposed to be.

Leaning

Plants will do what they have to in order to get enough light which could result in leaning, where one side of the plant is lopsided in its quest for more light. When this happens, move your plant to an area with more sunlight and give the plant a slight turn at least once a week so all leaves get an equal amount of light.

Abnormal Leaf Color

Sunlight helps plants maintain their rich green color or if the leaves are variegated to remain colorful. However, lack of adequate light will make the leaves lose their color, turn dull and pale, and eventually fall off. Change the location of the plant to one with more light and it should brighten up.

Slowed Growth or No New Growth

It’s natural for plants to grow a little slower during the winter months, but if there no signs of growth or very little growth during the spring and summer months, then it could be due to the lighting. Light is what provides energy to plants so they can grow lush and beautiful.

Getting the Light Right

There may be other issues causing some of the above signs as context is everything when it comes to plants. If you’ve remedied all other possible problems, then check the plant’s lighting. A little trial and error is to be expected. Just be careful not to put your plant in direct sunlight, though, as only a few varieties of sun-loving plants can take that kind of heat, such as cacti, succulents, and palms.

If you are unable to move your plant to an area with adequate lighting, then pick up a grow light! This will provide your plant with plenty of light regardless of its location.