No need to be concerned if your home doesn’t have a lot of light! Here are some great low light indoor plants you can try. All of these houseplants will not only thrive, but they are also low maintenance. Some of them might do better in medium light, but they can thrive in low light as well.
The truth is, not many of us live in glass houses with abundant amounts of sunlight streaming in every day. Perhaps you live in a studio apartment with a couple of windows or in a house with a few darker rooms. Here are 10 easy-to-care for indoor plants for low light conditions.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED LOW LIGHT FOR HOUSEPLANTS?
Many articles mention “houseplants that grow in no light or houseplants that grow in the dark”. That’s untrue. All Houseplants need some light to grow, even if it’s artificial. Plants require sunlight to photosynthesize and make chlorophyll, which is what makes them green.
Don’t forget that low light does not mean “no light”. Otherwise, houseplants would look like white asparagus, which is grown under layers of mulch and dark plastic to keep the conditions dark. More on low light levels at the end, as well.
BEST LOW LIGHT INDOOR PLANTS
I began my horticultural career in the interior landscaping field. I spent 12 years both maintaining and designing interior landscapes for commercial clients.
Here are the plants that I have noticed surviving best in offices, lobbies, hotels, malls, and airports. They require less maintenance and withstand low levels of light.
You won’t find any new discoveries here, but these are my tried and true favorites that require little maintenance and last for years.
POTHOS, DEVIL’S IVY
Where to place it? Hanging or on tabletops
For lower light conditions, this is the quintessential hanging plant. The trails can be up to 10 feet long. However, the plants can become a bit straggly on the top and eventually lose leaves.
Pothos are available in many different leaf colors from green splashed with white to chartreuse to solid green.
Pothos Jade does best in low light. Just be aware that it will revert to solid green if not receiving enough light.
HEARTLEAF PHILODENDRON
Where to place it? Hanging or on tabletops
The Heartleaf Philodendron’s leaves have a heart shape, just like its common name suggests. These have smaller stems, grow flat, and are less robust than the Pothos. They are not as widely sold as the Pothos, but they are still popular.
In low light, you can find it in a couple of variegated forms but they’ll become a solid green color.
LUCKY BAMBOO
Where to place it? On tabletops
Lucky Bamboo is great because it grows for a long time in water. It also grows in soil, but it is rarely seen in soil.
Many people believe it to bring good fortune (that’s why you see mine pictured on the left). It is available in many forms and can be in many different arrangements.
AGLAONEMA, AG, CHINESE EVERGREEN
Where to place it? On tabletops or the floor
Our commercial accounts were all done with Aglaonemas because they’re so strong. They come in a wide variety of patterns; there are also some new ones that are displayed in pink and red. The floor plants can be as big as they can be tall, so they are usually 2′ x 2′ or 3′ x 3′.
Chinese Evergreen and Silver Queen are good old standbys that shine brightest in low light. Other plants, like the Siam and Pink Valentine, with more color and more variegation, need more light to stay green and colorful.
ZZ PLANT
Where to place it? On tabletops or the floor
A ZZ Plant reaches a maximum height of 5 feet. It can grow as wide as it does tall. Mine is 4 feet high x 5 feet wide. The leaves arch as they grow giving it a striking silhouette.
The leaves are a rich, dark glossy green. They rarely have brown tips, even in the Arizona desert.
SNAKE PLANT, MOTHER IN LAW TONGUE
Where to place it? On tabletops or the floor
Snake Plants are not only beautiful, but they are also incredibly tough, so I cannot resist them. They say that if you take care of them less, they’ll be happier. That’s why they created this list of the best low light indoor plants.
These plants, along with the ZZ Plant and the Cast Iron Plant, are especially good if you travel because they require minimal water.
The varieties have many different sizes, shapes, colors, and variegation, which you can choose from. I have a Sansevieria Laurentii that is 5′ tall, and I have a few Bird’s Nest Sansevierias that are about 1′ tall.
CAST IRON PLANT
Where to place it? On tabletops or the floor
A Cast Iron Plant shoots its dark green leaves up like flames on skinny stems to a height of 2-3 feet. Its name suggests it is not a glitzy plant, but it is strong and durable.
You can plant it in darker corners, under stairs, and in hallways. There are some shorter varieties and some whose leaves are variegated.
DARCAENA JANET CRAIG, DRACAENA LISA
Where to place it? On the floor
I used “Janet Craig” plants when I was an interior landscaper. We used to put these plants in malls, offices, lobbies, and the like.
With the introduction of “Lisa”, another variety has appeared, both with the same glossy, dark green foliage as the “Janet Craig”. Each cane is typically in three pots, with the foliage heads staggered at various levels for a staggered look.
In my bedroom, I have an 8-foot x 4-foot tall Dracaena Lisa.
DRACAENA FRAGRANS
Where to place it? On the floor
The Janet Craig, along with Dracaena fragrans, are both frequently used in interiors to accent low light.
However, Dracaena fragrans has a more vibrant form, the Dracaena massangeana, pictured above.
A massangeana needs medium light levels to bring out the variegation. It reverts to solid green at lower light levels.
KENTIA PALM
Where to place it? On the floor
On this list of best low light indoor plants is a stunner. The beautiful arched palm reaches for generous space, in contrast to the Areca and Bamboo Palms which grow very slowly, producing one frond a year. Because of this slow growth rate they are more expensive.
These palms are much more durable and last much longer on commercial accounts than the other two palms, so they might be worth the investment in the long run.
LOW (NATURAL) LIGHT FOR INDOOR PLANTS
Some of these plants are actually better off in moderate light, but they can also tolerate low light.
The best ones shown above don’t grow much in lower light but they will look the best with limited amounts of natural light and seem to do the best with limited amounts of natural light over time.
According to one source, the general rule for low light is that it needs to be bright enough to see and to allow you to do things such as reading, sewing, and cooking. If you can do that, then these plants will prosper. It is an interesting analogy that I want to share with you.
Where to Place Your Houseplants
Following are some general guidelines for exposing low light indoor plants. These will differ from plant to plant depending on how many windows and how much light is offered.
- North-facing: light and airy with little direct sunlight. Plants can be extremely close to the window(s).
- East facing: keep the plant at least 5 feet away from the window(s).
- West or south facing: keep the plant at least 10′ away from the window or window(s).
Keep them away from direct, hot sunlight; they (and most houseplants) won’t do well with direct, hot sun.
If a plant seems a little unhappy, I move it. I tend to wing it when it comes to light. There may not be as much light in the winter, so you may have to move some of your plants closer to the light source. And, rotate your plants from time to time to ensure that they are growing evenly.
Thank you for checking out our list of low light houseplants with easy care.
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