Best Low Light Indoor Plants for Areas with Little Sunshine

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Get Smarter On Architecture and Design

Get the 3-minute weekly newsletter keeping 5K+ designers in the loop.

Enter your Email to Sign up

Side-bar-footer-forum

If you lead a busy and regular life, it might be hard to find room for a pet companion. In such situations, the most advisable solution could be to opt for the exceptional low-light indoor plants, which can thrive for a considerable duration even in poorly lit environments.

This post explores the best low-light indoor plants and the factors to keep in mind when choosing one for yourself.

Enjoy!

1. Snake Plant Mother-In-Law’s Tongue

Snake Plant, Mother-In-Law's Tongue - Sanseveria - 6'... Snake Plant, Mother-In-Law’s Tongue – Sanseveria – 6″…

  • 10-12” inch live plant.Extremely hardy house plant, difficult to…
  • Commonly called Snake Plants or Mother-in-law’s Tongue
  • In China, it was kept as a treasured houseplant because the Eight…
  • Will grow in dime light, water when dry
  • The plant you will receive is growing in a 6″ pot

Check Price on Amazon

Our first low light indoor plant is the Snake Plant which ranges between 10-12. Most people know them as snake plants, but they also go by Mother-In-Law’s Tongue. This is probably because of the shape and texture of the snake plant leaves.

This indoor plant can thrive in dim light conditions, and you should only water it when dry. If you want a plant that doesn’t require your full attention but still provides all the benefits inside your home, this snake plant is the best choice.

2. Golden Pothos

Rana Plant Co.| Golden Pothos Devil's Ivy 4' Live Plant... Rana Plant Co.| Golden Pothos Devil’s Ivy 4″ Live Plant…

  • The Rana Plant Co. 4” Premium Golden Pothos is incredibly easy…
  • It is low maintenance, one of the easiest house plants to grow,…
  • 🔆 Thrives in low to medium light conditions
  • 💧 Water once every ten days using 1/4 cup of water
  • 📏 Approx. 4” Wide 5-9” Tall

Check Price on Amazon

The next best low light indoor plant you can get is the Golden Pothos, also known by its relatively infamous name, Devil’s Ivy. Just like Snow queen pothos, it’s arguably the easiest plant to grow at home or in the office, and it doesn’t need a lot of light. You can display this plant in hanging baskets to see the variegated green leaves trail down stylishly.

This indoor plant is an ideal choice for beginner plant owners since it doesn’t require too much attention. You should only water it when the topsoil becomes dry, and you should drain excess water. The Golden Pathos is a great choice if you want to maintain clean air inside your home since it has air-purification capabilities.

3. Split Leaf Philodendron Swiss Cheese Plant

3 Pack Monstera deliciosa 'Swiss Cheese Plant' Split... 3 Pack Monstera deliciosa ‘Swiss Cheese Plant’ Split…

  • This is a THREE PACK of fully-rooted Grade-A specimens of…
  • Monstera deliciosa “Swiss Cheese Plant” Beautiful holes form…
  • Will produce cool natural ‘swiss cheese’ holes in the leaves-…
  • You get THREE PLANTS! Rooted and shipped bare root/wrapped -…
  • PLEASE VIEW THE LAST 3 PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE FOR EXAMPLES OF WHAT…

Check Price on Amazon

The Monstera Deliciosa, also called the Swiss Cheese Plant, is a full, lush plant that will add life and vibrance to your indoor space. You’ll get three fully rooted plants in the package, and you won’t have to spend every moment checking up on them since they easily grow both indoors and outdoors.

The reason for its name is the Swiss Cheese holes that form in the leaves as the plant matures. They have a unique appearance that will add style and elegance to your home. They can grow in bright, indirect, or artificial light. Besides, when they are fully grown, they bear fruit that tastes like pineapple.

4. Costa Farms ZZ Plant

Costa Farms ZZ Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Indoor Plant,... Costa Farms ZZ Zamioculcas zamiifolia, Indoor Plant,…

  • The ZZ plant features shiny, dark green leaves that look waxy
  • Add life to any room at home, a porch or patio, or share the…
  • Grows in natural or artificial light; water when soil is dry,…
  • Height at shipping is approximately 12 inches tall, measured from…
  • Ships in a lightweight, 6-inch diameter decor planter; made from…

Check Price on Amazon

Next, we have the ZZ Plant, which grows 12 inches tall and has dark green leaves. It’s a great pick among low-light plants, thanks to its waxy appearance and adaptability. This indoor plant can add color and life to any room, patio, porch, or office without hassle.

It can grow in artificial or natural medium light and only requires water when the soil becomes dry. The pot it comes with has a saucer to prevent water spillage, which is pretty convenient.

5. Hirt’s Peace Lily Plant

Hirt's Peace Lily Plant - Spathyphyllium - 4'... Hirt’s Peace Lily Plant – Spathyphyllium – 4″…

  • Homegrown by Hirt’s Gardens.
  • Grows in low light
  • Blooms yearround
  • Keep evenly moist
  • The plant you will receive is growing in a 4″ pot with decorative…

Check Price on Amazon

The Peace Lily is also among the best low light plants you can buy. This low-maintenance house plant thrives in low light conditions and is one of the preferred shade-loving plants found almost everywhere around the world.

When the plant is getting dry, you should notice a droop in the foliage, and once you water it, it should bounce right back. You should only water them when the leaves start to droop. Beyond this point, you won’t have to do anything more.

6. American Plant Exchange Spider Plant

American Plant Exchange Spider Plant Easy Care Live, 6'... American Plant Exchange Spider Plant Easy Care Live, 6″…

  • Spider plants are among the easiest houseplants to grow and are…
  • They are easy to care for and low maintenance; ideal size for…
  • A fan of bright, indirect light, spider plants are great for…
  • This top air-purifying green and white variegated plant is in a…
  • If you are houseplant challenged then spider plants are for you;…

Check Price on Amazon

If you haven’t found your match yet, don’t fret. Spider plants are among the most common indoor plants in American homes. They have a long history with people since they became a favorite for many during the Victorian era.

This low-light indoor plant is a great option if you are a forgetful owner or picking out your first plant. You can set it up almost anywhere in the house since its small size is suitable for shelves, mantles, sills, and counters. Alternatively, you could place it inside a hanging basket for portability.

7. White Butterfly Arrowhead Plant

White Butterfly Arrowhead Plant - Syngonium - Nepthytis... White Butterfly Arrowhead Plant – Syngonium – Nepthytis…

  • Easy to grow houseplant
  • Provide indirect or artificial light
  • Keep evenly moist
  • Trim as needed
  • Immediate shipping.

Check Price on Amazon

Here’s another low-maintenance indoor plant that you can invest in. The Arrowhead plant is a hard to kill and easy to care for low light plant that has a unique look. It’s called the White Butterfly because of the white midrib and veins scattered across the bright green leaves.

It doesn’t need a lot from you since it can grow well in medium to low light conditions. This plant can develop vines that can help it grow up various structures that have an aesthetic appeal. Arrowhead plants are among the ideal options you can select.

8. Cast Iron Plant

Sale American Plant Exchange Live Cast Iron Plant, Ballroom... American Plant Exchange Live Cast Iron Plant, Ballroom…

  • Cast Iron Plant Pot: Cast Iron plant also known as ballroom plant…
  • Indoor Plant: The robust plant, capable of tolerating a huge…
  • Easy Maintenance: Cast iron plants are low-maintenance and easy…
  • Home and Garden Decor: Our cast iron plant pot is perfect for…
  • Health Benefits: Live plants purify the air in their surroundings…

Check Price on Amazon

As far as names go, the Cast Iron Plant is one of the few true to its name. This adaptive house plant can grow in a wide variety of environments, including heat, aridity, and dry shade. Even if you place this plant in a dark corner, it’ll still thrive.

This plant can grow along with foundations or under the deck stairs without assistance. Even when you want to place it in the sun, it’s best to use indirect light since direct sunlight easily bleaches the leaves. Don’t overwater since this can make the roots of the Cast Iron plant rot.

9. Silver Bay Aglaonema Chinese Evergreen Plant

Waterbourn Chinese Evergreen Silver Bay Aglaonema Live... Waterbourn Chinese Evergreen Silver Bay Aglaonema Live…

  • Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), is one of the best plants for…
  • Chinese evergreen, when it’s young, is small enough to fit on…
  • ou can grow Chinese evergreen just about anywhere in your home…
  • The plant is equally low-care when it comes to water; you can…

Check Price on Amazon

The Silver Bay Aglaonema or Chinese Evergreen is another indoor plant that prefers low light situations. This plant should not stay in direct sunlight since it can easily wilt. It’s ideal for almost any location except places experiencing extreme cold.

Once you place this plant in a shady place in your house, you can rest easy since it has low maintenance requirements. You’ll need to wait until the soil dries before you water this plant some more.

10. Hoya Kerrii (Sweetheart Plant)

Hoya Kerrii (Sweetheart) 4' Pot- Live Plant by... Hoya Kerrii (Sweetheart) 4″ Pot- Live Plant by…

  • At first a slow growing Hoya with large, succulent, heart shaped…
  • Trim as needed. Plus it has spectacular flowers when olderCrème…
  • Each large leaf has a creamy, white border with a green center…
  • What you will receive: POT SIZE: 4” POT PLANT: ROOTED
  • SHIPPING IN COLD WEATHER: Please check your local weather…

Check Price on Amazon

If you’d rather go with a succulent plant, the Sweetheart, also known as Hoya Kerri, is an ideal choice. This plant only needs the morning sun or bright indirect light to grow. It can grow quite fast, and once it starts developing, you’ll need a location with a significant amount of space.

It has beautiful flowers, and when it overgrows, you can trim it according to preference. The waxy foliage of these indoor plants tends to be heart-shaped, which is where they get their name. You should only water this plant when the soil gets dry.

11. American Plant Exchange Bird’s Nest Fern

American Plant Exchange Birds Nest Fern Japanese Live... American Plant Exchange Birds Nest Fern Japanese Live…

  • Beautiful and easy to care for this perfect houseplant is known…
  • This plant is easy to care for, ideal for the beginner or the…
  • Loved by interior designers for its textured leaves and shape;…
  • A pet safe houseplant that measures from 10-12″ tall from the…
  • Good for your health, a NASA study identified the fern as one of…

Check Price on Amazon

Another plant that can tolerate low light while thriving indoors is the Birds Nest Fern. This good-looking easy to care for houseplant has bright green leaves which look wavy. The center of the plant resembles a bird’s nest, which is where it gets its name.

These plants grow in medium to low light areas, and their small size makes them a great choice for your office desk, table, countertop, or window sill. As one of the best air-purifying plants, the Bird’s Nest Fern is the perfect plant for maintaining fresh air at home.

12. Money Tree Pachira

Costa Farms Money Tree Pachira, Medium Ships in Premium... Costa Farms Money Tree Pachira, Medium Ships in Premium…

  • Is this a gift? Please choose “this is a gift” at check out to…
  • The Money Tree is an easy-care houseplant that is said to bring…
  • Add life to a brightly lit room at home, a lightly shaded porch,…
  • The Money Tree grows best near a sunny window, not in direct…
  • Height at shipping is approximately 16-Inches tall, measured from…

Check Price on Amazon

Next up, we have the Money Tree, a 16-inch tall indoor plant that is thought to attract good fortune and prosperity to its owners. While it won’t grow well in direct sun, you can place it near a window for ideal development.

It’s suitable for multiple locations inside the home and is quite sturdy. You don’t have to water regularly since it can survive on weekly watering.

13. Red Prayer Plant

Hirt's Red Prayer Plant - Maranta - Easy to Grow House... Hirt’s Red Prayer Plant – Maranta – Easy to Grow House…

  • Prayer plants have big, oval leaves that turn upward at night
  • The folding and unfolding of the leaves happens in a regular…
  • Plant biologists call these daily cycles circadian rhythms
  • Just provide bright indirect light and keep evenly moist
  • The plants you will receive are growing in 3.5″ pots

Check Price on Amazon

The Red Prayer Plant features large oval leaves that take an upward direction during the night. As the leaves fold and unfold, they resemble the posture of praying hands, hence the name. These plants prefer bright indirect light and require the soil to be slightly moist.

They are easy to grow, have low maintenance needs, and look stylish with the red midrib and veins on the leaves. That’s why some people consider them the best low-light indoor plants on the market.

14. Creme & Green Corn Plant

Creme & Green Corn Plant - Dracaena - 6' Pot - Easy to... Creme & Green Corn Plant – Dracaena – 6″ Pot – Easy to…

  • DRACAENA – a tropical palmlike plant that is famous as a…
  • GROWING DRACAENA – In growing your Dracaena plant, you must know…
  • PRUNING DRACAENA PLANT – If you notice, yellow and brown leaves…
  • The Creme &Green Corn Plant – Dracanea that you will be receiving…
  • Proudly Homegrown by Hirt’s Garden’s

Check Price on Amazon

If you’d rather go with tropical plants, the Dracaena or Corn plant is a tropical plant that looks like a palm. It’s easy to grow and has air purification benefits when placed inside a home. As such, it’ll remove the toxins and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to leave your air clean and breathable.

This plant requires the soil to be well-drained and should not be overwatered. If you water it too much, the plant will suffer from root rot. It requires fertilization to stay in shape and thrives in the shade. Avoid placing it in too much light since it could dry up. Nevertheless, their root systems will develop until the canes can stand upright.

15. Straight Lucky Bamboo

10 Stalks of 12 Inches Straight Lucky Bamboo 10 Stalks of 12 Inches Straight Lucky Bamboo

  • Grows in water like cut flowers, but will last for years
  • Easy to grow, hard to kill
  • Hand-picked and packed with care in water gels to keep roots…
  • Considered to bring good luck and fortune
  • Arrangement consists of (10) lucky bamboo 12″ stalks

Check Price on Amazon

Unlike other indoor plants, lucky bamboo thrives in a humid environment. It grows in water in the same way as to cut flowers do but can last for years. It’s hard to kill this plant since it can survive harsh situations and requires little care.

It’s also considered to attract good fortune to its owners according to Asian cultures and form a stylish addition to your plant collection. They have interesting forms that make them suitable as low-light houseplants.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Low-Light Indoor Plants

1. Lighting Requirements

Typical plants thrive under direct light and can grow well when placed in direct sunlight. Unfortunately, low-light plants can’t withstand too much sun and tend to wilt when exposed for long in bright sunlight.

These plants should be placed in indirect sunlight or places with very little light. Some of them can grow under a fluorescent light, while most will do with natural light.

2. Water Requirements

Low light plants have different watering needs. For most, you won’t have to water them more than once a week. The ones that have low water requirements are most suitable for people who tend to forget to water their plants or those starting to adopt indoor plants.

Some plants will need more water than others. Those from humid areas might need the soil consistently moist, while those from arid locations will only need water when the soil turns dry. You should go for a plant that you can easily water without giving it all your attention to ensure you can focus on other tasks without compromising its growth.

3. Size

Low light house plants greatly vary in size. There are those that are small enough to fit on the desk, shelves, or hanging baskets, while others are large enough to demand significant space. You should consider the size of the plant because you don’t want a situation where the growing plants are taking up more space than you have.

To ensure that the plants can fit in the location you allocate, you should go for those that will grow to an ideal height and width. Your new plants might seem short at the moment, but they could end up growing to several feet tall.

If they exceed your set limits, it’ll become necessary to prune them or cut them short. So, it’s crucial that you know the size the plant will have once it’s fully grown rather than its current size. The width of the plant is also a crucial consideration. If the plant develops long branches, you might end up removing some items from your room to accommodate it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best indoor plant on the market?

The best indoor plant you can buy is the Snake Plant which doesn’t need a lot of light or water, and it adds life to your indoor space.

2. Can Spider plants live in low light?

Spider plants are classified as low-light indoor plants, which means that they can survive in areas where there is little to no sunlight.

3. What plants can grow indoors without sunlight?

Examples of plants that can grow inside the home without bright light include snake plants, peace lilies, money trees, prayer plants, and ZZ plants. 

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Related Articles
how long does it take for tomatoes to grow

How Long Does It Take for Tomatoes to Grow At Home?

Growing tomatoes at home is fun and satisfying, but it takes a little patience. The time it takes for your ...

Best Riding Lawn Mower

Best Riding Lawn Mower for Home and Professional Use

You will only enjoy mowing the lawn using a riding lawn mower. We enjoyed trying out a few mowers to ...

rock garden ideas

17 Rock Garden Ideas and Tips to Spark Your Creativity

Rock gardens are a popular trend in gardening because they may add a contemporary touch to any landscape design. To ...