Glossary · Plant care
Light meter for plants.
A light meter for plants is a device that measures the amount of light in lux (or foot-candles) at a specific spot, so you can match the reading to each plant's preferred range. Houseplants typically need 50–2,500 foot-candles depending on the species: succulents and ficus want 1,500–5,000+ FC (full sun); pothos and philodendron tolerate 75–500 FC (medium light); ferns and calatheas thrive at 50–250 FC (low light). The iPhone camera, used through an app like Tazart, measures lux directly without buying a separate meter.
Light ranges by plant type.
| Light level | Lux | Foot-candles | Plants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright direct sun | 10,000 – 50,000+ | 1,000 – 5,000+ | Cacti, succulents, ficus, citrus, hibiscus, bird of paradise |
| Bright indirect | 2,500 – 10,000 | 250 – 1,000 | Monstera, fiddle leaf fig, rubber tree, alocasia, hoya |
| Medium light | 750 – 2,500 | 75 – 250 | Pothos, philodendron, peace lily, spider plant, ZZ plant |
| Low light | 250 – 750 | 25 – 75 | Snake plant, cast iron plant, calathea, prayer plant |
| Too dim for most | < 250 | < 25 | Almost nothing thrives long-term — supplement with grow lights |
How to measure light without buying a meter.
The iPhone camera's exposure sensor is sensitive enough to measure lux directly. Tazart's free light meter uses it: open the app, tap the light meter icon, point at the spot you want to measure, and hold steady for 2 seconds. The reading shows in lux + foot-candles, plus a list of plants that thrive at that level.
Measure at the time of day the plant will live there — morning sun behaves differently than 4 PM sun. Take 3–4 readings across the day for the most accurate average.