Low-Light Houseplant Options

Low-Light Houseplant Options

  Houseplants have so much to offer. They can help clean the air, reduce stress, improve concentration and productivity, reduce noise levels, and even boost your mood. Houseplants also offer eye-pleasing aesthetics and can quickly spruce up rooms in your home, apartment, office, or business. Due to the large variety of houseplants available and their differing care requirements, it can be challenging to determine which plant is best for your space and how much light your plant will need. Natural light is a crucial element in the care and growth of a houseplant and is vital for any plant to photosynthesize, which is the process by which plants take the energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates for the plant, better understood as energy. Oxygen is a byproduct of this process, and we all know why oxygen is important! With this process in mind, as houseplant owners, finding the right amount of light for your plant to thrive is essential. Not all spaces have access to an abundance of natural light. Fortunately, there are many plants that can handle low-light environments. In this blog, we will discuss five recommended plants that do well in rooms with low light.

Low-Light Does Not Mean No Light
Before we get into our list, we must cover some common misconceptions. Many mistake low-light tolerant plants to mean that the plant can go in any room or space with minimal to no natural light. It is important to remember that low light does not mean no light. Whatever space you choose for your houseplant must have access to a window. Light is vital for any plant to photosynthesize; without natural light, a plant will slowly die. All plants want to receive bright light, but some tolerate low light better than others.
 
To help you choose the right low-light tolerant plant for your space, Trevor, one of our professional plant care staff at Family Tree Nursery, is here to help discuss the importance of lighting in the art of houseplant care. Trevor says that the best way to determine if a space has bright to low indirect light is to base it on the view of the sky. He suggests getting at your plant's level and looking for the sky. The more sky the plant can see, the more light it will get. It sounds simple, but it is a great tip to help new plant owners determine how much light their plant receives. To help take the guesswork out of finding the right plant for your low-light space, Trevor has curated a list of five of his favorites.

GREAT LOW-LIGHT PLANT OPTIONS

Sansevieria
Sansevieria, also known as the snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue, is a classic and versatile houseplant. Native to Madagascar, Western Africa, and Southern Asia, these plants can thrive in a wide variety of conditions, from full sun outdoors to low light indoors. These plants feature tall, lance-shaped leaves with various shades of green. Sansevieria come in many colors and patterns, complementing many decor styles. These plants also want to dry out completely between watering, which makes them exceptionally low maintenance for any busy plant owner. 
ZZ Plant
Another great low-light plant to add to your home is a ZZ plant. These tried-and-true plants are exceedingly low-maintenance. Native to East Africa, these plants like to be in bright light but also do well in low-light conditions. ZZs feature classic green upright stems and a unique root system resembling potatoes. These root types are called rhizomes. Rhizomal roots hold water exceptionally well, making it vital that the plant is completely dry before watering. These plants can handle neglect and still thrive, making them great for busy plant owners.
Aglaonema commutatum (Chinese Evergreen)
If you want more color in your low-light home, an Aglaonema, commonly called the Chinese Evergreen, is for you. Native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and New Guinea, these leafy plants feature pink, red, white, and different green shade varieties that will brighten any room with their foliage. Chinese Evergreen has some of the most stunning foliage patterns any low-light plant offers. This colorful plant is excellent for a wide range of houseplant lovers. These plants want to dry out between waterings, making them another excellent low-maintenance house plant.
Rhapis excelsa (Lady Palm)
Trevor notes that several palms, such as the Kentia and Bamboo Palm, make great low-light houseplant options. However, his favorite low-light palm in his home is the Rhapis excelsa, more commonly called the Lady Palm. These palms feature fan-like leaves that split down the center, giving them a unique and attractive appearance. They also are low-light tolerant and like to dry between waterings. Growing 6 to 15 feet tall at full maturity, these plants are great to set in the corner of your home and enjoy for years. The Lady Palm is a slow-growing plant, which means it will maintain its size for a long time, making it a perfect addition to any home.
How to Add Natural Light to Your Space 
If you have a room or space without a window but still have a green thumb, Trevor has a solution for you. While the plants he recommended are great in low light, they still need a window to live. That is unless you have grow lights! Trevor has extensive experience with grow lights in his own home and can vouch for their use in your home, too. Grow lights provide a unique opportunity for plant owners to provide specific light settings to support the different functions of a plant. The Miracle LED Full Spectrum Daylight Grow Light provides a full spectrum light that promotes overall healthy plant growth. Red-colored grow lights promote plant flowering, and blue-colored grow lights encourage root growth in propagation and seedlings. You can find these light bulbs in the retail section of a Family Tree Nursery near you. 

Another essential element to consider when purchasing grow lights is buying an outlet timer or a light with a built-in timer. The ideal time for a plant to have a grow light on is around 12 hours, at most 18 hours per day. While lots of light is suitable for plants, they still need a dark period each day; therefore, keeping grow lights on 24/7 is not ideal for the plants. The dark period mimics their natural environment, where there would be nighttime, and the plant can have a resting period from photosynthesizing. Grow lights can also be used in a room that has a window but provides minimal lighting. A grow light can give your plants an extra lighting boost, promoting growth in the plant.
While the concept of plant lighting may seem intimidating to new plant parents, there are many beginner-friendly options that will spruce up your space and help build your confidence as a plant owner! Adding life to any low-light space is easier than you think. You can find all six of these low-light houseplant varieties and grow lights at your local Family Tree Nursery. 
— Cyrus Logan
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