A low light houseplant above all needs to cope well with little light, and only a few species can really do that. For a large houseplant in a low light spot, your best choices are a kentia palm, a rhapis (lady palm), a ZZ plant, a snake plant, a cast iron plant (aspidistra), a ctenanthe or calathea, or a dracaena with green leaves. In the wild these plants grow in the shade of taller trees and can manage with less light than most houseplants.
There is one thing you do need to know: no plant grows in real darkness. A plant makes its energy from light, so a corner that gets hardly any daylight during the day is too dark for any plant. What does work is a north-facing spot, a spot a few metres from the window or a corner next to a window that gets no direct sun. Below you can read how to judge the light in a spot like that, which species suit it and how to adjust your care.
What 'low light' means indoors
When a plant label says that a plant tolerates low light, it means a spot with daylight but without direct sun. Think of a room with north-facing windows, a spot in the middle of a living room or a corner a few metres away from the window. Your eyes adjust quickly, so a spot like that seems brighter to you than it is for a plant.
The amount of light drops quickly the further you get from the window. A plant standing right in front of a north-facing window already gets much more light than a plant three or four metres further into the room. Curtains, net curtains, an overhang, a balcony above your window or trees and buildings across the street also make a spot darker.
A hallway without a window, a bathroom with only a small frosted window or a cellar is not a low light spot, but a spot without light. No plant lasts long there, not even the toughest. If you still want greenery in a spot like that, you need a grow light or you have to move the plant to a brighter spot for a while every few weeks.
How to judge the light in a spot
You do not need a measuring device to see whether a spot is suitable. A few simple tests will get you a long way:
- Look at the sky. Stand or sit where the plant will go and look towards the window. If you can see a patch of sky from there, enough daylight comes in for a plant that tolerates shade. If you can only see a wall or the ceiling, the spot is probably too dark.
- Read some text. If you can comfortably read a book or newspaper in that spot during the day without a lamp, there is enough light for the tough species in this article. If you need to switch on a light to read, the spot is too dark.
- Check which way the window faces. North-facing windows give soft light without sun all day. East and west-facing windows give sun for part of the day. South-facing windows give the most light.
If you want to be more precise, you can use a light meter app on your phone. It is not very accurate, but it clearly shows which spot is brighter or darker. Measure at different times of day, because the light changes a lot between morning and afternoon and between summer and winter.
Large low light houseplants for shade
The species below genuinely tolerate shade or partial shade. They grow more slowly in a dark spot than in a bright one, but they stay healthy if you adjust their care. You will also find all the plants in this overview in the collection houseplants for shade and low light.
1. Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)
The kentia palm is one of the best choices if you are looking for a large houseplant for low light. In the wild it grows in the understorey of forests, so it copes well with a spot with indirect light, even some distance from the window. It grows slowly and so keeps its shape for a long time. It does not like direct midday sun, because the leaves discolour. A large size is, for example, the Kentia palm 220 cm tall, pot ø38 cm, which fills a corner on its own.
2. Rhapis excelsa (lady palm)
The rhapis has several upright stems with fan-shaped leaves. It tolerates shade well and is one of the toughest palms for indoors. This palm also grows slowly, so you rarely need to prune or repot it. The Rhapis excelsa (lady palm) 190 cm tall, pot ø34 cm is broad and full, and fits well in a corner next to a north-facing window.
3. ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
The ZZ plant stores water in thick rhizomes under the soil. That means it can go a long time without water and is one of the easiest houseplants for shade. It tolerates low light, but then grows very slowly. In a dark spot you need to be extra sparing with water. If you want a somewhat larger specimen, take a look at the Zamioculcas 90 cm tall, pot ø21 cm.
4. Sansevieria (snake plant)
Botanists now place the sansevieria in the genus Dracaena, but in shops it is usually still sold as sansevieria, snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue. It has stiff, upright leaves and, like the ZZ plant, stores water. It grows best in bright light, but also tolerates a low light spot. There it hardly grows, but it does stay neat. Overwatering is the biggest risk with this plant.
5. Ctenanthe and calathea (peacock plant)
Ctenanthe and calathea come from the forest floor in tropical regions. They are used to filtered light and quickly get scorched leaves in direct sun. That is why they do well in a low light spot, but they are more sensitive than the species above. They want soil that stays slightly moist, somewhat higher humidity and preferably soft water, such as rainwater or filtered water. The Ctenanthe oppenheimiana 130 cm tall, pot ø27 cm is one of the larger species and has green leaves with silver stripes and a reddish purple underside.
6. Aspidistra (cast iron plant)
The aspidistra has long been known as one of the toughest houseplants for a dark spot. It tolerates low light, cooler rooms and the occasional forgotten watering. It does not grow tall, but forms a broad clump of dark green leaves.
7. Dracaena
Many dracaenas tolerate partial shade. Varieties with dark green leaves in particular, such as Dracaena fragrans 'Cintho', can manage with less light. Variegated varieties with a lot of yellow or white in the leaf need more light to keep their markings. The Dracaena Cintho (dragon tree) 150 cm tall, pot ø27 cm has deep green leaves and suits a spot with indirect light, not too far from the window.
8. Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
The bamboo palm has thin stems that look like bamboo and fine, feathery leaves. It tolerates partial shade and, at a height of around one and a half metres, stays easy to manage. The Chamaedorea seifrizii 150 cm tall, pot ø24 cm is a lighter, airier choice next to a sturdy palm such as the kentia.
A large plant for a dark corner: how to choose
If you are looking for a large plant for a dark corner, the kentia palm and the rhapis are the most suitable. They grow tall, they fill a corner well and they cope better with low light than most large houseplants. If the corner is really far from the window, choose a plant of medium height instead, such as a ZZ plant or cast iron plant, or move the plant a little closer to the window.
Be careful with plants that are often sold as 'partial shade plants' but in practice need a lot of light. A fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) or an umbrella plant (Schefflera) prefers bright indirect light and often loses leaves in a dark corner. Those plants are therefore not a good choice for a houseplant in a dark spot. If you are unsure which plant suits your room, use the plant finder. If you also want to see the larger species for brighter spots, take a look at the collection large houseplants.
Caring for tough low light houseplants
Plants that need little light also use less water and feed. With these adjustments you keep a houseplant in the shade healthy:
- Water less. Always feel the soil with your finger first. Only water when the top few centimetres are dry. With the ZZ plant and snake plant, the soil can dry out almost completely. Calathea and ctenanthe prefer slightly moist soil, but their roots must never stand in water either.
- Dust the leaves. A layer of dust blocks light, and in a dark spot every bit of light counts. Wipe large leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks or put the plant under a lukewarm shower.
- Turn the plant. A plant grows towards the light and so starts to lean. Turn the pot a quarter turn every few weeks, so all sides get light.
- Feed sparingly. A plant that grows slowly needs little feed. Give a low dose now and then in spring and summer and skip feeding in winter.
- Allow for winter. In winter there is even less light. Move the plant a little closer to the window during those months if you can, and water even less.
Common mistakes with a houseplant in a dark spot
Overwatering
This is the most common mistake with easy houseplants for shade. In a dark spot the soil dries out much more slowly. If the plant still gets water every week, the soil stays wet and the roots start to rot. You can tell by yellow, limp leaves, a soft stem or a musty smell from the pot. So water by feel and not on a fixed schedule.
Choosing a spot that is too dark
Even a tough plant needs daylight. A plant that stands in a corner without daylight for months uses up its reserves. It then produces long, thin stems with small leaves, or drops leaves instead. If you see that, move the plant closer to the window.
Moving the plant into full sun too quickly
If a plant has been in a dark spot for a long time, do not suddenly put it in full sun. The leaves are not used to direct sunlight and can scorch. Move it to a brighter spot without direct sun first.
Expecting too much growth
In a low light spot a plant grows slowly. That is normal and not a sign that something is wrong. So it is better to buy a plant at the height you want straight away. You will find a wider range in the collection shade plants. If you still have doubts about your plant's health, you can check with the Plant Doctor.
If you want to bring a large low light houseplant into your home, start with an honest assessment of your spot and then choose a species that suits it. You will find the kentia palm, rhapis, ZZ plant, ctenanthe and dracaena in the collection indoor shade plants, where you can see the height and pot size for each plant.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best indoor plants for shade?
The kentia palm, the lady palm (rhapis), the ZZ plant, the snake plant and the cast iron plant (aspidistra) cope best with low light. If you want a large plant, choose the kentia palm or the rhapis. For a smaller spot, the ZZ plant and the snake plant are the easiest.
Which large houseplant can cope with low light?
The kentia palm and the rhapis (lady palm) are the best large houseplants for low light. In the wild they grow in the shade of taller trees and tolerate a spot with indirect light, even some distance from the window. A dracaena with green leaves is a good second choice for partial shade.
Can a houseplant live in a dark corner without a window?
No, no plant grows in real darkness. Plants make their energy from light, so they need daylight or a grow light. A low light spot means a spot with daylight but without direct sun, such as a north-facing room.
How often should you water a houseplant in the shade?
Less often than a plant in a bright spot, because the soil in a dark spot dries out more slowly. Feel the soil with your finger first and only water when the top few centimetres are dry. With a ZZ plant or snake plant, the soil can dry out almost completely.
What are easy houseplants for shade?
The ZZ plant, snake plant and cast iron plant are the easiest houseplants for shade. They cope with low light and with the occasional forgotten watering. Calathea and ctenanthe also tolerate shade, but need more attention to moisture and humidity.
How do I know if a spot has enough light for a plant?
Look from the plant's spot towards the window: if you can see a patch of sky, there is enough daylight for a plant that tolerates shade. If you can comfortably read there during the day without a lamp, the spot is also suitable. A light meter app on your phone helps you compare spots around the house.
Is a fiddle leaf fig suitable for a dark corner?
No, a fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) prefers bright, indirect light close to the window. In a dark spot it often loses leaves. For a dark corner, a kentia palm, rhapis or ZZ plant is a better choice.
