Eight house plants for a sunny spot

A bright sunnny windowsill, porch or conservatory is perfect spot for desert cacti and succulents. They thrive in dry air and can cope with direct sunlight – conditions that wouldn't suit many house plants.

More on growing house plants:

• Growing house plants
• 15 of the best trailing house plants
• Colourful house plants to grow

Browse our list of the best plants for a dry, sunny spot, below.

Red desert rose

Commonly known as the desert rose, Adenium obesum is native to many countries south of the Sahel, which spans Africa from Mauritania in the west, to Eritrea in the east. A popular bonsai plant, water it as you would cacti.

Height x Spread: 1m x 1m

Aeonium

The best aeoniums to grow in direct sun are the darker cultivars, such as 'Zwartkop'. Don't discount the greener varieties altogether, though. They prefer a bit more shade, so are useful for growing in areas that don't receive full sun all day.

H x S: 60cm x 60cm

Aloes

While most of us are familiar with Aloe vera, it's far from being the only aloe to grow indoors. 'Bill Baker' (pictured), a gasteraloe (Aloe x pachyveria), is just one of the aloe hybrids you could grow, on top of other species aloes like Aloe aristata and Aloe rauhii.

H x S: 30cm x 30cm

Cacti

Diverse and easy-to-grow, cacti are some of the best house plants for sunny spots. There are many varieties to choose from, including Rebutia, Mammillaria, Echinocactus and Cereus species. Plus, most will produce beautiful blooms without much effort.

H x S: 30cm x 30cm

Crassulas

This group includes long time house plant favourite, Crassula ovata, or the jade tree. Popular Crassula cultivars to grow include 'Hobbit', 'Gollum' and 'Buddha's Temple' (pictured). Grow them in cactus compost and water sparingly.

H x S: 35cm x 20cm

Echeverias

These pretty succulents form neat rosettes of fleshy leaves, in frosty blues, pretty pinks and fresh greens. Echeverias are simple to propagate from leaf cuttings, too, so you're assured a steady supply of new plants.

H x S: 25cm x 25cm

Haworthias

If you're after something truly curious, the Haworthia genus deserves some attention. Some of the more unique haworthias to grow include Haworthia truncata (pictured) and Haworthia cooperi, which has pretty, translucent leaf windows.

H x S: 35cm x 35cm

Pachyphytums

Pachyphytums are largely similar to echeverias in that they also form rosettes of succulent leaves. There are numerous Pachyphytum hybrids to grow, too.

H x S: 50cm x 30cm

Succulent hybrids to grow

• Graptoveria
• Sedeveria
• Pachyveria
• Gasteraloe
• Graptosedum