any orchid varieties tolerant to west window?

[kvet]

Hi!
I'm helping a family member who wants some slow-growing, indoor plants on a west-facing bay window that gets direct sunlight after about 1-2pm in Los Angeles area. Not possible to put up a sheer curtain or anything else to diffuse the light.

My own experience has always been around east-facing windows and the plants do very well, but this scenario with afternoon sun.. I dunno. If orchids aren't a good idea for this, anything else that is slow growing, alive*, requiring minimal care you'd suggest?

Thank you

* I suggested lego orchids, but, meh.

[estación seca]

Eulophia petersii. But they will need gradually to acclimate a nursery-grown plant to the sun. I would put it there with a light piece of shade cloth over it now, and remove the shade cloth slowly.

Warm-growing Cymbidiums like aloifolium, canaliculatum, madidum, and hybrids.

If they are willing to put a fan on the plant each afternoon, maybe on a timer, a large growing Cattleya like C. purpurata.

[NatalieS]

Herbs love full sun. You can grow lavendar in pots, thyme (you can get very ornamental varieties and they tumble beautifully over the sides of pots because it's a ground cover), switch out pots of basil as you use it, compact rosemary, etc.

Carnivorous plants will also tolerate and love strong light. Sarracenia, pinguicula, nepenthes, etc. These have the benefit of reducing the population of unwanted house guests too, as well as coming in some striking colours. The drawback here is that you must keep them very moist all the time (sitting in a saucer of water is best if you are in the habit of forgetting to water), and the water must not be tap water - rain water or distilled is easiest.

I have been growing orchids in a west facing window since last year, but admittedly I have yet to see the effect of full summer sun. The window gets very strong light, but I use the herbs and carnivorous plants to block the direct light and create little shaded areas as the window sill is wide, and allows me to do this. The other thing I have is vertical plant stands which are positioned right next to the bay window - this allows you to put orchids that don't like direct light on the lower positions, below the level of the window sill.

Lastly, to reduce excess heat, if you can crack open the windows either side of the bay window, you can create some decent air movement, but if you can't easily control how far the windows open, this may not be an option if you get a strong draft instead.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Some of my low light plants are in a west window, but I position them so they are just out of direct light. Maybe a small stand off to one side would work?

[WaterWitchin]

All below growing in west window here, no shade, if your friend wants easy low maintenance, slow growing.

Plants: Succulents, Sansevieria, Anthurium, pony tail palm, jade, Croton, hoya, Sea Onion, Adenus Obesum, tropical hibiscus. Orchids: Brassovola, Psychopsis, Cattleya, some Dendrobiums.