What flowers can you grow on a balcony without sunlight? These 6 shade-tolerant flowers will still bloom in abundance

If your home doesn't have a suitable lighting environment for growing flowers, you can choose the following 9 flowers, which will likewise fill your home with abundant blooms, a feast for the eyes.

"Abundant blooms

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1. Peace lily

The peace lily, also known as Spathiphyllum, is a perennial herb of the Araceae family that prefers high temperatures, high humidity and a semi-shaded environment. Its flowers and leaves are beautiful, light and graceful, and it grows vigorously.

Because of the shape of its leaves, it is also called the "smooth sailing" flower. With its good symbolism and easy care, the peace lily has become one of the most popular indoor decorative plants.

Peace lily care methods

Watering:In spring, during the growing season, water thoroughly once the soil has dried out. In summer, spray water on the leaves and soil surface frequently to increase air humidity and keep the leaves fresh and tender. In autumn and winter, reduce watering appropriately; a cold, damp environment easily causes root rot.

Temperature：The peace lily is a variety that loves high temperatures and high humidity. In winter, the minimum nighttime temperature should be 14-16°C, so cold protection needs to be strengthened in winter.

Light:The peace lily is fairly shade-tolerant; about 70% scattered light is enough to meet its growth needs. Therefore it can be kept year-round indoors in a spot with bright, scattered light.

In summer, avoid direct strong light, as it will cause the leaves to turn yellow. In winter and early spring, it is best to increase the light appropriately, as this promotes the growth of the peace lily.

Fertilizing:Fertilize the peace lily with dilute fertilizer; do not apply concentrated or raw fertilizer, and after applying solid fertilizer, water once with a dilute fertilizer solution, which generally will not cause fertilizer burn.

2. Hoya

Hoya, also known as horse-monkey cure, dog-tongue vine, iron-foot board, etc., belongs to the genus Hoya in the family Apocynaceae, order Gentianales. It is a climbing shrub, native to growing on trees or rocks, with aerial roots at the nodes, and it prefers semi-shade. The whole plant can also be used medicinally. It is a flower that is both beautiful and useful.

Hoya care methods

Watering: Hoya does not like water; too much watering easily causes root rot. The principle is to keep it dry rather than wet. In spring and autumn, water about once every 2 weeks; in summer, water about once a week, and in summer you need to spray water into the air frequently to maintain a certain humidity. In winter, watering once every one and a half months is enough.

Temperature: Hoya is a plant tolerant of high temperatures and high humidity, and in summer it can withstand temperatures of around 37°C. In winter, the temperature should not drop below 4°C; the most suitable growing temperature is an indoor temperature between 21-28°C.

Light: Hoya likes a semi-shaded environment; it only needs to be placed in scattered light for care, and the plant grows best in a semi-shaded environment.

But in summer it must be moved to a shaded spot to prevent direct strong light from scorching the leaves and causing them to lose their green color and turn yellow. In autumn and winter, it can be exposed to sunlight appropriately, which helps the hoya grow.

Fertilizing: The fertilizing principle is to keep it dilute rather than concentrated, to prevent root burn. When potting the hoya, an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer was added as a base fertilizer, and during the peak growing season, apply a dilute fertilizer solution combining nitrogen and phosphorus 1-2 times a month.

If you don't want to use chemical fertilizers, you can use a small amount of poultry manure and plant ash as flower fertilizer; this not only prevents disease but also makes the hoya bloom very brightly.

3. Gloxinia

Gloxinia, also known as falling snow mud. Gloxinia likes warmth and moisture during its growing period, avoids direct sunlight, and has a certain heat tolerance, but in summer it is best to keep it cool. The flowers are large and bloom especially brilliantly, and it is also a flower that does not have excessive light requirements.

Hoya care methods

Watering: Watering also follows the principle of watering thoroughly once the soil has dried out, but gloxinia flowers and leaves have fine hairs, so water must not be poured onto the leaves and flowers; therefore it is best to use the bottom-soaking method or water along the edge.

During the high-temperature period in summer, water 1-2 times a day. When the air is dry, spray water around the plant frequently to increase the ambient humidity. In autumn and winter, the watering frequency can be reduced.

Temperature: The suitable growing temperature for gloxinia is 10-25°C. A suitable temperature can make the leaves grow lush and emerald green, and the flowers large and vivid.

Light: Gloxinia should normally be shaded to avoid direct strong light. In summer it must be placed in a ventilated spot with scattered light for care, and must not be in direct sunlight. In autumn and winter, during the seedling stage, sunlight can be increased appropriately to promote seedling growth. When flowering, the shading time should be appropriately extended to help prolong the flowering period.

Fertilizing: When potting, a small amount of decomposed, sun-dried, finely crushed poultry manure can be added to the soil. From leaf unfolding to before flowering, apply a decomposed dilute organic liquid fertilizer once a week; after the flower buds form, you can increase dilute phosphorus fertilizer or bone fertilizer. Note that concentrated fertilizer must not be applied, and when fertilizing, do not stain the leaf surface.

4. Cyclamen

Cyclamen, also known as rabbit flower, first-class crown. It is a perennial herb of the genus Cyclamen in the family Primulaceae; the leaves grow from the top of the tuber, are heart-shaped, and have fine serrations.

Cyclamen is a commonly grown fresh flower; because it can purify the air, has beautiful flower shapes and a fresh fragrance, many people grow it indoors.

Cyclamen care methods

Watering: When watering, follow the principle of watering thoroughly once the soil has dried out; the best watering method is to soak the pot, allowing the flowers, stems and leaves to fully absorb enough water.

Temperature: The suitable temperature is 10-20°C, but cyclamen fears high temperatures, and growth stops above 30°C. So in summer it must be shaded, and it is best placed in a cool, ventilated spot for care; in autumn and winter, begin to expose it to sunlight appropriately to ensure its growth.

Light: It is recommended to place it in scattered light for care. This is because too strong light will shorten its growing period, prompt the flowering period to come earlier, and very likely cause the flower stems to become shorter, then bloom beneath the leaves.

Fertilizing: During the flowering season, cyclamen must be ensured sufficient nutrients, giving dilute fertilizer with each watering. In the early bud stage and during the flowering season, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer should often be applied to promote flowering.

Again, it is best to follow the principle of "dilute fertilizer, applied frequently." Commonly, bone meal, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer and plant ash are each made into dilute liquid fertilizer and applied in turn.

5. Haworthia (succulent Haworthia genus)

The Haworthia genus is a type of small succulent plant, a perennial herb. The plant has low requirements and is tolerant of semi-shade; it even has strong adaptability to temperature in summer and winter, so it is very commonly cultivated at home. Although Haworthia flowers are not as brilliant as those of other flowering plants, you can treat it as a special flowering plant, and it has its own unique charm.

Common Haworthia varieties: Haworthia cooperi, Haworthia truncata, Haworthia maughanii, Haworthia retusa, Haworthia herbacea.

Haworthia succulent care methods

Watering: Although succulents are basically all afraid of water, Haworthia is not that strict about watering; generally water when the soil is dry and let it dry between waterings, but if the air is dry, you need to spray some water into the air frequently. In winter, water generally at noon; in summer, water generally in the evening or at night.

Temperature: The suitable growing temperature is 12-28°C; above or below this temperature it will go dormant. Most Haworthia plants have thick, fleshy root systems filled with water, allowing the plant to maintain its living state during dry seasons.

Light: It likes shade and moisture, and cannot tolerate direct strong light; it is best to care for it in a ventilated spot with scattered light.

Soil: A relatively loose, breathable soil texture is suitable. As for the soil mix, some like to use more granules, some like to use more peat, so it is best to configure it according to your environment; if you are in the humid south, you can add more granules, and if you are in the dry north, you can use fewer granules.

6. Rieger begonia

Rieger begonia has a full plant shape, diverse flower shapes, mostly double-petaled, rich flower colors including red, orange, yellow, white, etc., with large blooms and vivid colors, very beautiful; moreover, the flowering period is long, lasting from December to the following spring in April.

It likes a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment and does not have strong light requirements. So it can be cared for well without a south-facing balcony.

Rieger begonia care methods

Watering: The potting soil of Rieger begonia should be kept moist, and must not dry out completely or be too wet; too dry will cause Rieger begonia to lose water and wilt, and in severe cases the whole plant will die.

Temperature: The suitable temperature for the growth and development of Rieger begonia is 18°C-22°C. The key point of home care is to keep it warm in winter and cool it down in summer.

Light: Rieger begonia is a quantitative short-day plant; when the summer temperature is above 25°C, it needs 80% shading. After late October, its light can be appropriately increased.

Fertilizing: Rieger begonia has relatively strict fertilizer requirements. For small seedlings, nitrogen fertilizer is mainly used, which can promote the development and shaping of Rieger begonia; as Rieger begonia grows, the phosphorus and potassium fertilizer content can be gradually increased.