Best Low-Light Indoor Plants 2024

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once a week (or when 50 to 75% of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Safe for dogs
• Can thrive in various levels of light

Cons:

• Tips of leaves can dry out and shrivel
• While nontoxic for cats, the plant has a mildly hallucinogenic effect on felines

“Whether you’re an expert gardener or just looking to add greenery to your space, spider plants are low-maintenance and easy to care for,” says Rebecca Sears, chief marketing officer and resident green thumb at Ferry-Morse Seed Company. “While full sun is ideal for most plants, spider plants thrive in low-light conditions and require watering only once a week.”

Even better, spider plants are resilient and hard to kill. The tips of their long leaves can dry out and shrivel if neglected, but the plants themselves are more likely to become overgrown than to die off. “Spider plants can grow vigorously when placed in the right spot,” says PlantIn gardening expert Melvin Cubian. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix: “Consider pruning the little plant babies, or spiderettes, and giving them to a friend or planting them yourself,” he advises.

Light: Low to bright | Water: Once every two weeks (or when the soil feels completely dry)

Pros:

• Can survive in any level of light
• Requires infrequent waterings

Cons:

• Mildly toxic to pets
• Prone to root rot

Snake plants are widely recognized as one of the most low-maintenance and resilient houseplants. “This plant actually thrives in low light, preferring partial shade or very shady conditions,” says Sears. However, it’s crucial to provide the right soil conditions for optimal growth. “The soil’s pH is vital to the health of your snake plant, as it prefers soil with a pH level between 5.5 and 7.0,” she explains. “If you need help determining your soil’s pH level, a soil testing kit can provide results in just a few minutes.”

Light: Low to bright light | Water: Once a week (or when 50 to 75% of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Easy to care for
• Grows beautiful cascading vines

Cons:

• Toxic to pets

“Pothos is a popular houseplant because it’s easy to care for in several types of growing conditions,” says Sears. “But they especially love humidity. In addition to watering your pothos every one to two weeks, I recommend misting the plant every few days to keep its leaves looking especially lush.”

However, there is a downside: pothos plants aren’t the most pet-friendly. Thankfully, there’s an easy and aesthetically pleasing solution. “I’d recommend growing it in a hanging basket, which will keep it out of reach of pets while also enhancing the look of the plant,” she shares.

Light: Low to medium light | Water: Twice a week (or when the top few inches of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Fare well in humid environments
• Safe for pet owners

Cons:

• Fronds are prone to drying out (remove dry fronds to promote healthy growth)

If you’re looking to bring a little life into a dim corner of a room, a Boston fern is an excellent choice. Along with bird’s nest ferns and maidenhair ferns, Boston ferns can thrive in low-lit corners. “They should be planted in a well-draining, peat moss-based medium and kept in humid places like the bathroom,” says Cubian. While these ferns can live a long and happy life in a tabletop pot, their unique leaf patterns look especially striking in a hanging planter, such as the charming sloth vessel mentioned above.

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once a week (or when the top 25% of the soil is dry).

Pros:

• Thrives in cool, dimly lit spaces
• Doesn’t require frequent watering

Cons:

• Toxic to pets

While English Ivy is a common outdoor ground cover plant that can help hinder soil erosion, Sears says that it can easily be grown (and controlled) in low-light settings indoors. “English Ivy grows particularly well in low to moderate-light conditions, but be sure to let the soil dry out in between watering to prevent it becoming too moist for the plant to grow,” she adds.

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Every one to two weeks (or when the soil is completely dry to the touch)

Pros:

• Low maintenance
• Easy to read

Cons:

• Toxic to pets and humans

Don’t sleep on ZZ plants, another distinctive yet hard-to-kill option for those who weren’t born with a green thumb. “ZZ plants are known for their glossy leaves that look almost too good to be true—[so much so that they] are often mistaken for faux plants,” Sears says. “These low-maintenance plants grow best in indirect light or low light, as direct sunlight can result in burning or yellowing of the leaves.” Over-watering can also cause the leaves to turn yellow, while shedding leaves can be a sign of too little water.

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once a week (or when the top half of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Can thrive in various light levels
• They fare well in humid environments

Cons:

• Toxic to humans and animals

Peace lilies are known for their lush green leaves and ability to bloom beautiful white flowers. (That said, they’ll only bloom if they get at lease six hours of indirect light, adds Cubian.) Another thing to keep in mind? They’re known to shed. “Peace lilies often lose leaves at alarming rates when it was recently purchased and placed in a shady part of the house,” he notes. “However, this is entirely normal and is part of its mechanism to thrive under low light.”

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once every week or so (or when the soil is 50 to 75% dry)

Pros:

• Low maintenance
• Adaptable growth based on light levels

Cons:

• Highly toxic to pets and humans

A tropical perrennial, dieffenbachias feature large pointed leaves and can grow multiple feet tall. And while they prefer bright, indirect sunlight, they’re able to adapt to lower-light conditions. “They tend to grow slower and shed unused leaves in the shade, and require little to moderate watering in shady areas,” Cubian notes. To keep this plant alive and happy, plant it in well-drained soil with a high peat content.

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once every couple of days (or when the top inch of soil is dry)

Pros:

• Unique coloring
• Can bloom flowers

Cons:

• Toxic to pets and humans

Also known as inchplants, tradescantia zebrinas are known for their unique purple and green coloring and ability to thrive in low, indirect light. As lovely as the leaves normally look, they can also bloom small flowers from time to time. Just don’t try to handle them too much. “Tradescantia zebrina produces a sap that can cause skin irritations and gastrointestinal issues in both pets and humans if consumed,” Sears warns.

Light: Low to bright indirect | Water: Once every week (or when the top 50% of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Can survive in low humidity but thrives in high humidity
• Pretty two-tone leaves that add a lovely pop of color

Cons:

• Toxic to pets and humans

Belonging to the same family as dieffenbachias, this leafy tropical plant is similarly low-maintenance, as it thrives in low light. That said, “if you want it to make it look bushy, consider moving it next to a brighter location,” says Cubian.

Effective at cleaning and purifying the air, aglaonema can breathe life into the darkest of spaces. And if you keep the plant in a dim roomer, Cubian adds, “They don’t need much water in shady spots, so water only when the soil appears dry.”

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once a week (or when the top half of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Harmless to pets
• Require very little light

Cons:

• Large leaves can collect dust

Known for being pretty much indestructible, cast iron plants are the perfect low-light indoor plant for green thumb hopefuls, says Sears. They can thrive in very little light, though they are particular about some things—namely, they like a regular watering schedule. So you don’t have to worry about staying on schedule, Sears recommends buying one with a self-watering planter, such as the one we’ve listed above. “Self-watering planters are an easy way to ensure the moisture of your soil is maintained without having to constantly check it,” she says.

Light: Low to bright indirect light | Water: Once every week (or when the top half of the soil is dry)

Pros:

• Resistant to stress
• Easy to replant

Cons:

• Toxic to pets and humans

If your home is filled with chaos, a lucky bamboo plant might be exactly what you need. Because the sturdy stem is resistant to stress, this classic plant is able to hold up well in low light. Simply put, this is one resilient plant. “If it loses some leaves or is infected with root rot, simply cut the sickly part and re-plant it, and it can quickly bounce back,” says Cubian.

Light: Low to bright indirect | Water: Once every two weeks (or when soil is 75% dry)

Pros:

• Don’t require bright light to live
• Grow rapidly in medium to bright light; slower in low light

Cons:

• Toxic to pets and humans

“Philodendron are a favorite subject of plant breeders, as evidenced by its extensive list of varieties,” Cubian says, noting that they’re similar to pothos. “To grow a philodendron, replicate a humid, warm environment with indirect light, such as next to a large window.” No large window? “Under low-light conditions, it can still grow but at a slower pace,” Cubian adds.

Light: Low to bright indirect | Water: Once a week (or when 50% of soil is dry)

Pros:

• Pretty flowers
• Thrives in medium to bright indirect light but can adapt to low

Cons:

• Toxic to pets and humans

Love a pop of color but can’t get behind buying fresh flowers every week? An Anthurium is a great alternative. “Anthuriums or flamenco lilies are prized for their pink flowers,” Cubian says. That said, if you keep them exclusively in low light without any indirect light contact, they may not blossom. Therefore, if you specifically want this plant to serve as a vivid statement in your space, be sure to expose it to a few hours of indirect light per day. As for where it thrives? “Because it is from the tropics, warm and cozy rooms are the perfect spot to grow anthurium,” Cubian says.

Light: Low to bright indirect | Water: Daily (in the center of the plant, not the soil, unless the soil feels completely dry)

Pros:

• Pretty pop of color
• Unique self-watering design
• Pet-friendly

Cons:

• Leaves can cause skin irritation in humans, so handle carefully

Add a tropical twist to your home with a striking bromeliad. “Closely related to pineapples, bromeliads are tropical plants that thrive with shade,” Cubian says. They’re also fascinating: You water the plant’s crown, rather than the soil. What’s more, they can thrive in a room that could often benefit from a pop of color. “If your bathroom is warm, this is the perfect spot for shade-loving bromeliads,” he adds.