How Do I... Grow Indoor Plants in Low Light?
Love greenery but live in a dimly lit home? Our expert shares six shade-loving indoor plants and how to care for them
Georgia Madden
19 October 2018
In this practical series, we ask experts to answer your burning home and design questions. Here, Angie Thomas, horticultural consultant to Yates, recommends six plants that thrive in dimly lit homes.
While it’s true that most indoor plants do best in bright but indirect light, you will find some that happily tolerate less sunshine. Pick the right plant for the right spot and, with a little care, it will flourish.
Here are six plants that do well in dimly lit areas, such as hallways, south-facing bedrooms and bathrooms without windows.
Here are six plants that do well in dimly lit areas, such as hallways, south-facing bedrooms and bathrooms without windows.
1. Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)
This plant, known for its beautifully coloured foliage, needs just a few hours of indirect sunlight a day and likes to be positioned in a warm spot that is protected from cold draughts.
Growth: These plants grow to around 30 centimetres tall. But this can take several years, so you can keep them in the same pot for years.
Feeding: Regular liquid fertilising will help promote lovely, lush leaf growth.
Watering: Water regularly with tepid water and spray the leaves with water of the same temperature from time to time. It’s a good idea to let the potting mix dry out slightly between waterings.
This plant, known for its beautifully coloured foliage, needs just a few hours of indirect sunlight a day and likes to be positioned in a warm spot that is protected from cold draughts.
Growth: These plants grow to around 30 centimetres tall. But this can take several years, so you can keep them in the same pot for years.
Feeding: Regular liquid fertilising will help promote lovely, lush leaf growth.
Watering: Water regularly with tepid water and spray the leaves with water of the same temperature from time to time. It’s a good idea to let the potting mix dry out slightly between waterings.
2. Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum)
Also known as pothos, this tough climbing plant will flourish with just a few hours of filtered sunlight a day. It looks great trailing off shelves or climbing up a support structure indoors or out. It does best in humid spots such as bathrooms and kitchens, but will grow in less moist rooms too.
Growth: Needs regular trimming as the leafy stems can grow several metres long if left untended.
Feeding: Regular liquid fertilising will encourage healthy growth.
Watering: Water every week or so in summer and about every two weeks in winter. Devil’s ivy will not tolerate soggy soil, so let it dry out slightly before giving it a drink.
Also known as pothos, this tough climbing plant will flourish with just a few hours of filtered sunlight a day. It looks great trailing off shelves or climbing up a support structure indoors or out. It does best in humid spots such as bathrooms and kitchens, but will grow in less moist rooms too.
Growth: Needs regular trimming as the leafy stems can grow several metres long if left untended.
Feeding: Regular liquid fertilising will encourage healthy growth.
Watering: Water every week or so in summer and about every two weeks in winter. Devil’s ivy will not tolerate soggy soil, so let it dry out slightly before giving it a drink.
3. Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria)
With its bold, structural shape and low-light requirements, there’s much to love about mother-in-law’s tongue as a house plant. Also known as snake plant, it requires little more than a few hours of indirect light a day. Being narrow, it’s also a great choice for tight spaces and small rooms.
Growth: These upright plants reach one metre in height.
Feeding: Feed with liquid plant food a few times a year, and separate and repot any congested clumps of plants.
Watering: Do not overwater: aim for once a fortnight in summer and once a month in winter. This plant doesn’t like wet feet, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
With its bold, structural shape and low-light requirements, there’s much to love about mother-in-law’s tongue as a house plant. Also known as snake plant, it requires little more than a few hours of indirect light a day. Being narrow, it’s also a great choice for tight spaces and small rooms.
Growth: These upright plants reach one metre in height.
Feeding: Feed with liquid plant food a few times a year, and separate and repot any congested clumps of plants.
Watering: Do not overwater: aim for once a fortnight in summer and once a month in winter. This plant doesn’t like wet feet, so allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
4. ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
With its glossy, fleshy leaves and stems, this plant has a wonderfully prehistoric appearance. It copes well with low-light conditions, and does best in humid spots such as the bathroom or kitchen.
Growth: Reach 80 centimetres in height. These plants are slow growers and can remain in the same pot for several years.
Feeding: Regular liquid fertilising will encourage healthy growth.
Watering: It does best when kept on the dry side. Water about once a fortnight.
With its glossy, fleshy leaves and stems, this plant has a wonderfully prehistoric appearance. It copes well with low-light conditions, and does best in humid spots such as the bathroom or kitchen.
Growth: Reach 80 centimetres in height. These plants are slow growers and can remain in the same pot for several years.
Feeding: Regular liquid fertilising will encourage healthy growth.
Watering: It does best when kept on the dry side. Water about once a fortnight.
5. Prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura)
Prayer plants have pretty, patterned markings and the leaves move upwards at night as if in prayer. They do well in both bright and filtered light. Prayer plants are humidity lovers, making them a good choice for bathrooms and kitchens.
Growth: Reach a height of up to 30 centimetres.
Feeding: Feed fortnightly with a liquid plant food in the summer months.
Watering: Prayer plants don’t like to dry out, so keep the potting mix consistently moist.
Prayer plants have pretty, patterned markings and the leaves move upwards at night as if in prayer. They do well in both bright and filtered light. Prayer plants are humidity lovers, making them a good choice for bathrooms and kitchens.
Growth: Reach a height of up to 30 centimetres.
Feeding: Feed fortnightly with a liquid plant food in the summer months.
Watering: Prayer plants don’t like to dry out, so keep the potting mix consistently moist.
6. Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
This plant is great for bringing a lush, jungle-like feel to your interior. It grows tall so works well in larger spaces such as living rooms. It enjoys a few hours of indirect sunlight a day.
Growth: These plants grow to 90 centimetres, but they grow slowly, so can stay in one pot for years. Remove dead leaves to keep the plant looking tidy and dust leaves regularly.
Feeding: Encourage lush, leafy growth with regular applications of liquid plant food.
Watering: Water when the soil feels dry. It’s best to keep the potting mix slightly moist, but this plant will tolerate being slightly dry between waterings.
This plant is great for bringing a lush, jungle-like feel to your interior. It grows tall so works well in larger spaces such as living rooms. It enjoys a few hours of indirect sunlight a day.
Growth: These plants grow to 90 centimetres, but they grow slowly, so can stay in one pot for years. Remove dead leaves to keep the plant looking tidy and dust leaves regularly.
Feeding: Encourage lush, leafy growth with regular applications of liquid plant food.
Watering: Water when the soil feels dry. It’s best to keep the potting mix slightly moist, but this plant will tolerate being slightly dry between waterings.
Tell us
Have you had success growing plants in low light? Tell us in the Comments which plants have thrived in your home. And remember to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation.
More
Find a gardener near you
Have you had success growing plants in low light? Tell us in the Comments which plants have thrived in your home. And remember to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation.
More
Find a gardener near you
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So funny! Back in the Edwardian era they grew pretty much all of these indoors.They were the only plants that would grow in such dimly lit, small windows homes. They were grown to purify the air. In the 70's Mother -in -law's tongue and cast iron plant were the big hits of the time. Then they went out of favour. Now all these years later the same plants are now seen as fashionable.
I've had success with peace lilies – they don't seem to mind dim light either.
Novemberljus, elefantöra.