8 Best Indoor Trees That Thrive in Low Light

Houseplants and indoor trees add greenery and warmth to a room. They will even help to clean and filter the air.

With indoor trees, their size can fill up more area than a houseplant but most homes have more low light than direct light so what should you do? Which trees would work there? Read on to find out.

Contents show

Best Indoor Tree that Thrives in low Light

1. Areca Palm

This is one of the easiest trees to grow indoors that tolerates lower light conditions. It only needs filtered light. This tree can grow to six to seven feet tall if you have a big planter in which to plant it. You can help to restrict its size by keeping it in a smaller planter. With the right light, it will produce purple fruit and small white flowers year around. They can tolerate brighter light in a south-facing window. It will also do well in a west- or- east-facing window.

2. Dragon Tree

This tree is also known as the Madagascar Dragon and is an ideal plant for low light areas. You will often find this tree growing in offices, homes, and commercial settings because it does not require or need direct sunlight. Under the right conditions, they can reach 10-15 feet in height. To encourage a lower bushier growth, cut back the stems.

3. Janet Craig Dracena

This plant is also known as the Striped Dracena that likes low-light and if put in direct sunlight it will even burn. This plant has fountain-like leaves and will brighten up a dark corner of the room. It can reach up to 10 feet in height if it is grown indoors. It is a slow-growing plant so it will take many years for it to reach this height. You can help to keep it smaller by cutting off the tops. You can use them as cuttings for more trees.

4. Norfolk Island Pine

You may think that if you have this tree in your house you will always have the scent of evergreen like a Christmas tree. This is not correct because it is technically not a pine tree but a tropical plant. It does have sweeping evergreen boughs like a pine tree though. Many times during the holiday they are decorated as if they were a real Christmas tree.

Eureka Pink Lemon Tree Plant Care & Growing Guide

It is a slow-growing plant and can reach heights of six feet. They like indirect light to sunny windows. You will have to mist them once a week because they like humidity. They will only need to be watered when the top of the soil is dry. In the spring and summer, you can give a little water-soluble fertilizer

5. Kentia Palm

This is a tree that can live for many years in low light conditions and is a popular houseplant. This is a plant that can also tolerate low humidity, which is something other palms cannot do. It is a slow grower because of the low light conditions so you should purchase one that is the size that you want because it will not get much bigger.

6. Neanthe Bella Palm

This is also known as the Parlor Palm and is great for rooms and offices where there is little to no outside light. If necessary, it will thrive under fluorescent ceiling lights. They are named this because, during the Victorian times, you could find them in the parlors of Victorian homes that were poorly lit.

They are slow-growing and shrubby looking and it can still reach up to six feet in height with a spread of four feet. It is popular because it can thrive in conditions that many other palms cannot. They require less humidity than other palms. To do well, they only need low light and adequate moisture.

7. Corn Plant

These are grown as a small indoor tree and like low light conditions with indirect or filtered light. This is another tree that will burn if it is subjected to direct sunlight. This plant prefers a north, east, or west-facing window. If you only have a south-facing window make sure that you put it a few feet back from the window to prevent the leaves from scorching. It can reach up to six feet in height with a wooden stem and tall strappy leaves.

How to Repot A Snake Plant? [STEP BY STEP GUIDE]

Generally, when you purchase this plant there will be three stems, each a different height in a planter and supporting a fountain of green leaves. If you have a variegated corn plant, it will need more light to keep the variegation.

Also read: How to Debug Plants Before Bringing Them Indoors

8. Rubber Plant

This plant is also known as the India Rubber tree. It is also a tree that is found in commercial buildings and offices. It is a very forgiving plant so it is great for beginners. It is a tree that prefers low light and indirect light conditions. It will thrive in an east-facing window getting some morning sunlight.

Growing this tree indoors can reach up to 10 feet but in its native environment, it can reach 100 feet tall. It has glossy oval leaves that can reach 12 inches long. It is a beautiful centerpiece for those areas that do not get much light. In low light, they can grow tall and lanky. In the spring, just prune them back as the new growth begins. This will make them bushier and more attractive.

Keep reading: 10 Easiest Seeds to Start Growing Indoors

Conclusion

When you are choosing a tree, remember that it will be close to the floor so make sure if it is toxic or not to children and pets because they could accidentally get some of the leaf in their mouth being curious creatures. You also need to consider how much headroom you have in the room because they can get kind of tall.

Check their label before you purchase a tree to be sure that it is low light. When you water them, do it with warm water because cold water can shock them since they are tropical plants. You should also look for varieties that are pest-resistant and do not drop leaves.