Low Light Houseplants Anyone Can Grow
With the unofficial end to summer upon us, people will be spending more time indoors. Just remember plants can come inside with you and become houseplants. Don’t leave the fresh air producing plants out when you're preparing your indoor refuge from the cold air that will inevitably be upon us before we know it.
Did you know that the air inside most office buildings, schools, apartment complexes, and even single family homes can contain 10 times more pollution than outdoor air? This is a consequence of the toxic emissions from building materials, furniture, and various other pollutants. Adding houseplants to your home is a sustainable way to improve your indoor air quality quickly. Having houseplants is not only pleasing to the senses, but NASA has found many indoor plants to be surprisingly efficient at absorbing harmful gasses and cleaning indoor air.
Let’s face it not everyone has vast expanses of large sunny windows. Apartment dwellers, for example, may have a north facing exposure where no direct sunlight enters the windows. Homeowners who enjoy the shade of large trees which aid in cooling of the home often lacks bright sunlight. Perhaps you just graduated from college and entered the world of work and they assigned you to the centermost cubicle in the room.
The following list of plants has been specially chosen for you. These are plants that will thrive in a low-light environment such as an office, classroom, or apartment. You see, maybe you don’t yet deserve the corner office yet but you do deserve fresh air, beauty, and a plant buddy for your desk or apartment. Houseplants can also be the best roommates or houseguests.
Woodies Favorite Low Light Level Houseplants
The following list contains some of our absolute favorite low light level houseplants. You’ll find these easy to grow and very long lived.
Pothos
Pothos has been given the nickname "the cubicle plant" for its ability to grow in less-than-ideal environments such as offices. Plants truly don’t get much easier to grow than pothos. Pothos removes benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air. These chemicals come from carpets. Pothos produces long trailing stems that can be cut back as they outgrow their area. It thrives in low light levels. Allow soil to dry out between watering.
There are many different variations of pothos available including Marble Queen with splashes of yellow and white on each leaf. Jade pothos has dark green leaves. Neon pothos produces bright chartreuse foliage. Our new favorite is Pothos Silver Satin with rich silver splotches on dark green leaves that truly resemble satin on the leaves.
Snake Plant
This is another really easy plant to grow. Snake plants remove benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene from the air but there are more benefits than just that. Not only are snake plants unbelievably easy to grow and great air cleaners, but they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen at night while most other plants are sleeping. Most plants only have the ability to do this during daylight hours. Studies have shown that snake plants are one of the best plants to have in your bedroom. They thrive in low light and prefer to be kept slightly on the dry side.
There are many styles of snake plants available including Black Coral with dark green almost black leaves. Black Gold is just like black coral but with leaves that are edged in bright gold which creates a bold contrasting effect, Moonshine which has silvery foliage. Cylindrical snake plant looks like long fingers reaching skyward.
ZZ Plant
Few plants are as tolerant to a wide range of conditions, including low light, low humidity, and periods of drought as the most popular ZZ Plant. Because of its tolerant nature, it will survive in just about any corner of your home or office even if you only water it once every couple of weeks. ZZ plant doesn't even need natural light. It will thrive indoors under fluorescent lights, such as those in an office building.
Cast Iron Plant
Cast Iron Plant is a great houseplant choice for beginners. It performs well with minimal care. Cast Iron plants handle the lowest light conditions, from fluorescent light to bright, indirect light indoors. They take well to drying out between watering and don’t need to be fed often. Cast Iron Plants are really as tough as the name implies. These plants do extremely well in offices or buildings where they can live away from windows or natural light.
Spider Plant
Spider Plants do well with fluorescent light to bright, indirect light. If they are given too much light, they will lose their variegation and the leaves will start to burn. Spider Plants like to dry out between watering and produce small white flowers on long thin green strands that become spider plant pups. These plants are incredibly easy to maintain. Spider Plants remove formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air. They make great little plants for the cubicle in pots or as a hanging houseplant.
Ficus Benjamina
Ficus Benjamina is one of the most common houseplants grown today. The solid green leaves arise from a beautiful light gray trunk that can be braided for added interest. These plants prefer bright, indirect light and they prefer to dry out between watering. It’s best to keep Ficus Benjamina in the same location in the home because any change in moisture, light or location will cause the plant to drop some of its leaves to adjust. They will re-grow new leaves but often causes some concern from the owner when it drops leaves. Ficus Benjamina removes formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air.
Peace Lily Plants
Peace Lily is a graceful, peaceful plant that works with any décor. Peace lilies do best when placed in fluorescent to bright indirect light with consistent moisture. They like to dry out some, but do not like to constantly dry out. Peace Lily flowers are a cream colored. The glossy green foliage does well in apartments and offices, and actually cleans the indoor air of toxins, including benzene, toluene, xylene, trichloroethylene, ammonia, and formaldehyde. Peace Lilies are renowned throughout the world for their low maintenance care.