Living or working in an area with insufficient natural light can be dispiriting and dull. However, there’s a straightforward solution — selecting suitable indoor plants that can thrive in low-light conditions. By incorporating low-light tolerant plants, you can purify the air around you and create a lively, stimulating atmosphere that uplifts your mood.
Variegated foliage plants, succulents, and ferns are some of the most common indoor plants for low light, which I’ve included in this guide. Read on to discover if you can work any of my top seven favorite indoor plants for low into your working or living space.
The Best Indoor Plants for Low Light
Indoor plants are generally easy to care for; that’s part of their appeal. They don’t require a lot of water, sunlight, or warmth to stay alive. As a result, they’re popular for boosting the appearance of office spaces.
Finding indoor plants that can survive in low-light conditions is crucial if your area lacks natural light. When I worked in a manufacturing office with no window, my colleagues and I found success with the following plants:
1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
The snake plant is a popular choice for low-light conditions because it’s simple to care for, has several benefits, and looks great as an indoor plant. Unlike many indoor plants with a fake waxy appearance, the snake plant does an excellent job of bringing the vibrancy of the outdoors inside.
These plants are known for tolerating various conditions, and they’ve adapted to survive in low light. The long, sharp leaves can photosynthesize efficiently without a lot of light.
In addition to their adaptability, snake plants offer several benefits. They purify the air by filtering out toxins, including formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene. These plants release oxygen at night, making them excellent choices for bedrooms to improve air quality while you sleep.
Snake plants are also known to be low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, requiring infrequent watering and minimal attention.
Care Tips
It’s best to keep this plant out of direct sunlight however possible. It’s not a fast-growing plant and the total size that it grows to can vary dramatically from only a few inches to as tall as 8 feet. I’d recommend having a large area for this plant in case you end up with the latter.
Ensure you don’t overwater it because it will get root rot easily. It’s also important to note that the leaves of this plant can be toxic to animals, so you’ll want to keep it away from your dogs and cats.
2. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ plant is a great low-light indoor plant because it’s used to growing in forests beneath dense tree cover. These plants have a semi-tall vertical growth, so they’re great for privacy and in areas where you don’t have a lot of horizontal space.
ZZ plants have glossy, round, dark green leaves that can thrive in low light because they can photosynthesize very small amounts of light.
Like many plants I’ll look at in this guide, this one helps remove toxins from the air, making it a great air purifier. The privacy aspect is a great benefit if you’re using it to keep wandering eyes out of your office, cubicle, or doorway.
Care Tips
This plant will grow well in almost any condition, but it requires some form of indirect light. You’ll want to avoid placing the plant in direct sun because it will torch and destroy the leaves.
The ZZ plant stores water like a succulent, so you’ll want to allow the soil to dry out completely before adding more water. You can even go up to a week with completely dry soil, and this plant will use its extended water storage system to stay hydrated until you remember to water it again.
3. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
The pothos is easily one of my favorite low-light indoor plants because of the trailing vines. It’s a great plant for a shelf because it will grow over the pot and dangle down, adding a lot of greenery and sophistication to your indoor space.
This plant can survive a wide range of conditions and can thrive in pretty much any area. It’s a great option for low-light spaces because it grows best with indirect light but can handle a certain level of natural and even direct sunlight.
Care Tips
First and foremost, this is not a scaling plant; it’s a trailing plant that does not grow vertically. The pot will fill with heart-shaped leaves, and the vines will begin growing and dangling down from the sides of the pot.
This means that the pothos is not a great desk or table plant but is much better as a hanging basket or shelf plant.
You’ll want to make sure the pothos has plenty of drainage because root rot is a common issue. You’re better off erring on the side of underwatering it Vs. overwatering it.
Remember that this is also a fast-growing plant that can become very leggy if you don’t prune it.
Get in the habit of pruning your pothos once every few weeks to promote a bushier and more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
You can even take your trimmings and propagate them in another pot to share with others in your office or apartment building.
4. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
The peace lily is a great option if you’re looking for the best low-light indoor plant with a little more to offer.
Peace lilies have a luscious growth and the ability to grow flowers which can’t be said about many indoor plants.
Peace lilies are well-adapted to growing in the understory of tropical forests, where they receive filtered or dappled light. They can tolerate low light conditions and even thrive in areas with minimal natural sunlight.
Their ability to convert light energy efficiently enables them to perform photosynthesis and grow despite limited light availability.
Care Tips
These plants are known for their beautiful white flowers and dark green leaves. They grow vertically with stems anywhere from 2 to 4 feet, and because of the flowers, these plants require a bit of a more hot and humid environment.
The peace lily thrives in temperatures between 70°F and 80°F, so you may benefit from keeping it near but not in direct sunlight.
While not the easiest indoor plant to care for, it provides visual cues for when it needs to be watered. You’ll notice drooping leaves, which will tell you it needs water.
Overall, the peace lily is one of the more beautiful low-light indoor plants you can use to spruce up the appearance of your home or office.
5. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Another one of my favorites is the Chinese evergreen because it thrives in almost no light, and its large green leaves add a lot of color to your indoor space.
Chinese evergreen plants are native to Asia’s tropical and subtropical regions, growing on the forest floor under the shade of larger trees. This natural habitat has made them adaptable to low-light conditions.
They can thrive in areas with bright indirect or filtered light, making them ideal for rooms with small windows or locations away from direct sunlight.
These plants are known for their air-purifying qualities, so they’re a great addition to offices with limited ventilation and natural airflow.
Care Tips
Caring for a Chinese evergreen is relatively straightforward. It prefers well-draining soil and moderate watering.
Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings to avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot. Chinese evergreen plants can tolerate periods of drought better than consistently wet soil.
These plants appreciate average room temperatures between 65°F and 75°F (18°C and 24°C). While they can tolerate lower temperatures, avoiding exposing them to drafts or cold air is important.
Chinese evergreen plants can benefit from occasional misting or placing them on trays filled with water to increase humidity levels, especially in dry indoor environments.
6. Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Next up, we have the cockroach of indoor plants. Not because it’s ugly but because it can hold up against anything. A cast iron plant is a great option for spaces with limited light, and it offers long branchy green leaves and a decent size that will look good on an end table or even a desk.
The plant is known for growing in almost any condition. It requires no specific temperature and is popular in dimly lit spaces. It’s also an excellent choice for individuals who can’t spend time caring for it.
Care Tips
Caring for your cast iron plant is a no-brainer. It doesn’t require much watering; just make sure the soil is slightly moist to the touch. Allow it to dry out entirely between waterings, and like many of the plants here, err on the side of caution with watering. It can tolerate no water better than too much water.
The cast iron plant can thrive in a wide temperature range, from cool to warm environments, making it suitable for various indoor settings. It can also tolerate fluctuations in humidity levels, making it adaptable to different climates and indoor conditions.
This is a great option for beginners who want to spruce up a low-lighted indoor environment without adding another “to-do” to their list.
7. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
They call it the parlor palm for a reason, and if you’re looking to bring a taste of the Tropics to wherever you are, this is a great option. It offers a feathery, leafy frond that can naturally grow in low-light conditions.
In addition to its low light tolerance, the parlor palm offers several benefits. It’s known for its air-purifying qualities, effectively removing pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide.
The parlor palm’s ability to improve indoor air quality makes it a valuable addition to homes and offices, particularly in spaces with poor ventilation or exposure to common indoor pollutants. In all, it’s a great option for anyone looking for a bright and vibrant indoor plant to boost morale and enhance lowly lit spaces.
Care Tips
These plants prefer warmer temperatures but can still tolerate room temperatures around 65°F. Make sure to keep them away from doorways during the winter months if you live in areas that get below freezing.
Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, and don’t overwater them. You can prune the plant if you want to remove yellow or broken leaves, and these plants grow very slowly, so you won’t have to worry about repotting or top-dressing them too often.
Honorable Mentions
Here are a few great low-light houseplants that didn’t quite make the cut:
- Philodendron (Philodendron spp.)
- Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
- Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera Deliciosa)
- English Ivy (Hedera helix)
- Peperomia Green (Peperomia obtusifolia)
- Calathea (AKA Prayer Plant)
How Can You Care For Low-Light Indoor Plants?
One of the main reasons people turn to the seven plants listed in this guide is because they’re trouble-free houseplants. Here are some of the things you’ll want to keep in mind to keep your indoor plants alive:
Place Them Carefully
While these plants can survive almost anywhere, you still don’t want to place them in an area that will set them up to fail. Keep them away from drafty doorways, direct sunlight, and places with absolutely no light.
Water Less Than You Think
When we get a plant, our immediate concern is how much water it needs. When it comes to low-light indoor plants, they need much less water. Make sure the soil is nearly dry by the time you add more water, and only water it until it’s moist to the touch.
Use the Right Soil
You need a potting mix that will drain well. This helps prevent water accumulation and promotes healthy root development.
Keep an Eye on Plant Health
Regularly inspect your low-light plants for health issues like yellowing leaves, wilting, or pest infestations. Adjust your care routine accordingly, addressing any issues promptly.
My Criteria for Picking Good Low-Light Indoor Plants
There are three things you want to look for in the best indoor plants for low light:
- Thrives in low light
- Easy to care for
- Sized proportionally for the space
All the plants outlined in this guide fit this script in some shape or form. Some of the plants are more challenging to care for, but they offer enhanced beauty as a trade-off. There is quite a variety in terms of size as well.
Just focus on the details behind each plant so you choose the right one for you. But remember that most of these plants will live almost anywhere you put them, and that’s why I chose them.
So, What is the Best Indoor Plant for Low Light?
If you’re looking for a beautiful trailing plant to put above a desk or on a shelf, go with a pothos. If you want something simple to care for and grow big enough to keep people away from you, the ZZ Plant is the best choice.
Finding the best indoor plants for low light is simple because there are a lot of options, and there aren’t a ton of differences from one plant to the next. Only you can decide, but all seven choices in this guide will grow perfectly fine in low-light conditions.
