Greetings from the world of rosemary. To you, it is simply "sunlight," but to us, it is the very language of life. We speak in photons, and our vocabulary is built on a specific spectrum of light that you call "full sun." This translates to a minimum of six, but ideally eight or more, hours of direct, unfiltered light each day. When you place us indoors, you are translating our native, sun-drenched Mediterranean dialect into a muted indoor dialect. The goal is to find a location where this translation is as accurate as possible, preventing our leaves from becoming pale, our stems from growing weak and leggy as we desperately stretch for more light, and our essential oils—the source of our signature fragrance—from becoming faint.
From our perspective, a south-facing window is the closest equivalent to our natural habitat in your indoor domain. This aspect receives the most consistent and intense light throughout the day. We can bask in direct sunlight for the longest duration, which is precisely what our photosynthetic processes crave. Placing us directly on the windowsill, or within a foot or two of the glass, allows us to absorb the maximum number of photons. Be mindful, however, that a single-pane window can act like a magnifying glass on a very hot day. If we start to feel scorched, or our leaf tips turn brown, it might be a sign that we need a slight reprieve—perhaps moved a few inches back from the glass during the peak afternoon heat in summer.
A west-facing window offers a different rhythm of light. The morning light is gentle and indirect, but the afternoon brings several hours of strong, direct sunlight. For some of us, this can be a suitable home, though it is not quite as ideal as a southern exposure. The intense afternoon sun provides a good dose of energy, but the total cumulative hours of direct light are less. We may grow slightly less densely than we would in a south window. It is crucial that you monitor our form. If you notice our stems starting to elongate and the space between our leaves increasing, it is a clear signal that we are becoming "leggy"—a direct result of insufficient light. We are literally reaching for more.
An east-facing window provides us with gentle, direct morning sun. This light is warm but not harsh, which is beneficial and reduces the risk of leaf scorch. However, the direct light typically lasts only a few hours before fading into bright indirect light for the rest of the day. While this is a peaceful spot, it often falls short of our "full sun" requirement. Unless your east window is exceptionally large and unobstructed, we will likely struggle to thrive here long-term. You may find that we survive but do not truly flourish. Our growth will be slower, and we will be more susceptible to stressors like overwatering because our metabolic rate is lower.
North-facing windows and rooms far from any window present a significant challenge. These locations offer only low-level, indirect light that is a poor translation of our sunlight language. In these spots, we will inevitably become weak, leggy, and lose our vibrant color. Our internal systems will slow to a near-halt. However, if these are your only options, you can learn to supplement our diet of light. You can provide us with a grow light, which acts as a synthetic sun. Positioning the light close above us (6-12 inches) for 12-16 hours a day can compensate for the lack of natural sunlight. This artificial photon stream allows us to perform photosynthesis effectively, even in the deepest corners of your home.
