Light Needs

• Plants light requirement varies by species. Plants also require a minimum period of darkness along with light exposure. Plants shouldn't receive more than 16 hours of light per day with the minimum exposure needed being about 10 hours. When it comes to plant vegetative growth, tit's better to give plants more light than less.
  
  

Plant Classifications

• One way plants are classified is by their particular species' need for light to power their growth. Some plants are classed has having low-light needs while others have medium or high needs. African violets are low light and need only the minimum exposure. The houseplant Dracaena Janet Craig is a medium-light plant while yu8cca is a high-light plant needing 14 to 16 hours of light.
  
  

Light Colors

• No plant has strong vegetative growth unless it receives the right colors of light. A plant requires blue light for vegetative growth. Sunlight contains abundant amounts of both red and blue light, but only certain artificial light sources will have enough blue light to enable plant vegetative growth. Fluorescent cool white lights, fortunately, carry plenty of blue light for plant growth.
  
  

Considerations

• Plants need light on a regular basis. For a plant's vegetative growth, give it as much light as reasonably possible up to the 16-hour limit. Just make sure any plant that you're trying to encourage vegetative growth in receives light from a source rich in high blue light. A bit of red light supplementing the blue light is better for overall plant growth.
  
  

Supplying Light

• Sunlight gives a plant all it needs from light. However, indoor plants need light supplied to them through artificial means. Plants grow well, although slightly stunted, under a blue light-supplying source like a fluorescent light or lamp. Special plant grow lights are also available to supply all a plant's light needs.