Best Low Light Houseplants: 14 Plants That Thrive Out of Direct Sun

Q: What counts as low light for houseplants?

Low light in plant terms means a spot that gets no direct sun and only soft, indirect daylight. It is not a dark room. A north-facing window qualifies, as does a spot several feet back from an east or west window. Total darkness is not survivable for any houseplant long term.

Q: Can any plant grow in a room with no windows?

Not on natural light alone. Even the most shade-tolerant houseplants need some ambient daylight. In a windowless room you need a grow light running at least 10 to 12 hours a day. A standard overhead bulb is not bright enough.

Q: How do I know if my plant is not getting enough light?

Common signs: the plant stretches or leans toward the window, new leaves come in smaller than older ones, variegated plants lose their pattern and go plain green, growth slows to almost nothing, or the soil stays wet for very long after watering because the plant is not actively growing.

"Low light" is the most misused phrase in plant care. Most plants sold as low-light will survive a north window but thrive in a brighter one. A true low-light plant is different: it genuinely prefers indirect, limited light and declines when given too much direct sun. Here are 14 that earn the label.

What low light actually means

Low light means a spot that gets no direct sun and only soft, ambient daylight. A north-facing window is the most common example in the northern hemisphere. So is a spot several feet back from a window that faces any direction. It is not complete darkness. Every houseplant needs some light to survive.

In terms you can measure: low light is roughly 25 to 200 foot-candles of illumination. A phone's lux meter app gives you a rough reading. If your hand held over a piece of white paper casts no shadow, the spot is at the dim end of what plants can use.

The 14 best houseplants for low light

These tolerate or actively prefer low indirect light. They will survive further from a window than almost any other houseplant.

Snake PlantDracaena trifasciata
Survives very low light. Grows slowly but steadily and rarely complains.
ZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifolia
Stores water in underground rhizomes. Tolerates neglect and dim light equally well.
PothosEpipremnum aureum
One of the most light-flexible plants. Grows faster in bright indirect light but copes fine in low.
Peace LilySpathiphyllum wallisii
Rare among bloomers: flowers appear even without direct sun.
Cast Iron PlantAspidistra elatior
Named for good reason. Survives conditions that kill everything else.
Chinese EvergreenAglaonema commutatum
Patterned foliage and a wide light tolerance. Darker-leaved varieties handle the least light.
Parlor PalmChamaedorea elegans
A Victorian parlor staple precisely because it handles dim, shaded rooms.
Heartleaf PhilodendronPhilodendron hederaceum
Trailing or climbing. Loses some speed in low light but never stops entirely.
Boston FernNephrolepis exaltata
Wants indirect light only. A north window keeps fronds lush without burning them.
Bird's Nest FernAsplenium nidus
Flat, glossy rosette that scorches in direct sun. Low light is exactly right.
CalatheaGoeppertia makoyana
Striking patterns that direct sun fades. Needs humidity but very little direct light.
Prayer PlantMaranta leuconeura
Folds its leaves up at night. Partial shade keeps its colors vivid.
Spider PlantChlorophytum comosum
Produces babies freely in a range of light. Handles a dim corner with ease.
DracaenaDracaena fragrans
The corn plant and Janet Craig cultivars are among the most shade-tolerant larger plants.

Plants that claim to be low light but are not

Several popular plants are often labeled low-light but actually need at least medium indirect light to look their best:

Monstera deliciosa: copes in low light but grows slowly and produces few fenestrations (leaf holes)
Fiddle Leaf Fig: needs several hours of bright indirect light and declines badly in dim spots
Succulents and cacti: require direct sun for most of the day
Basil, rosemary, thyme, lavender: all need direct sun to produce well
Croton: loses its bright leaf color without strong light
Bird of Paradise: needs full sun to grow and flower properly

Not sure how much light a spot actually gets?

Plant Compass Lite points at any window or outdoor spot and calculates the sun hours it gets across the year. It then tells you which of your plants will thrive, cope, or should be moved somewhere brighter.

Get Plant Compass Lite

Frequently asked

What counts as low light for houseplants?

A spot with no direct sun and only soft, indirect daylight. A north-facing window qualifies, as does a position several feet back from any window. It is not a dark room. Some ambient daylight must reach the plant.

Can any plant grow in a room with no windows?

Not on natural light alone. Even the most shade-tolerant plants need some daylight. In a windowless room you need a grow light running at least 10 to 12 hours a day. A standard ceiling bulb is not bright enough.

How do I know if my plant is not getting enough light?

The plant stretches or leans toward the window. New leaves come in smaller than older ones. Variegated plants lose their pattern and go plain green. Growth slows to almost nothing. Soil stays wet for very long after watering because the plant is not actively drinking.

Are low light plants slower to grow?

Yes. Lower light means slower photosynthesis, so growth slows considerably. ZZ plants and cast iron plants are naturally slow even in good light. That is part of their appeal: they stay tidy, need water less often, and rarely outgrow their pot.