My Rewards
We may all love the idea of rooms that are resplendent with huge windows and glass walls - flooded with natural daylight all year round. However, the reality is often somewhat different. More often than not, our homes boast a couple of very well lit spaces, and the other rooms might be a collection of semi-gloomy studies, dark bathrooms and windowless en-suites, which don’t enjoy plentiful contact with the suns’ rays.
Whilst it can be tempting to cram all our houseplants into light spaces and write off the other rooms altogether - we don’t need to be as binary as this. Some low light houseplants enjoy and even thrive in dark spots with minimal sunlight. With a little bit of research and care, we can collect a range of houseplants to suit the varying lighting conditions around our homes. Fortunately, we can make even gloomy rooms look green and welcoming, adding low light houseplants to the dingiest of spots.
Here are 14 of the best indoor plants for low light. Spruce up your less appealing indoor spaces and add plants that are perfect for growing in dark places with low to no light.
Candelabra Cactus | Euphorbia eritrea
The Candelabra Cactus is native to Native to Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia. As you would expect to be the case for a cactus, this succulent is highly self-sufficient. This species adapts well to low light conditions and is worth investing in for dark rooms such as bathrooms and other poorly lit spaces.
Dwarf Umbrella Tree | Schefflera Arboricola 'Gold Capella'
This tree has a beautiful stem structure - its trunk is composed of individual stems which twist around one another before fanning into a canopy of delicate, umbrella-like leaves. These plants are perfect for low light settings as they dislike harsh, extreme lighting conditions, making them one of the best indoor plants for low light.
ZZ Plant | Zamioculcas Zamiifolia
The Zamioculcas zamiifolia plant boasts feathery shaped leaves which produce beautiful dappled impressions. This plant only requires watering every couple of weeks and can tolerate almost any condition except direct sunlight. This level of versatility makes the Zamioculcas zamiifolia an excellent choice for dark spaces.
The Weeping Fig
There are many species of the Weeping Fig, including the Weeping Fig 'Twilight' | Ficus benjamina 'Twilight,' the Weeping Fig 'Golden King' | Ficus benjamina 'Golden 'King,' and the Weeping Fig 'Danita' | Ficus benjamina 'Danita.' Despite the melancholy name, these plants add life and vitality to any room you put them in, are not high maintenance and can withstand a wide range of lighting conditions.
The Lucky Bamboo
Said to bestow good fortune and luck on those who care for it, this plant enjoys both light areas and more shaded regions. Legend has it that the more stalks your plant produces, the more prosperity you will receive! These plants are very easygoing, boast gorgeous lance-shaped leaves and grow happily in most spaces. You can find different variants, including the Lucky Bamboo 'White' | Dracaena sandriana 'White' and the Lucky Bamboo 'Gold' | Dracaena sandriana 'Gold.'
The Sweetheart Plant
Sweetheart Plants are thus named due to their heart-shaped leaves. These beautiful plants trail gracefully and are perfectly suited to hanging baskets. They thrive in low light conditions and, due to their glossy, strong appearance, will transform dark, dingy spots into spaces of natural zen and vibrancy. Check out this Green Sweetheart Plant | Philodendron scandens and Sweetheart Plant 'Brazil' & Bengal Basket.
Dragon Tree 'Magenta' | Dracaena marginata 'Magenta'
The Dragon Tree has a palm-like trunk and beautiful spidery leaves which froth over to create green shapes which resemble fireworks. Excessive direct sunlight can damage the leaves of the Dragon Tree, so treat this as a low light houseplant that you expose to a mixture of sun and shade.
Boston Fern | Sword Fern: Nephrolepis Exaltata 'Green Lady'
The Boston Fern is a beautiful houseplant due to its array of feathery, vibrant leaves. What’s more, it’s a durable, low maintenance variety and is also one of the best air purifying plants! This plant will leave you feeling peaceful, serene and energised and is one of the best indoor plants for low light
Devil's Ivy - Marble Queen Pothos | Epipremnum Aureum 'Marble Queen'
The Pothos is more commonly known as Devil’s Ivy - because it’s almost impossible to kill. Whilst this can be difficult for other plants in close proximity to the Devil’s Ivy - which have to compete for space and growth - it means it’s a perfect plant for a range of indoor spaces. However, if you want it to grow fast and long, you will need to give it a bit of daylight!
The Chinese Evergreen
This is one of the most durable low light houseplants. The Chinese Evergreen boasts speckled leaves feathered in beautiful, kaleidoscopic patterns. Check out the Chinese Evergreen ‘Maria’ | Aglaonema Maria, or the Chinese Evergreen | Aglaonema 'Diamond Bay.'
Staghorn Fern | Platycerium bifurcatum
The Staghorn Fern is named due to its impressive antler-shaped leaves. These plants require little daylight and so are regarded as good low light houseplants. They also thrive in settings with high humidity levels, so they’re perfect for bathrooms and kitchens and are some of the best indoor plants for low light settings!
Cast Iron Plant | Aspidistra elatior
Due to its Asian origins, the Cast Iron Plant is so robust that it can almost grow in the dark. It developed in the shade under the thick canopy of taller trees on the Asian continent and is one of the easiest houseplants to care for. One of the oldest houseplants in the UK - these plants are also saturated with cultural history, often popping up in 19th-century literature.
The Snake Plant
There are many species of the Snake Plant, including the Snake Plant 'Metallica' | Sansevieria aubrytiana 'Metallica,' the Snake Plant Laurentii & Jimmy Pot, and the Snake Plant Zeylanica | Sansevieria Zeylanica. This plant lends itself to the easy maintenance regime associated with most succulents. The Snake Plant prefers strong daylight for growth but can withstand almost total darkness too.
The Spider Plant
Spider Plants are very easy to care for and are perfect for newcomers to gardening and botany. There are a range of variants, but we especially love the Curly Spider Plant - Chlorophytum Comosum 'Bonnie,' which can trail down from a hanging basket - a carefree, curly, free-spirited beauty and one of the best indoor plants for low light.
That’s A Wrap!
We hope this has been useful and that you can start introducing some of these beautiful houseplants into the dimmer recesses of your home. Despite popular opinion, some plants are actually extremely resistant to low light levels and will persevere in the most unlikely of spaces. While these plants can survive in darker environments, all plants need light to thrive and investing in a LED grow bulb is our reccommendation!
