Being a #plantlady is hard when you have minimal windows to work with. “We all have that one room in our house that doesn’t have any light,” Reagan Kastner, a houseplant stylist, shared on TikTok. That’s where the best houseplants for low light come in, which allow you to expand your urban jungle into the darker areas of your home.
While many plants require a lot of sunlight to thrive—like jade plants, palms, and fiddle leaf figs—there are plenty of beautiful picks meant for dimly-lit spots. In fact, some of these plants do better when the sun isn’t beaming down on their leaves all day long.
The next time you go shopping, bring along this list of the best houseplants for low light. You’ll never run out of space for a new plant ever again.
The Best Houseplants for Low Light Spaces
1. Snake Plant
The snake plant is one of the most low-maintenance houseplants around. “They survive nearly everywhere,” Luke Jaque-Rodney, a plant expert, shared on TikTok. Low-light areas, included. They also don’t require much water: “They store most of their water in their leaves,” he says.
2. ZZ Plant
The ZZ plant is great for beginners. Aside from rarely needing to water it (only once every 2 to 3 weeks), it also thrives under any light situation. “It can handle bright indirect light, but it can also handle really low light,” Kastner says. “Even just the lightbulbs in your room can sustain this plant for a while. But no plant can handle complete darkness.”
3. Lucky Bamboo
Lucky bamboo does really well when it’s in low, indirect light. Another cool quality: While you can pot it in soil, this plant also grows really well in water. Pop it in a vase and it’ll be happy for years to come. (Just be sure to change the water every 2 to 3 weeks.)
4. Pothos
If you love vining plants, the pothos is for you. It’s incredibly low-maintenance and is perfect for low-light situations. As it grows, you can drape its vines over shelves, across walls—pretty much anywhere you want to add a touch of greenery.
5. Monstera
While monsteras grow faster (and get more holes in the leaves) with medium to bright indirect light, they still thrive in low-light environments. In fact, if a spot is too sunny, those rays can actually burn the leaves.
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