Best low-light plants for your home
The Best Low Light Plants for your Home
Plants in our home can be a major mood booster - but only when these houseplants thrive! How can we make sure our houseplants are happy when so many spaces in homes are far from bright light? Try one of these easy houseplants for your home that can tolerate less indirect light than the average plant.
Our five favorite low light plants starting with snake plants
Snake plants are now part of the dracaena family, a group of houseplants that all tolerate low light well. Dracaena trifasciata, or snake plants, come tons of varieties - each with their own vibe but all sharing that easy care attitude. While they tolerate lower levels of light - they can also thrive in bright light. Keeping their upright foliage clean will help them capture that indirect light as best they can.
Aglaonema plants can have wild patterns on their broad leaves - from mint stripes to deep green speckles. They thrive with thoughtful neglect - and can be watered less frequently than most.
Peace Lilies may not send up their beautiful white flowers as often in low light, but we’ve seen one bloom year round in an office even thought it is 15 feet+ from the window and under a bright LED.
Cast Iron plants are as tough as their name suggests. They tolerate low light, especially when their leaves are kept clean and watering are not skipped.
And…..drumroll for our favorite low light and easy care plant……the ZZ. Its form may be more open and less upright when in low light, but they are gorgeous houseplants. Their round leaves and sturdy stems are the perfect balance. They have reservoirs that act like water balloons, storing water between waterings. Make sure not to overwater this one and to keep the leaves clean. We like to shower ours every so often to wash the dust off.
Less light = less water
Plants grown in indirect light, such as in a corner (light doesn’t normally bend around the window ;) usually need less water. So, let the top few inches dry before watering again (except for that peace luly - she will have none of that). And, if you’ve missed watering just a little too long - DO NOT OVERWATER to make up for it. This is a dangerous combo.
Remember, all plants need some light
Even though many of these plants' original habitat was in the dappled shade of the understory, all plants still need light. These 5 varieties are more forgiving of lower light levels, but save them from a sad fate in your dark bathrooms or windowless movie rooms.
If you need any help finding the right plant to thrive in your light - stop by one of our two locations. You’ll find ZZ plants in all sizes, snake plants in several varieties, and helpful staff to answer any questions to make sure you have houseplant success.