Sun Exposure

Without sunlight, most plants can’t grow.

Plant labels may tell you how much sun exposure a plant needs, but the terms can be confusing. You’ve seen the words, but what do partial sun and partial shade mean? Are they the same thing?  No. Let's find out why.

Sunlight through leaf canopy onto small white flowers (Pexels)

Full Sun

Full sun means 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day. Full sun is usually found on the south side of your house (assuming you live in the northern hemisphere). Plants that thrive in full sun are your go-getters. Most summer crops prefer full sun. Artichokes, fruit and nut trees, herbs, melon and tomato family members need 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight during the growing season. Plants with silver or gray foliage also prefer full sun.

A south-facing wall and a ladder support give pumpkins plenty of sunlight (Kate Russell)

Partial Sun

Partial sun means 3 to 6 hours of sunlight in the afternoon, usually found on the west side of your house. We can call these the late sleepers of the plant world. They need time to wake up and may not be ready to deal with sunlight until later. Alliums, blackberries, peas, and root crops can be grown in partial sun.

Wax beans prefer partial sun (Kate Russell)

Partial Shade

Partial shade means 3 to 6 hours of morning sun with protection from more intense midday and afternoon sun. These are your early risers. Leafy greens, raspberries, and Swiss chard grow well in partial shade.

Containerized arugula grows well on a patio protected with a pergola (Kate Russell)

Full Shade

​Full shade means bright dappled sun all day or less than 3 hours of direct morning sun. Full shade is often found on the north side of your house and under trees. Ferns love the shade, but not all shades are the same. Few plants can thrive in deep shade. Instead, shade-loving plants prefer dappled shade, which means the sunlight peaks through.


The lines regarding sun exposure can be a bit blurry at times. Some plants can grow in more than one type of sun exposure. And where you live makes a difference, too, so read those labels.

Ferns prefer cool, damp, shaded locations (Kate Russell)

How much sun does your yard get?

Knowing how much sunlight an area gets can help you select the right plants for that space. Before planting, create a sun map of your yard. A sun map will tell you how much sunlight each area gets. And remember, those areas change with the seasons.

Plants can create shade for other plants, too. For example, you can grow chives under artichoke plants. This companion planting or intercropping takes advantage of the shade produced by larger perennials to protect less sun-tolerant plants.

If you garden using traditional rows, your plants will get the most sun exposure if those rows run north to south and your tallest plants are at the northern end of your garden plot.​