House plants are a great way to breathe life into your home. But if your indoor sunlight hours are limited, it can seem difficult to find plants that will thrive in your home. But believe it or not, there are plenty of low-light indoor plants that can survive in dim conditions, including popular houseplants like sansevieria and spider web plants. Low light doesn't mean no light; these houseplants still need some light (either real or artificial) to thrive.
Bridget Zazzara, Indoor Retail and Seasonal Plant Manager, Logan's Trading Company Sarah Norimal, Senior Horticulturist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Sansevieria
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Salamander (Dracaena trifasciata) is known for its tall, slender leaves and attractive foliage. “When it flowers, it produces small, lily-like flowers along a single stem and is very fragrant,” says Bridget Zazzara, indoor retail and seasonal plants manager at Logan's Trading Co. This plant is drought tolerant, making it a great choice for beginner plant growers.
Size: 12-36 inches tall x 6-36 inches wide Growing conditions: Low to bright light, well-drained soil
ZZ Plant
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ZZ (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is another variety that is tolerant of drought and low light. This slow-growing variety features sturdy green leaves that grow from upright stems. There are several varieties of the ZZ plant, but the cultivar “Raven” has unique leaves that appear a light green color and then fade to almost black, Zazzara says.
Size: 3-5 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide Growing conditions: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Peace Lily
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Known for their beautiful, large white flowers and dark green leaves, Spathiphyllum plants love moisture and can thrive in a little less light than other tropical plants. It's normal for the spathe (the protective white petal-like structure that protects the flower) to die back, but with good soil, moisture, and a little light, the plant can bloom again.
Size: 1-4 feet tall x 1-4 feet wide Growing conditions: Low to bright light, well-drained soil
Pothos
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If you're looking for a plant that thrives in low light, you can't go wrong with the pothos (Epipremnum sp.). This tall vine can grow to over 20 feet in length and drapes beautifully from a hanging basket. “Leaf colors range from dark green to yellow-green to mottled white and green,” says Zazzara. This plant is easy to propagate by putting cuttings in water.
Size: Up to 20 feet long x 3-6 feet wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Parlor Palm
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The Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a slow-growing palm that can reach several feet in height. It prefers somewhat dry conditions, so be careful not to overwater it. Native to the understory, it is very adaptable to low-light areas indoors where other plants cannot survive.
Size: 2-6 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide Growing conditions: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Chinese evergreen
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Want to brighten up a dark corner with some color? Try Chinese evergreens (Aglaonema spp.), known for their beautiful foliage and available in a variety of colors ranging from silver to pinkish red.
Size: 4 feet tall x 4 feet wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Lady Palm
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The Lady Palm (Rhapis Excelsa) is a very low-growing palm with distinctive dark green leaves that are shaped like a hand. Although slow growing, the Lady Palm can become quite tall over the course of several years.
Size: 6 feet tall x 4 feet wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Spider Web Plant
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Spiderwort (Chlorophytum sp.) is a popular houseplant with unique leaves. It produces small plants that hang down from long stems and can be propagated to produce more plants. It likes to dry out a bit between waterings and will tolerate indirect light, so a location with at least some light is best.
Size: 1-2 feet tall x 1-3 feet wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained houseplant soil mix
Prayer Plants
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Prayer plants (Calatea spp.) have broad, striped leaves with red undersides. “Each leaf is attached to a stem that grows upward from the soil surface,” says Sara Norimaru, senior horticulturist at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The plant needs more water in the summer and less water in the winter. “It's a good plant for people who tend to overwater,” Norimaru says.
Size: 2 feet tall x 2 feet wide Growing conditions: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
Iron Casting Factory
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A very hardy plant that tolerates a wide variety of growing conditions, the cast iron plant (Aspidistra elator) has tall, broad leaves with a variety of variegation patterns. The plant's leaves can have stripes, dots or a combination of both, Nolimal says.
Size: 2-3 feet tall x 1-2 feet wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Silver Pothos
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The silver pothos (Scindapsus pictus) is a type of pothos with small, vine-like leaves with silvery speckles. “To make the pot look fuller, wrap the vines around the surface a little bit, as the nodes on the vines will send out roots and continue to grow,” says Norimaru.
Size: 3 feet long x 2 feet wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Inch Plant
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The inch plant (Tradescantia zebrina) can tolerate low light, but it does need a bit more light than the other houseplants on this list to keep its purple-and-silver leaves vibrant, though too much sun can cause the colors to fade, says Nolimal. It's prone to root rot, so be sure to let the plant dry out between waterings.
Size: 6-12 inches tall x 1 foot wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Asparagus Fern
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Asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus) has long leaves with tiny hair-like blades sticking out in all directions. According to Norimaru, the leaves are very fine-grained and a vibrant green color. The plant thrives in moist environments like bathrooms and will flower if well cared for.
Size: 12-36″ tall x 18-36″ wide Growing Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
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