Top 5 Easy Low Light Houseplants
Do you have a lower-lit area in your home that could use a houseplant or (in my case) is there no more room in or around a window?
Low lit areas can be challenging because not all plants thrive in low-light.
But, you’re in luck because there are plants out there that can survive in lower light conditions. Over a long period of time, these plants have adapted to live in a these lighting conditions – so thank years of evolution that you can now keep them in your poorly lit office.
When you’re out shopping for a low-light houseplant, don’t be confused with the plants that say they are ‘shade plants’. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are true low-light houseplants, and will still need a bit more sun than a true low-light houseplant.
So, I’m going to take the guesswork out of what houseplants do well in low-light, and bonus – they are super easy to care for. Here are 5 easy low-light houseplants.
Easy Low-Light Houseplants: Sansevieria
The Sansevieria is a great option for someone who needs a plant to fill out more space in a low-light area.
Sansevierias can get pretty tall, up to 4 feet. So make sure you give them some space to grow.
They’re super easy-going plants as well. They don’t really like to be bothered too much. In the spring and summer I water mine once every 10 days or so (adding in fertilizer once a month). In the winter and fall, I water almost once every 2-3 weeks (with no fertilizer).
Propagating these guys is a piece of cake. They can be cut really anywhere on the leaf and either be planted right into soil or plopped into a cup of water.
Easy Low-Light Houseplants: ZZ plant
The ZZ plant is such a fun looking plant. It defiantly looks like a plant that would need more sunlight, but no.
I have my ZZ plant about 10 feet from the nearest window – in, well basically the middle of the house.
ZZ plants can also get pretty big, but not as big as the Sansevieria. The top average height for the ZZ is around 3 feet tall. But, these plants can get wide. I’ve seen these plants in home improvement stores in 2-3+ gallon nursery planters.
Care is going to be much like the Sansevieria. In the warmer months, water every 7-10 days or so and less in the fall/winter.
ZZ plants will grow fast, and in my opinion they are the fastest growers on this list. I’ve had up to 8 shoots at once pop up and they become almost full height in a matter of a few weeks.
Propagating a ZZ is just as easy with cutting at the stem and placing it in either soil or water.
Easy Low-Light Houseplants: Pothos
If you’re looking to have a trailing houseplant that thrives in a dim lit home, look no further than a Pothos.
Pothos are great either on a shelf or in a hanging planter. They can trail and trail, so make sure they’re up a bit higher.
A greener variety like a Jade Pothos do well in low-light, but I have found that ones like the Marble and Golden Pothos do lose a little bit of their variegation, so give them a little more sun.
Watering and feeding is easy peasy. Pothos can actually tell you when they are thirsty. Their usual peppy leaves will limp when they need water. Check on them every 7-10 days and water if needed. Fertilize in the spring and summer, once a month.
Propagation in Pothos is…you guessed it – easy! Cut just below the node and pop it in some water for a few weeks, and viola, you have another Pothos!
Easy Low-Light Houseplants: Spider Plant
This is another plant best for a shelf or hanging planter. Their long skinny tendrils will curtain around the pot and after a while sprout babies that hang down.
These can live in any condition really; just maybe not-direct sun. They can survive in lower light but will grow faster if given more light.
Spider plant care is also very simple. Watering and fertilizing like the plants above. Watering weekly in the summer and once every other week or so in the fall/winter. Fertilizing once a month only in the spring/summer.
Since Spider plants grow baby shoots, they are very simple to propagate. Cut the pups from the plant and either place them in water or soil to root.
Easy Low-Light Houseplants: Peace Lily
Aw, the Peace Llily. Aren’t they beauties with their lush green leaves and white flowers?
Peace Lilies are a little bit more difficult than the others above, but once you get to know the plant, it’s smooth sailing.
They require a little bit more watering than the others on this list. Peace Lilies like their soil moist – not wet, pretty much at all time. They will start to droop when they are thirsty, just like the Pothos.
Fertilizing is the same as the plants above. Only feeding in the spring/summer, once a week.
Peace Lilies can get as tall as the Sansevieria with an average top height at 4 feet. So, this would be another great choice to fill space.
Propagating a Peace Lily is easy but it requires a little more work than just taking a cutting. Peace Lilies can be propagated by division, (this is also a great method for the ZZ as well) which is done by dividing the stalks, then replanting. But, with this method there is no need to grow roots, since it’s an already established plant.
Do be careful with these around pets, Lilies are toxic to them.
Hello, Darkness
You have choices when it comes to different areas of the home, even without optimal lighting with these easy low-light houseplants. No one expects you to have windows in every corner of your house and even if you did, that’s prime real estate for other plants.
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