Discover 35 low-light indoor plants that thrive in dim and shady conditions, including lucky bamboo, snake plant, fittonia, purple waffle plant, ZZ plant, and more. These shade-tolerant plants can adapt to various indoor conditions, from dimly lit corners to rooms. Dracaenas are beautiful houseplants that can tolerate low light and other challenging indoor growing conditions.
There are also 27 easy-to-care-for plants that can adapt to various indoor conditions, such as fittonia, purple waffle plant, ZZ plant, Aspidistra, and Philodendron. Dracaenas are particularly forgiving of low light and other challenging indoor growing conditions. Lucky Bamboo Spider Plant, Golden Pothos Snake Plant, Staghorn Fern, English Ivy, Cast Iron Plant, and Money Tree Plant Peace Lily Plant (Spathiphyllum) are some of the best low-light indoor plants for your home.
The Bromeliad Guzmania is a bromeliad that prefers low light and can’t take direct sun. Easygoing snake plants and ZZ plants are known for being two of the best houseplants for low light. Some plants with solid dark green leaves can survive quite well in low light conditions.
13 Houseplants That Thrive in Low Light Snake Plant ZZ Plant Peace Lily Pothos Parlor Palm Chinese Evergreen Lady Palm Spider.
Money Tree Plant Peace Lily Plant (Spathiphyllum) Variegated Sansevieria Laurentii (Snake Plant) is everyone’s favorite golden plant. English ivy thrives best in indirect natural light but can do fine in lower light situations.
📹 5 Low-Light Houseplants 🌿 // Garden Answer
Here are some ideas for indoor plants that can take low light areas in your home or office. 1. Peace Lily 2. Pothos 3. Sansevieria 4.
What plants are best for indoors with low light?
Spring is approaching, and the author struggles to keep indoor houseplants alive. Despite having a family of gardening and agriculture, they have had 20+ houseplants at a time and have a bountiful outdoor garden. Recently, they visited a garden center to chat with experts and found out that “low light” house plants don’t actually survive in low light conditions. The author turned to convincing faux plants, which are a place for them, but they missed the benefits of caring for live plants.
The “low light” house plants mentioned in many articles don’t actually survive in low light conditions, let alone thrive. Even in their south-facing living room, the plants continued to look unhappy. In an effort to save them, the author gave them away. Instead, they live happily at a friend’s cabin, where they have tripled in size. This experience has helped the author understand the importance of caring for live plants and their potential benefits in maintaining a healthy home.
What plant thrives in the dark?
ZZ plants, also known as Zamioculcas, are low-maintenance indoor plants suitable for dark rooms. Originating from East Africa, they require moderate nutrients and can tolerate temperatures between 17°C and 22°C. They can tolerate dry air and can be placed near a radiator. ZZ plants can be grown using potting soil for palm trees or a mixture of houseplant potting soil and expanded clay. Plantura Organic Flower Compost, which contains expanded clay, is suitable for ZZ plants.
To ensure strong roots, create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. ZZ plants can survive a 4-week dry period, but water sparingly to avoid waterlogging. Fertilize moderately from April to September with Plantura Liquid Houseplant Food, which contains high potassium levels and less nitrogen. No pruning is necessary.
What indoor plants like dark rooms?
Houseplants are a great way to bring color and life to dark and shady rooms. Some popular plants for darker rooms include cast iron plants, Boston ferns, begonias, slipper orchids, golden pothos, and cacti. These plants bring life and color to a home, especially in rooms facing north or with small windows. Having a shady corner provides an ideal opportunity to grow beautiful ferns and foliage plants.
Ivy, a tough plant that tolerates shade and neglect, is a great indoor plant for its toughness and attractive leaves. Its trailing habit works well in hanging pots or on shelves, and it is known for its ability to remove pollutants from the air. Whether you prefer indoor or outdoor plants, there are plenty of options to choose from to brighten up your home.
What plants like dark rooms?
Houseplants are a great way to bring color and life to dark and shady rooms. Some popular plants for darker rooms include cast iron plants, Boston ferns, begonias, slipper orchids, golden pothos, and cacti. These plants bring life and color to a home, especially in rooms facing north or with small windows. Having a shady corner provides an ideal opportunity to grow beautiful ferns and foliage plants.
Ivy, a tough plant that tolerates shade and neglect, is a great indoor plant for its toughness and attractive leaves. Its trailing habit works well in hanging pots or on shelves, and it is known for its ability to remove pollutants from the air. Whether you prefer indoor or outdoor plants, there are plenty of options to choose from to brighten up your home.
What houseplants are good for dark areas?
Houseplants are a great way to bring color and life to dark and shady rooms. Some popular plants for darker rooms include cast iron plants, Boston ferns, begonias, slipper orchids, golden pothos, and cacti. These plants bring life and color to a home, especially in rooms facing north or with small windows. Having a shady corner provides an ideal opportunity to grow beautiful ferns and foliage plants.
Ivy, a tough plant that tolerates shade and neglect, is a great indoor plant for its toughness and attractive leaves. Its trailing habit works well in hanging pots or on shelves, and it is known for its ability to remove pollutants from the air. Whether you prefer indoor or outdoor plants, there are plenty of options to choose from to brighten up your home.
Can houseplants survive without natural light?
While many indoor plants are capable of growing without sunlight, none can survive without light, as they rely on photosynthesis for sustenance.
Can peace lily survive in a dark room?
Peace lilies are suitable for rooms with minimal natural light, such as offices, but do not thrive in prolonged darkness. They can be placed outdoors during the summer, but it is essential to position them in shaded or partially shaded areas to prevent direct sunlight from scorching their leaves. Peace lilies can adapt to artificial light, but it is crucial to mimic their natural habitat. Choose fluorescent or LED lights and position them a few feet from the plant, ensuring the light source remains on for 12-14 hours daily to provide the necessary intensity for photosynthesis and overall health.
Can indoor plants survive without sunlight?
The maidenhair, a shade-loving green plant, typically grows under trees in its natural habitat. Therefore, when cultivated indoors, it is essential to provide conditions that closely resemble those of its natural environment. This may include the use of button fern, rabbit’s foot, and autumn fern, which are not dependent on sunlight for optimal growth.
Can indoor plants survive in low light?
Houseplants like snake plant, spider plant, ZZ plant, and Monstera deliciosa are shade-tolerant and easy to care for, making them perfect gifts for beginners. For shady areas, classic monstera and unusual fern are suitable. Ferns are good choices due to their interesting leaf shapes and ability to thrive in shady, humid conditions. To care for low light tolerant houseplants, choose an appropriate pot size, good drainage, avoid overwatering, and use plant fertilizer. Ensure your plant doesn’t get overwatered and use a plant fertilizer for a healthy indoor environment.
What plant needs the least sunlight?
The 9 best houseplants for low light include the Snake Plant (Sansevieria), ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema), Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), Compact Janet Craig (Dracaena deremensis ‘Compacta’), Ivy (hedera), Haworthia, and Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior). These plants are best suited for low light areas, which are often found near north windows, in the corners of a room, or on stair landings. Low light is shaded or mostly shaded with no direct sunlight, but no plant can grow in complete darkness.
Snake plants are ideal for dim corners or brightly lit areas under a window, as they require virtually no maintenance and can be placed almost anywhere. They offer an architectural look with various colors and variegation patterns to choose from. The snake plant is a versatile and low-maintenance plant that can thrive in any space, making it an ideal choice for houseplant owners.
📹 TOP 10 Low Light Houseplants + Understanding Low Light In Your Home 🌿
I’ve made videos about low light houseplants before, but there’s a few areas that I feel often get ignored when it comes to actually …
My grandma had a mother in law tongue in her house. It’s in all of the old black and white photos. It has to be about 75 years old. After she died my grandpa put it in the back bedroom. I don’t know if he ever watered it. It had stuff in front of it. When he died, we found it clinging to life. I took it home and nursed it back to health. I’ve since split it up numerous times and given to my sisters and others. It truly is an almost indestructible plant.
Amazing aloe in the background… I’ve never had one that got that big. They always get snagged and fall. They’re asking for it, they have little hooks to attach to clothes and they spread out and take up so much room. Also my zz tip is cut them back at the ground level when they get leggy or unattractive. (Not all at once though) Put the cuttings in water, they’ll root but it takes a long time, and cutting it will cause new beautiful shoots to come up.
Interesting about the spider, I had always thought of them as low light plants until the summer before last when I got a couple for my hanging baskets outside, those plants got tons of sun and they got huge and grew hundreds of babies! Then last spring I got another from the same place but with the intent of keeping as a house plant, going from how happy the outside ones were I put it in my window where it gets afternoon sun. Its not even a year old and has grown so much from the tiny baby it was when I got it, I am super proud of that plant! When I was at my local garden center the guy I was talking to about it said that spiders are high light lovers, something I had never even considered before lol. My mom has two of the same spiders from the same place I got mine and they are also huge (and older) but they are in a lower light situation, one gets morning light and the other afternoon in a more sheltered spot then mine. I guess they must be a plant that will thrive in any lighting situation? Just makes them more awesome! Our spiders have gorgeous variegation, so pretty! Growing up I had tried Ivy but it never did well, so I eventually gave up until this past April when I decided to finally give the spider a chance, then I decided to try another Ivy a couple weeks later, and got it from the same place, a local box store that has a really nice garden center every year, these two were in their outdoor hanging basket section. I put the Ivy on my windowsill and just left it alone in the sun, it has gotten huge, and its still growing even in the winter!
Here in zone 8a (east central Georgia, USA) we have lots of aspidistra (aka ‘cast iron plant’) growing in our deep shade areas, but this it also makes a great low light houseplant either in small clumps or large floor containers. It’s deep green leaves are great for large arrangements or more simple modern foliage-only arrangements. If you gather them at various stages of growth, they can be looped over, secured with floral tape (or any tape really if it doesn’t show) for varying shapes in an arrangement. I’ve even made an entire bouquet of looped leaves (and you can probably find photos of such online). It truly lives up to its nickname as it tolerates being forgotten for a while, BUT while living in western NY, my daddy mailed me some from the home Georgia garden with the wet newspaper and a plastic bag around the roots…which I planted and made a houseplant from of course! Their are variegated varieties as well, but I have never grown those. Warning for yard-planting though -if their vigorous tubers are happy, it will spread, but just dig up and make a houseplant or give to a friend!
Loved this article, I have all but the mother in law plant, and my favorite is the zz plant, it’s just so cool looking, and low maintenance. I always love all of your tips because even though I have fairly good luck with plants it never hurts to get more tips. I actually have an avocado plant, and that has been a learning experience, I just love plants and am always on the look out for the unique ones, and the challenge to see if I can grow them. Thank you again Laura, can’t wait for the next article!
My mom had all these plants in our home growing up. She could make anything grow. The spider plant was on that shed pop of a trailer and plant it in a little terra-cotta pot add a ribbon and take it to someone’s house as a host gift😊 She also had succulents in shallow bowls, it was the 70’s and everyone had houseplants. LOL
Thank you for a great article, clearly spoken and concise to the point tips. One tip I’d like to offer is on the point of root bound plants. Obviously there will be some plants that really don’t like root disturbance like for instance Bromeliads and Orchids but most others, if you feel that pots are at a premium and space also, can take some root pruning. If you feel a bit reticent at doing this always take a cutting or two and make sure these are successfully rooted so you have a back up. I sometimes take away up to half the root system away especially if there’s a lot of woody root stem and about a quarter fibrous root. I then fill the extra space with new fresh soil and put the plant back in the old pot. It’s up to you if you wash the pot out sometimes i do and sometimes i don’t.
Hi Laura, your article was very clear and easy to understand. Thanks for sharing it with us. However, I have a question. I have miracle gro all purpose plant food and I don’t have idea when and how much proportion I should fertilized my plant. I live in Toronto and you know weather here. Plz do make a article or share me your views, it would be grateful to me. Thanks and have a great day.
I just went to Home Depot this past Saturday and, no lie, bought every single one of these (plus a Ficus Lyrata aka fiddle-leaf fig)!!! They looked too pretty to pass up & were only $3.98 to & $16.98 each. Thank you for the tips, Laura, and inspiring me to “green up” the inside of my home, as well!!
Hi Laura! Love your articles! Quite amazing.But i bit disagree with the list for low light plants.Spider or chlorophytum is not a very low light plant.It survives somehow in low light but definitely does better in medium to bright sunlight. Another lovely plant that thrives great in low light is Agave.♡
+GardenAnswer. Good morning Laura and thank you for this article. I LOVE Spider plants, I got 4 babies from my Mom April of this year and they’re really thriving and now one of them is finally expecting lol. I also just got a variegated baby and can’t wait til that one grows. Spider plants and Pothos are the easiest for me to grow. And thank you for mentioning the humidity and tip burn issues. Can you make a article about Maranta and Diffenbachia care, I’m having issues with both of mine thank you Laura.💖
My ZZ plant went bonkers. It became huge and I had to split it up into a second pot. The root ball was softball size! I have a new one and it’s in a bright room again and I seem to have another fast grower. It was on the bottom shelf and I had to move it after 6 weeks. Now that I know I can put in a less lit room I think it will have a new home.
I had a question about the grow light system that you gave away. My wife didn’t care for the bright white color of the LED lights since they would be in one of our living space. Do they come in a warm color as as opposed to the bright white hue that was shown in your article? Also do you have a link to them?
Do you have any information on elephant ear plants? I have one in a container on my balcony and it is huge, my husband loves this plant and has never seen one this large. But sometimes the leaves will look as if it is wilted, not the stem but the leaf itself, do you know what is going on? And if you can give me some information on how to keep it for next year. Thank you, love you articles.
I need some advice. I have a ZZ plant which continuously gets new shoots. However, for the past few months, one by one the younger shoots slowly turn yellow. It starts with one leaf then spreads. I cut it but then shortly after the same thing happens to another one. Currently, one of the medium sized shoots are starting to get yellow. What could be causing this and what can I do to stop it? Thanks
Thank you so much! I work in a cubicle and only have fluorescent lighting but I want more plants!!!! Could you make a part two? Also, maybe offer some cool out of the box ways to pot/plant/hang/display plants in an office setting?!!! Thanks so much for this article. Gonna get one of all the others to accompany my pothos, jade, and haworthia.
I loved using Espoma Grow and Plant Tone, but I’m now having trouble finding them and the other Espoma items you recommend. I have tried their website’s recommended distributors and no luck. Also, Amazon carries these items, but will not deliver them to my area (Southern California). I hope to find a solution soon!
Hi I really love you articles in the information you give out it’s really good. My question is I’ve been having this plan for 5 or 6 years it called Queen of the night but it’s not flowering for me I change the position I put it outside in the sun it doesn’t work I put it in the shade I brought it inside the house not flower can you please help me.
I know I’m late perusal this but are you not a fan of pothos plants? I have one but I’m having trouble keeping my soil from getting moldy on top. I thinned out the plant so it would get more airflow, replanted it in a bigger pot, and have even tried cinnamon dusted on the soil. I try not to over water and have even under watered but each time I water within a few days I have mold. Any suggestions?
My spider plant looks very pale. It used to be the variegated kind when I planted it about a year ago. At first the light stripes disappeared. I guess that’s normal since it was sitting in a shady spot. But now the rest of the color is just fading. You know how when all blood drains from your face and you look pale? That’s how my spider plant looks. Almost transparent. I put it in a sunnier spot but it doesn’t seem to help. The leaves are firm though. But no new growth. What am I doing wrong?