8 Indoor Plants for Low Light

All plants need light to grow, thrive, and bloom with some needing less than others. For any gardener, low light conditions are always a challenge.

Even plants that can do well in the shade outdoors will need more light when they are grown indoors. Read on to find out the plants you can grow indoors in low light.

Contents show

Growing Tips for low Light Plants

If you are trying to grow a low light plant, you should put them in a room that is facing east-or-west that has one or two windows. Even if they get no direct sunshine, you should still do this. If you have a room that has a single north-facing window or no windows at all, it will be hard on even the plants that are shade-tolerant. With these plants, you should leave on, for a few hours each day, artificial lights.

Indoor Plants for Low Light

1. Lucky Bamboo

This houseplant is a member of the Dracaena genus. This plant is not a member of the bamboo family although their shoots are similar to bamboo. Generally, this houseplant is grown in water.

They are found in offices on desks and homes everywhere. According to feng shui practice, these lucky bamboo plants are said to bring fortune and good luck, especially if given as gifts. They also have a reputation as being nearly indestructible. They do need some light but can thrive in nearly full-shade locations.

2. Golden Pothos

This houseplant can thrive in conditions that most plants cannot do. This includes a near-complete lack of water and darkness. This is a plant that is a sure-thing in shady conditions. The Golden Pothos is easy to grow and durable, making it a very popular house plant.

The vines have leathery, smooth leaves that are heart-shaped. There are some varieties with rope-like green stems and leaves with alternating distinctive marbling. For indoor use, they are among the top ten air purifying plants.

3. Spider Plants

This is one of the most adaptable houseplants you can choose and they are the easiest to grow. It gets its name because of the spiderettes that dangle from the mother plant; like spiders on a web. The spider plant is a variegated variety of green. The little spiderettes can start as small white flowers. When growing them, they can be grown as a trailing plant or in a hanging planter. In less-than-ideal-light conditions, they can survive for a long time. These plants can grow up to 12 inches in height.

Calathea Plant Care & Growing Guide

4. Snake Plant

This is one of the best low-light plants you can have. They are easy to grow and striking in appearance. It is one of the plants that are recommended to help improve the air quality in your home or office. The ideal place to keep a Snake plant is in the bedroom. The reason is that at night it converts carbon dioxide into oxygen. It is a long-lived plant that can thrive for decades. The foliage is deep green with gray-green stripes. It is low-maintenance and inexpensive.

5. Ferns

One thing to note is that not all ferns can thrive in a shady corner. These are some of the oldest plants in the world; they have been thriving for 300 million years. For houseplants, they have been in cultivation for many centuries. They range in color from dark green to light green foliage and go from full to light shade. Some of the ferns that can live in low-light include the Bird’s Nest Fern, Queen Fern, and the American Maidenhair Fern.

6. Zebra or Urn Plant

These are not typically considered to be easy houseplants to grow but some species in the Bromeliad family will thrive in low-light situations. They are usually sold while they are already flowering. They can hold their shapes and bloom for many months in artificial or poor light conditions. Two of the most common plants in this family are the Amazonian Zebra plant and the Urn plant. Their colors can range from red to violet.

7. Dracaena

This is more a genus than a single plant. The plants that are in the Dracaena genus can be found in malls, landscape decorations, apartments, and homes. There are almost 40 species in this genus and are cultivated in different forms and sizes. All of the plants in this genus are a great choice for low-light conditions.

How Do You Propagate a Money Tree? [COMPLETE GUIDE]

The plants that have cane-like stems are often grown like small indoor shrubs or trees. The Dragon Tree is one example. Most have variegated/striped foliage or are various shades of green. Some of these plants can grow up to six feet tall so check the height before you purchase one to make sure they will fit in the space you have for them.

8. Prayer Plant

This houseplant is a low-growing shade plant that will add beauty to any household. They are also a great plant for your workspace. The one unique feature of this plant is that when dusk falls, the leaves of this plant will fold down as if they posing into a praying position like human hands.

All these plants need is barely damp soil and good drainage. They are not fond of direct sunlight and generally grow better when they are grown in shady, warm locations. They may tolerate low amounts of sunlight. You should water this plant when the soil is dry to the touch. It can grow up to eight inches tall.

Keep reading:

Conclusion

These are just eight of the many plants that can thrive in low-light conditions. Before buying houseplants, check the tag to see what type of light conditions that the plant needs to be sure that you are getting one that will work for low-light.

With time and patience, you will find the right plant or plants that will add life to an area that has low-light. Most of these plants are easy to take care of and will flourish in these types of light conditions. Do your research before buying houseplants to be sure you are getting what you need.