23 of the Best Low-Light Indoor Plants to Add Nature to Your Home

Light: Low light or indirect light

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23 of the Best Low-Light Indoor Plants to Add Nature to Your Home

These colorful and easy-care houseplants thrive even where they don’t get much light.

Nicole Bradley Kinning is a former garden and home improvement writer for Better Homes and Gardens, where she has also written about pets, beauty and lifestyle topics.

David McKinney is an experienced plantsman sharing his expertise in horticulture. His knowledge spans landscape management, growing plants indoors and in the greenhouse, ecological plant selection, and much more. With nearly 15 years in the industry, he is well versed in both herbaceous and woody plants with additional interest in entomology.

Low-light indoor plants are the way to go when selecting greenery for your home if it lacks sunlight or large windows. So brighten up that not-so-sunny spot in your living room or office with these easy-care houseplants that will thrive even where they don’t get much light.

Philodendron

One of the best low-light indoor plant varieties, philodendron, is very tolerant of dark interiors. This fast-growing vine works well in hanging baskets or can be trained to climb a small trellis or totem. Two newer varieties offer colorful foliage. The ‘Brasil’ variety has gorgeous gold-and-green variegated foliage, while ‘Micans’ sports purple-flushed leaves with a satin-like texture.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Trailing stems can reach up to 8 feet

Pothos

Often confused with Philodendron, pothos will thrive in any room of your home if you keep it out of full sun. It’s an easy-care vining plant that you can train onto a trellis or allow to tumble over the edge of a hanging basket. Pothos comes in various colors and bicolors, including dark green, chartreuse, white-and-green, yellow-and-green, and spotted silver.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Most will stay between 6 and 10 feet, but the trailing stems can reach up to 30 feet (prune it back to keep it smaller or if it’s looking leggy)

ZZ Plant

Looking for a low-light indoor plant that tolerates dark corners and neglect? Check out ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). This African native will do fine even if it only gets fluorescent light in an office or shop. It also tolerates dry conditions, so it’s ideal for someone who travels frequently. The ZZ plant looks great, too; it produces upright, slightly arching stems covered in shiny, dark green leaves (and you can even find a new variety with near-black foliage).

Light: Low light or bright, indirect light

Water: When the top inch of soil dries out

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Palms

Popular since the Victorian era, parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a slow-growing Mexican native and is one of the best low-light indoor houseplants. It grows 4 feet tall and makes a bold statement in any room. Parlor palm only needs to be watered when the soil feels dry to the touch, but it does help to mist the plants occasionally during the winter.

Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is virtually indestructible for any room in your house. It’s a fascinating and unusual plant with long, straplike leaves sprouting from a large, wide base that gives this plant its other common name, elephant’s foot palm. If you travel a lot, ponytail palm is ideal because the plant stores excess water in its thick base, so it can go for several weeks without being watered. Ponytail palms are sold in various heights, from tabletop to tree-size, and can reach up to 6 feet indoors.

Boston Fern

Since they were first discovered in the late 1800s, Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) have played an important role in interior design. These gorgeous plants develop bright green, arching fronds that look great in urns or baskets. Some varieties offer interesting leaf textures, such as ‘Cotton Candy’ shown here, which has very fine foliage. Boston ferns thrive in partially shady indoor and outdoor locations away from cold drafts or heat ducts. Like all ferns, they love humidity, so mist often during the winter to minimize leaf drop.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Dieffenbachia

When it comes to colorful leaves, few houseplants offer as many options as Dieffenbachia. These gorgeous tropical plants feature a wide range of speckled or splotched leaves in either yellow and green or white and green. Although they grow well in dark rooms, they prefer some bright, indirect light to keep them from getting too leggy.

Light: Low light or bright, indirect light

Water: When the top inch of soil is dry

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Dieffenbachia is toxic, so keep it out of reach of children and pets. Contact Poison Control if you suspect someone has ingested it.

Gloxinia

Although Gloxinia can’t survive in a completely dark room, it will bloom beautifully anywhere it can receive bright, indirect light away from full sun. A close relative of African violet, Gloxinia develops large velvety, trumpet-like flowers in a variety of jewel-tone colors. Use warm water and avoid getting the foliage wet. Feed once a month with a liquid houseplant fertilizer while the plants are in bloom.

Light: Bright, indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 12 inches tall

Adanson’s Monstera

Create a tropical getaway in your living room with Monstera adansonii. Also called Swiss cheese plant, this vining tropical plant produces bright green, attractively cut leaves. Its long, trailing stems make it a good choice for a hanging basket. If you want to keep the plant compact, simply prune back the vining branches. The cuttings will root easily in water if you want to make more to expand your collection. Water Monstera whenever the soil feels dry to the touch, and fertilize once a month during the spring and summer.

Light: Indirect light

Water: When the top inch of soil is dry

Size: Up to 13 feet tall, though most will stay much smaller indoors

Cast Iron Plant

Here’s a houseplant that truly lives up to its name. Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a low-light indoor houseplant that thrives on neglect. It lives happily in dark rooms with only occasional watering. Plus, this rugged plant spreads slowly, so it rarely needs repotting. The cast iron plant produces dark green narrow leaves; there’s also a variegated form, but it can be difficult to find.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Aglaonema

Aglaonema has taken the houseplant world by storm. With spectacular bright green leaves, this houseplant will brighten even the darkest room, though you can also find varieties with red or even pink foliage. In addition, Aglaonema doesn’t mind dry soil, so it’s a great gift for forgetful gardeners. Originally called Chinese evergreen, Aglaonema is almost foolproof.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: Water when the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Peace Lily

Easy and elegant: That’s the best way to describe peace lily. This low-light indoor plant sends up pure white flower spathes on tall, graceful stems. Peace lily also has shiny green foliage that looks great even when the plants aren’t blooming. Often sold under its botanic name, Spathiphyllum, peace lily makes a relatively undemanding houseplant.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Prayer Plant

Brighten the dark corners of your home with the cheerful foliage of prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura). This easy-care charmer sports variegated green-and-cream leaves with bright red veins. It gets its name because the leaves fold up at night. Prayer plant only grows 6-8 inches tall, so it’s a good choice for a bookshelf or an end table.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 8 inches tall

English Ivy

Perfect for a hanging basket or urn, the trailing foliage of English ivy (Hedera helix) is an excellent choice to lush up a dull room. English ivy is a low-light indoor plant that comes in a wide variety of leaf colors and shapes. It’s the perfect plant to grow on a cool, north-facing windowsill. You also can train English ivy into a variety of topiary shapes. English ivy can be bothered by spider mites, so mist the plants often to prevent these pests from gaining a foothold.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: Before the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 8 feet

Dracaena

Dracaenas add a touch of elegance to any room of your home. This plant is often sold as a standard houseplant or in tree form, so you can cluster several together to create a miniature forest. Remove any faded leaves as they appear to keep it looking its best.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 6 feet tall indoors

Arrowhead Vine

Native to Central America, arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum) is one of the best low-light indoor plants and can tolerate many conditions. Its handsome foliage can be bright green, bronze, or variegated. When young, arrowhead vine forms a bushy mound; the plants will begin to vine over time, making them ideal for hanging baskets or training up a trellis or totem. Pinch your plants if they start to get too leggy.

Light: Low or medium indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 36 inches

Peperomia

Perfect for terrariums or dish gardens, Peperomia grows only 4-10 inches tall and offers a wide selection of different leaf shapes and colors. It has few insect or disease problems and is native to rainforests, so it likes to be in a spot with plenty of humidity.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 10 inches tall

Moth Orchid

Add a touch of elegance to any room in your home with Phalaenopis, commonly called moth orchid. These easy-care beauties hold their blooms for up to four months and are among the best low-light indoor plants.

Moth orchids come in a wide selection of colors and bicolors, and they’re generally sold in two sizes: Standards that grow 18-24 inches tall and dwarfs that stay under 12 inches in height. Moth orchids grow in bark or moss and should only be watered when that material feels dry. More orchids die from overwatering than underwatering, so don’t be afraid to let it get just a little dry.

Light: Low light or bright, indirect light

Water: When the growing medium is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 24 inches tall

Anthurium

The bold, red, pink, orange, white, or purple flowers of Anthurium are a welcome treat during the dark days of winter. However, these tropical beauties don’t like overly dry or wet soils, so keeping the soil slightly moist at all times is essential. Anthurium blooms best in bright, indirect light but will do fine in darker situations, although flowering may be limited. However, the plants have bright green, heart-shaped leaves that keep the color show going even when they are not in bloom.

Light: Low light or bright indirect light

Water: Just before the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 2 feet tall

Spider Plant

Don’t let the common name of this fantastic houseplant scare you off. Spider plant, also called airplane plant, gets its name from the many runners it sends out with baby plants at the tips. Available in dark green and variegated forms, spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) makes a great tabletop or basket plant in low-light conditions. During the winter, mist the plants frequently to help prevent the leaf tips from turning brown.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 12 inches tall

Spineless Yucca

When you think of yucca plants, sunny desert conditions probably come to mind. But indoors, the spineless yucca (Yucca elephantipes) will do fine in a dim corner where you can enjoy its leathery green, lancelike foliage, and attractive tan bark. The plant won’t grow as quickly in low light as in a sunny spot, but it will be fine as long as you don’t overwater it.

Light: Low light or bright indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 8 feet tall indoors

Begonia

The jewel-like leaves and flowers of low-light indoor plant begonia will turn any dark room into a festival of color. There are many species of begonia to choose from, but one of the best for growing indoors is rex begonia, which comes in different varieties sporting multicolor leaves in an assortment of silver, green, pink, red, orange, and burgundy. Growing only a few inches tall, rex begonias can also be used in terrariums or dish gardens. Rex begonias do best in soil that’s always kept slightly moist.

Light: Low light or indirect light

Water: Just before the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 8 inches tall

Columnea

Columnea develops tubular yellow or orange blooms that give these jungle natives their common name, goldfish plant. Although Columnea blooms best in a bright location, the plant will thrive in darker rooms where its trailing, shiny, dark green leaves will be appreciated. Columnea also makes a great basket plant.

Light: Low light or bright, indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 24 inches

Hoya

A gorgeous slow-growing vine, Hoya, or wax plant, thrives in bright indirect light but does almost as well in darker locations. Hoya comes in flat-leaved or crinkled-leaved forms and occasionally produces highly fragrant white flower clusters. Flat-leaved Hoya also comes in solid green or variegated cream-and-green leaves. You can train a Hoya up a trellis or totem or allow it to trail over the edge of a pot or urn.

Light: Low light or bright, indirect light

Water: When the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Trailing vines can reach up to 4 feet

Indoor Plant Care Tips

• Not sure when or how to water your houseplants? Our complete guide to watering explains everything you need to know to keep your plants as moist (or dry) as they need to be. A moisture meter is a good tool for new indoor gardeners for extra assistance.
• Watering isn’t always sufficient to give plants the moisture they need—sometimes, humidity is just as important as water. Learn how to increase humidity in your home to keep your plants happy.
• Our list of essential tips for keeping your plants alive is an excellent resource to have on hand. It has helpful information for things like repotting and deadheading your indoor greenery.