Tips for Growing Houseplants in Rooms with Low Light

If your home or office gets little to no natural light, you might feel it impossible to have any kind of greenery at all in those spaces. But, that is not entirely the case.

Several house plants will grow just fine in low-light conditions. Many will thrive while others might need a bit of a vacation now and then to a sunnier spot. That said, there is no reason to have a space devoid of greenery if that is what you love.

Look at this list of plants that do well in low-light conditions.

What is ‘low light’?

To determine if you have a low light situation in your space, think about the following. In the northern hemisphere, rooms with windows facing north or no windows at all would be considered low-light spaces.

Rooms with east- or west-facing windows enjoy medium light while rooms that are south-facing with lots of windows would be considered as having high light.

Plants living in spaces that have no natural light whatsoever will struggle.  You would have to leave the light turned on for several hours a day and move the plant to a room with some natural light for a week or two at a time even with the artificial light source.

Check Plant Labels Before You Buy a House Plant

If you are out shopping for a house plant without much of an idea as to what you are looking for, make sure that you read the labels that come with the plant.

These plant labels offer invaluable information on the growing conditions that that particular plant needs. It will almost certainly give you a good idea of its lighting needs.

There might also be a section in your local nursery dedicated to low-light-loving plants.

Snake Plants

Source: Epic Gardening/YouTube

Snake plants (Dracaena spp) are a houseplant lover’s dream plant. They are low maintenance, reasonably drought tolerant, and can thrive in low to medium light conditions. This makes them a great choice for beginner or busy houseplant parents.

Make sure that you check which type of snake plant you are getting.  Some stay small, perfect for office desks while others can grow rather tree-like!

Pothos

Source: Epic Gardening/YouTube

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is another perfect plant for a beginner houseplant grower. Not only are these plants tolerant to drought situations, but they can also thrive in a variety of conditions, including low to medium light.

Maiden Hair Fern

Source: PLANTERNIA/YouTube

This is a gorgeous plant with unique feathery, fan-like foliage. It must be noted that this is not a plant for a neglectful houseplant owner. Maidenhair ferns (Adiantum raddianum) are sensitive to drought and enjoy good humidity. That said, they can tolerate medium to low light conditions.

In nature, they tend to grow in dappled shade, so a similar condition inside will be ideal for them. Keep them away from bright south-facing windows, and they should be quite happy.

Heartleaf Philodendron

Source: Plant Mom Care/YouTube

Not dissimilar in appearance to Pothos, the heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) is another really attractive and easy plant to grow indoors. It is trendy for its trailing tendencies and makes a gorgeous hanging plant.

It can grow in a range of light conditions and can handle low light conditions. That said, it will grow faster and less leggy with more light.

Do not confuse that with direct sunlight, however; this is not something your philodendron will appreciate.

Tradescantia Zebrina

Source: PLANTERNIA/YouTube

Here we have another plant ideal for beginners. They are a fun house plant as they have green and purple leaves and are great for hanging baskets. You might have heard this plant referred to as an inch plant!

If you have a friend with a Tradescantia Zebrina, ask for a cutting as they are really easy to propagate this way. This plant likes indirect light and can tolerate low-light conditions. 

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