Low-Light Plants
For north windows and the far side of the room.
The best houseplants for low light are ZZ plant, snake plant, pothos, heartleaf philodendron, cast iron plant, Chinese evergreen, peace lily and parlor palm: understory plants that tolerate a north window or the far side of a room. They survive dim light rather than thrive in it, so place them as close to a window as you can, water only when the soil has dried (it dries slowly in low light), and add an LED grow light where it is too dark to read comfortably by daylight.
- Native to shaded forest floors or understory
- Keeps its leaves and color in a north window or several feet from a bright one
- Grows slowly without stretching badly
- Tolerates the slower-drying soil of a dim room
Alocasia
Alocasia spp. (incl. Alocasia × amazonica)- Bright indirect; at an east window or 5–6 ft back from a south window, no direct midday sun
- When the top 2 in. are dry: every 4–6 days in summer, every 12–20 in winter
- Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA): insoluble calcium oxalates
Begonia
Begonia spp.- Bright indirect; flowering types tolerate gentle morning sun
- When the surface is dry to the touch; never leave wet
- Toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA)
Calathea
Goeppertia spp. (formerly Calathea)- Bright indirect light; 3–6 ft from a south/west window or at a north/east window; no direct sun
- Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1/2–1 inch is dry (about every 5–7 days in summer, 7–12 in winter); filtered or rain water
- Non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA, Calathea spp.)
Monstera
Monstera deliciosa- Bright indirect; tolerates medium light, but leaves stay smaller and less split
- When top 2–3 in. are dry: about every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 in winter
- Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA): insoluble calcium oxalates
Parlor palm
Chamaedorea elegans- Medium to low indirect light: 6–12 ft from a south window or at a north window; no direct midday sun
- When the top 1 in is dry: about every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 days in winter; soft water
- Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA)
Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum spp.- Bright indirect light for blooms; tolerates low light (no direct midday sun)
- When the top 1 inch is dry or leaves begin to sag; every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 in winter
- Toxic to dogs and cats per ASPCA (insoluble calcium oxalates)
Pothos
Epipremnum aureum- Bright indirect; east or west window, south behind a sheer; tolerates medium light, variegated types fade in shade
- When the top 1–2 in. are dry: about every 5–8 days in summer, every 10–14 days in winter
- Toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA): insoluble calcium oxalates; sap can irritate skin
Prayer plant
Maranta leuconeura- Medium to bright indirect; north or east window, or 5–8 ft from a south window; no direct sun
- Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1 in. is dry, about every 3–4 days in summer, every 7–10 days in winter
- Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA)
Snake plant
Dracaena trifasciata (syn. Sansevieria trifasciata)- Low to bright indirect; tolerates some direct sun
- When soil is fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–8 weeks winter
- Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA): saponins
ZZ plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia- Low to bright indirect; no hot direct sun
- When fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–6 weeks winter
- Toxic if eaten (calcium oxalates); not pet-safe
Comparison: which one fits your conditions
| Plant | Light | Water | Difficulty | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alocasia | Bright indirect; at an east window or 5–6 ft back from a south window, no direct midday sun | When the top 2 in. are dry: every 4–6 days in summer, every 12–20 in winter | Demanding | Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA): insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Begonia | Bright indirect; flowering types tolerate gentle morning sun | When the surface is dry to the touch; never leave wet | Moderate | Toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA) |
| Calathea | Bright indirect light; 3–6 ft from a south/west window or at a north/east window; no direct sun | Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1/2–1 inch is dry (about every 5–7 days in summer, 7–12 in winter); filtered or rain water | Moderate | Non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA, Calathea spp.) |
| Monstera | Bright indirect; tolerates medium light, but leaves stay smaller and less split | When top 2–3 in. are dry: about every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 in winter | Easy | Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA): insoluble calcium oxalates |
| Parlor palm | Medium to low indirect light: 6–12 ft from a south window or at a north window; no direct midday sun | When the top 1 in is dry: about every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 days in winter; soft water | Easy | Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA) |
| Peace Lily | Bright indirect light for blooms; tolerates low light (no direct midday sun) | When the top 1 inch is dry or leaves begin to sag; every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 in winter | Easy | Toxic to dogs and cats per ASPCA (insoluble calcium oxalates) |
| Pothos | Bright indirect; east or west window, south behind a sheer; tolerates medium light, variegated types fade in shade | When the top 1–2 in. are dry: about every 5–8 days in summer, every 10–14 days in winter | Easy | Toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA): insoluble calcium oxalates; sap can irritate skin |
| Prayer plant | Medium to bright indirect; north or east window, or 5–8 ft from a south window; no direct sun | Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1 in. is dry, about every 3–4 days in summer, every 7–10 days in winter | Moderate | Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA) |
| Snake plant | Low to bright indirect; tolerates some direct sun | When soil is fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–8 weeks winter | Easy | Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA): saponins |
| ZZ plant | Low to bright indirect; no hot direct sun | When fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–6 weeks winter | Easy | Toxic if eaten (calcium oxalates); not pet-safe |
Many classic houseplants come from tropical forest floors, where little direct sun reaches. Iowa State University Extension points out that this ability to grow in low light is exactly what makes them good indoor plants, but also that even plants that do well in low light look their best in bright, indirect light. Think of this collection as plants that cope, not plants that want the dark.
How dim is your spot?
Iowa State lists what controls the light a plant gets: window direction, distance from the glass, window size and curtains or films. Light levels drop quickly a few feet from the window, and the areas beside a window are darker than they look. A simple test: at midday, hold your hand a foot above the plant. A sharp shadow means bright light; a soft, fuzzy shadow means medium; barely any shadow means low light.
The best low-light houseplants
- ZZ plant: glossy and nearly indestructible; stores water in its rhizomes.
- Snake plant: upright, slow, extremely tolerant.
- Pothos and philodendron: trailing, fast in medium light, slow but fine in low.
- Cast iron plant: dark leaves for the dimmest corner.
- Chinese evergreen: patterned leaves; the darker green types handle less light.
- Peace lily: one of the few plants that may still bloom in modest light.
- Parlor palm: a pet-safe palm for a north room.
- Dracaena: tolerant in medium light.
Care in low light
- Place the plant as close to the window as possible; even a few feet makes a big difference.
- Water less often: soil in a dim room may stay damp for two weeks or more. Overwatering is the main risk.
- Feed sparingly, at quarter strength in spring and summer; a plant barely growing uses little fertilizer.
- Dust the leaves so they can capture the light available.
- Rotate the pot a quarter turn every few weeks to keep growth even.
When to add a grow light
If the plant stretches toward the window, new leaves are smaller than old ones, or variegation fades, it needs more light. A small full-spectrum LED fixture a foot or two above the plant for 10 to 12 hours a day makes most of these plants grow like they would by a bright window; Iowa State's guide to supplemental lights explains how to choose one.
Pets
Per the ASPCA plant list, cast iron plant and parlor palm are non-toxic, while pothos, philodendron, snake plant, dracaena, Chinese evergreen and peace lily are toxic to cats and dogs. See pet-safe plants and bedroom plants for more.
Often mislabeled: plants that don't belong here
| Plant | Why it doesn't really fit |
|---|---|
| Succulents and cacti | Drought-tolerant, which is often confused with shade-tolerant; most stretch and rot in low light. |
| Fiddle-leaf fig | Needs bright light and drops leaves in a dim room. |
| Variegated cultivars | White or yellow variegation fades or reverts to green in low light, and the plant grows more slowly. |
Frequently asked questions
What is considered low light for houseplants?
Can a houseplant live with no natural light?
Do low-light plants need less water?
What is the best low-light plant for a bathroom?
Which low-light plants are pet-safe?
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these publications. Links open in a new tab.
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List www.aspca.org
- Iowa State University Extension — growing indoor plants under supplemental lights yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
- Iowa State University Extension — how care houseplants yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu