34 Best Low-Light Indoor Plants for Your Space

Grow happy houseplants, no matter how dark your space is.

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As the fall and winter months bring shorter days and cooler temperatures, the reduced natural sunlight can be challenging for everyone. We often turn to SAD lamps, vacations to sunny locations, and cozy throw blankets for comfort. However, humans aren't the only ones feeling the lack of light—our houseplants are too. Most indoor plants are tropical in nature, thriving in warm temperatures, high humidity, and plenty of sunlight—all of which dwindle in winter. Fortunately, many low-light indoor plants can flourish without the need for grow lights during this season.

In the natural world, these low-light indoor plants are found in environments such as rainforests or forest floors, where sunlight is filtered and diffused. Indoors, low light might be near a north-facing window, where sunlight is limited to mornings or afternoons, or in shaded areas throughout the day. The best low-light indoor plants can thrive on minimal direct sunlight and can even survive in darker conditions long-term during winter months.

However, low light doesn't always equate to low maintenance, as other factors contribute to a plant's survival, with sunlight being paramount. If you're looking to fill your space with houseplants but are unsure where to begin, consider choosing low-light indoor plants that are also low-maintenance. This approach is ideal for new plant enthusiasts or those who struggle with plant care. Start with an easy-to-care-for plant like a spider plant or pothos to gain confidence before expanding your indoor garden. Read on to learn more about the 34 best low-light indoor plants that will thrive all winter long.

Water: Once a week

This sweet houseplant holds a secret: It’ll bloom green flower spikes and white flowers throughout the spring. Just be sure to keep it out of bright, direct light as too much light will cause the leaves to scorch and burn. This is a tropical plant, so the warmer (and less drafty) your environment, the better.

Water: Once a week to every 10 days

Whereas most houseplants require ample sunlight to thrive, this Hoya variety prefers high humidity instead. Group it with your other houseplants or place it on a tray filled with water and pebbles to keep it moist. Lively Root recommends using plant food or fertilizer once a month to encourage strong new leaves.

Water: Once a week

Ideal for bathrooms and other high-humidity environments, English ivy is a low-maintenance plant that doesn't require bright sunlight to thrive. Because this low-light indoor plant grows wild and fast, we recommend placing it in a hanging planter or using vine supports to help guide the new growth.

Related: 15 Indoor Climbing Plants to Make Your Home Look Lush

Water: every 2 weeks or so

In shades of white, pink, and green, this colorful specimen has large, variegated leaves. We love this low-light indoor plant for its low water and indirect light requirements, which make it ideal for houseplant beginners. Plant this one in a pot slightly larger than its nursery pot to allow the roots to spread out.

Water: Every 10 days to two weeks

This type of philodendron has leaves that mimic the colors of a stunning sunset. But as it ages, the leaves will slowly transform into a rich green or copper hue. Best for indirect light or north-facing windowsills, you'll know if this low-light indoor plant needs more sun if new leaves are growing without colorful pigmentation.

Related: How to Grow and Care for a Philodendron Plant

Water: Once a week

House Beautiful’s digital editor, Kate McGregor, opted for a Boston Fern because she knew it had a chance at surviving in her north-facing apartment that gets no direct light. So far, so good: “As long as I remember to mist it to add humidity, this low-light indoor plant does great in my low-light space,” she says. “I prune every few months to keep the fronds from getting unruly.”

Water: Once or twice a week

With its stunning variegated leaves and trailing vines, this pothos variety is a great way to break up the many shades of green in your houseplant collection. Provide this low-light indoor plant with indirect sunlight and hang it up high to let the vines really show off.

Related: How to Grow and Care for Pothos Plants

Water: Every two to three weeks, allowing soil to dry out between waterings

House Beautiful associate editor Jessica Cherner got a snake plant back in July 2020, and it's still thriving. “I got a plant because I wanted to add a little bit of color and life to my apartment, but I didn’t want to spend more than a few minutes here and there taking care of it,” she says. “I literally water it every six to eight weeks, and that’s more than enough.”

If you have pets, you may want to keep them away from your snake plant because, although it's not fatally poisonous, your cats and dogs can get sick if they ingest even a few bites.

Related: How to Care for a Snake Plant

Water: Once a week

With fronds that resemble the shape of a rabbit’s foot (a well-known good-luck charm), the rabbit foot fern thrives in indirect light with plenty of humidity. If you have a window in your bathroom, that’s the ideal spot for this fast-growing plant. But be sure to keep it off the windowsill since direct sun will scald its leaves.

Water: Every two weeks

Available in a variety of sizes, the prayer plant is named for its leaves that open and close as the sun rises and sets. While the changing leaves may seem finicky, this resilient plant is surprisingly easy to care for. Plus, it acts as a natural air purifier. Water it when the top quarter of the soil is dry.

Water: Every one to two weeks

This low-light indoor plant, also known as the Victorian parlor palm, is famously resilient. Plus, who wouldn’t love those pretty, feathery leaves that liven up any bland corner of your home? It does well in medium light but can survive in lower light areas as well. Though this palm likes humidity and extra moisture, you can water it sparingly. At least every two weeks is more than enough. It’s also nontoxic for your cats and dogs.

Water: Once every seven to 10 days

Since this is one of the most durable indoor plants on offer—it does quite well in low light and needs to be fertilized only once or twice a year—it’s ideal for beginner gardeners. In fact, these plants don’t even need natural light to grow; they’ll survive just as well in artificial light. They also do best in dry air, so this is one plant you may not want to display in your bathroom. Sadly, the aglaonema is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, so keep it away from your pets.

Water: Once a week, enough to cover the roots

Said to bring good luck and fortune, the lucky bamboo plant craves some light but can fully thrive in shady areas. Its best feature, however, is its ability to remove benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from the air while also acting as a natural humidifier. It’s toxic to cats and dogs, so keep them safe by placing your lucky bamboo out of reach.

Water: Two to three times a week

This quick-growing tree adds life to any room in the house. Just make sure you’re giving it enough water. Place it in a deep planter filled with well-draining soil, and give it a big drink when the top several inches of soil are dry. It does well in indirect light, so instead of placing it by a window opt for a corner that gets plenty of diffuse light. The ficus tree is toxic to cats and dogs.

Water: When soil is dry, about once a week

This houseplant can actually survive on fluorescent light alone and thrives in humid conditions like bathrooms. That’s not why we love bromeliads, though. They can grow on the ground, on rocks, or on other plants and trees. How cool is that? They’re also nontoxic to cats and dogs, making them one of our favorite plants around.

Related: 10 Best Types of Bromeliads to Grow

Water: One cup of water per week

The devil’s ivy golden pothos plant (also known as pothos, which is Greek for “longing”) gets its name from its unique ability to grow vines even in the worst conditions. Because of its superpower, we suggest keeping this low-light indoor plant on its own inside rather than among other plants outdoors, where it can basically strangle the rest of your greenery. Keep it in bright, indirect sunlight and away from your cats and dogs because it can be fatal if ingested.

Water: Once a week

Maranta red prayer plants prefer brighter light, but they can handle low light just as well. The only downside to minimal light is lackluster leaves, which isn’t indicative of any issues; it’s just a side effect of low-light conditions. These plants are a bit on the temperamental side because they require a lot of humidity to thrive. They’re also nontoxic to cats and dogs, so feel free to leave your greenery on the floor.

Water: Once a week

Spiky leaves that grow upward and have prominent red outlines make these plants pretty striking, but too much direct sunlight can damage them. Keep your leaves healthy by placing it far from the window that gets the most sun; it’ll do best in a spot that gets plenty of bright indirect sunlight. Though Madagascar dragon trees aren't known to cause any issues in dogs, they can induce drooling, vomiting, weakness, incoordination, and dilated pupils in cats.

Water: Once a week

The spider plant’s adaptability makes it super easy to grow and, therefore, one of the most popular houseplants. As far as care goes, it’s pretty straightforward. Just place your spider plant in bright to moderate light in a room that’s a comfortable temperature for everyone, including you. Any temperature that feels too hot or cold could lead to an early death for your spider plant. One more thing: Be sure to keep the soil slightly moist at all times. (You may want to invest in a spray bottle.) Lastly, these plants are not toxic to cats and dogs, so nothing will happen to your pets if they chomp on some leaves every now and then.

Water: Once a week

Hoyas, or wax plants, are not picky houseplants. They’ll thrive in bright light but do just fine in lower light conditions. They’re also super low maintenance and can bounce back if you forget to water them for a little while. One word of advice: Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings because soil that’s too wet will cause the leaves to drop. If they do fall off and your pets eat them, they’ll live to tell the tale because wax plants aren’t toxic to cats or dogs.

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