The 10 Best Low Light Indoor Plants
Sep 28th 2023
Indoor plants can instantly make a space feel brighter and prettier. If your home is not flooded with sunlight and you want to grow beautiful houseplants, lighting conditions can be a challenge for you. But there is no need to worry! Luckily, there are plenty of houseplants that love the shade and thrive in low light conditions and are also low maintenance.
Low light rooms are rooms with north-facing windows and fluorescent lights or windows blocked by buildings or shade trees. However, low light does not mean no light. Most low light houseplants need some light to grow and look their best. So, if your room has no windows, you should provide artificial lights for a few hours daily for effective plant growth.
Here are the 10 best low light plants that will offer a splash of green for your home and do well even if your home doesn't have big bright windows.
- Lucky Bamboo
Lucky bamboo is one of the best low light houseplants that prefer some light but can fully thrive in shady locations. It's a great indoor plant for offices and homes as it purifies the air and acts as a natural humidifier. They come in different forms (braided or sculptural stalks) and arrangements.
In addition, the plant requires water once a week which should be enough to cover its roots, so don't overwater it. Make sure to keep this plant out of reach from pets because it is slightly toxic to dogs and cats. Moreover, a lucky bamboo plant is said to bring good luck and fortune.
- Spider Plant
This is highly adaptable and is an easy-to-grow indoor shade plant. This popular low light houseplant is so-named because its star-shaped flowers evolve into spider-like offshoots, which suspend from the parent plant's long green leaves.
Spider plants can be grown in pots or baskets. You can place the plant in bright to moderate sunlight in a room. Remember to keep the soil moist to prevent the plants from drying out. Lastly, the plant is not toxic to pets, so if your pup or cat chomps on some leaves, there's nothing to worry about.
- Devil's Ivy
Devil's Ivy, also known as pothos, is an ideal houseplant for lower light conditions and is easy to care for. This hanging plant can grow its vines even in poor conditions. Therefore, keep the pothos away from other plants as they will grow vines and need room to grow. You can hang the plant or place it on tabletops. And the plant will grow best in bright artificial light or indirect sunlight.
Moreover, this is one of the best low light low water indoor plants as it is drought resistant and requires roughly one cup of water a week. Also, keep Devil's Ivy plants away from pets because it can be fatal.
- Snake Plant
This houseplant is a very low light, low maintenance, and easy-to-grow indoor plant, requiring water once every 3-4 weeks. Snake plants are evergreen houseplants that are eye-catching in appearance and effectively thrive for decades.
Also, they are popular for their gorgeous leaves and air-purifying properties. Some of the other names of this plant are Mother-in-law's Tongue, Tiger's Tail, and Viper's Bowstring Hemp.
- Peace Lily
Another popular low light houseplants that can tolerate neglect are peace lilies. These plants are best for people who don't want to monitor watering daily. Peace lilies are shade-loving plants that grow best in partial to full shade and don't enjoy direct sunlight.
The plants produce dark green leaves and elegant white flowers that look beautiful in any home. When the top inch of soil is dry, water the plant.
- ZZ Plant
This houseplant is a low-maintenance and low-light indoor plant that can survive without natural light. Therefore, the ZZ plant is a popular indoor plant in many windowless offices because it does well under fluorescent light.
The plant grows tall and wide and flourishes in bright, indirect light. The dark green glossy leaves of this plant look gorgeous in any décor. Additionally, the plant can handle sporadic watering, and they should be allowed to dry out between watering.
- Cast Iron Plant
Cast iron plants are an excellent choice for low light areas, including hallways, under stairs, and dim corners. These plants have a reputation for being close to indestructible houseplants. They are beautiful plants with large and arch like rich green leaves.
Also, they can handle all kinds of neglect. A place with partial to full shade is ideal for these plants. Just keep them away from bright and direct sunlight, which can rot the leaves. In terms of water, it is ideal to water them when the soil feels dry.
- Prayer Plant
The prayer plant is a low growing tropical plant that has attractive tricolor leaves with red and yellow markings. This lovely indoor plant can be a stunning addition to your home. The leaves of this plant fold up at night as if they are in prayer.
Moreover, prayer plants are quite tolerant of low light conditions but not cold temperatures. Ideally, you should place them in bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight isn't good for them as it can burn the foliage. Also, the plant craves well-drained soil and humidity.
- Dragon Tree
The dragon tree is a beautiful indoor plant that can tolerate shady conditions and does well in partial shade. The sword-like leaves that grow upward with prominent red outlines.
However, a lot of direct sunlight can damage them. In addition, the plant is super hardy, easy to care for, and doesn't get over 6 feet tall indoors.
Lastly, the plant is toxic to pets and can induce vomiting, drooling, and weakness in cats.
- Philodendrons
This houseplant has the nickname sweetheart plant because of the shape of its glossy green leaves. Philodendrons are popular low light houseplants that can handle dim rooms and add a jungle-like vibe to a home with their heart-shaped leaves and long vines.
These plants should be placed in partial shade with bright, diffused light. To keep them healthy and beautiful, regularly dust the vines, moist the soil daily, and prune it regularly with quality pruners.
The Bottom Line
These low light indoor plants can be a beautiful and healthy addition to your home. At DripWorks, we encourage you to embrace indoor plants and start with one or two plants from the list. All these shade-loving plants do well in low lighting conditions and are easy to care for. They are worth keeping inside your homes or offices. You can start with Snake Plants or Spider Plants that are the easiest to care for and can handle neglect. Last but not least, it is important to remember that even low light plants need some light to thrive indoors.