Favorite Houseplants for Lower Light

Understanding the lighting in your space is essential when choosing or placing a houseplant. Each plant will have its own needs, and even the toughest plant, if placed in the wrong lighting, may fail to thrive. All plants would prefer bright indirect light, if possible, but some plants do okay when light is quite low. Read on for some beautiful choices you can consider for a lower light spot in your home.

Above, from left: *Nephrolepsis* 'Petticoat,’ *Zamioculcas zamiifolia* (ZZ plant), *Apidistra* (cast iron plant); Below: *Zamioculcas zamiifolia* (ZZ plant)

Our favorite houseplants that will tolerate lower light conditions:

Ferns (many types)
Spathiphyllum (peace lily)
Anthurium
Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant)
Some Dracaena (such as Dracaena compacta and Dracaena elegans)
Kentia palm
Rhapis palm
Aspidistra (cast iron plant)
Sansevieria (snake plant; flat-leaf types only)

What does lower light mean? When we use this phrase to refer to an indoor space, we’re talking about dim spots—usually the backs of rooms or hallways, far from a window—where you would always turn lights on, even if you’re just walking in to grab something. Also the light we are talking about here is sunlight, not interior artificial light (although if your room is very dark, broad spectrum bulbs can help “low light plants” get a little boost). This diagram should help you assess the light conditions of your own space.

*Kentia* palm and *Apidistra* ‘Milky Way’

How do I figure out the light conditions of my space? Consider these three factors when deciding how much light reaches a particular spot in your home.

Direction:

North-facing rooms will have the lowest light, often with no direct light. Generally the light will be bright to moderate indirect right up in the windows, but quickly drop to low light deeper into the room.
East-facing rooms will have the second lowest light. This is because morning sun is considerably less intense than afternoon sun. They will often have direct sun in the window and then bright indirect a little deeper in the room, and then drop quickly to moderate indirect and low light.
South / west-facing rooms will have the strongest light. These are generally characterized by very strong direct sun within the first six feet of the window, transitioning to diffuse direct sun deeper into the room, and then moderate indirect and sometimes (but not always) low light at the back of the room.

Obstructions:

Exterior obstructions such as buildings or trees generally reduce the light of a room. A top floor, south-facing room might have blasting direct sun, while the garden apartment of the same building might have only moderate indirect light right in the window. Other times an obstruction can actually increase the light in a room, such as a north-facing room looking at a white wall, which will reflect southern light into the room.
Are there blinds or curtains? If so, try to keep them consistently set the same; plants love consistency! This is a way for you to control the light and thus also have some effect on which plants will work in your space.
How big are your windows? The bigger the window, the more light you’ll have to work with.

Seasonal changes:

Light durations fluctuate seasonally quite a bit. You’ll have less light during the winter and more during the summer. Generally plants have seasonal watering adjustments based on this cycle, with some (including euphorbias, pachypodiums, and adeniums) needing a pronounced dry and wet season. (See more about watering below!)
- Here’s a fun tip! Plants that may thrive in hot direct sun haven’t necessarily been grown in that kind of light, so they may burn if placed into exceptionally hot direct light right away. Starting these plants in direct exposure in winter can be a great way to help them acclimate over the spring so they’ll thrive once summer arrives.
The angle of the sun drops as summer moves into fall and winter. This decreases the intensity of winter light and sometimes creates seasonal obstructions. You might find you have more light in winter than in summer, for example if your window is under a deciduous tree that loses leaves in winter, allowing more sunlight through the branches.

Duration of light:

Always consider how long the light is coming into the room, as this will directly affect how much light your plant is able to take in. If the sun only passes through a room for a short period during the day, your plants may not be getting as much light as you think.

At Flora Grubb Gardens plant nursery in San Francisco, we carry many plants that will grow in lower light conditions. Looks inside our main building to select just the right plant for your space.

LEARN MUCH MORE ABOUT HOUSEPLANT CARE IN OUR HELPFUL GUIDE!

Sansevieria (snake plant) is one of the easiest houseplants to grow in low light conditions. Great for beginners! Learn more about this friendly and fascinating plant here.