10 plants for dark apartments

The short answer: The ZZ plant, cast iron plant and snake plant are the most reliable in low light. For something trailing, choose pothos. If you have pets, go with a cast iron plant or parlor palm.

Basement apartment. Windows facing a brick wall. A living room where the sun never quite reaches. If that’s you, you’ve probably watched a few “easy” plants slowly fade.

Here’s the truth first: no plant loves darkness. But some plants evolved on the floor of tropical forests, under layers of trees, and they can grow in light levels that would starve most houseplants.

First: how much light do you really have?

“Low light” for a plant is still some light. Try the shadow test at midday on a sunny day:

• Hold your hand about a foot above where the plant will sit.
• Sharp, crisp shadow = bright light.
• Soft, fuzzy shadow = medium light.
• Barely any shadow = low light.
• No shadow at all = too dark for any plant without a grow light.

A rule of thumb: light drops off fast. A plant 6 feet (2 m) from a window gets a fraction of the light it would get on the windowsill. If you can comfortably read a book there during the day without lamps, a low-light plant can live there.

Hemisphere tip: In the US, north-facing windows give the least direct sun. In Australia, it’s the opposite — south-facing windows are the dim ones.

The 10 best plants for low light

1. ZZ plant

The champion. Waxy leaves, water-storing roots and a slow, steady growth rate make it ideal for dark rooms and offices. Water every 2–4 weeks. Toxic to pets. Profile →

2. Cast iron plant

Pet-safe and nearly indestructible. It will sit in a dim hallway for years looking exactly the same. Profile →

3. Snake plant

Grows faster with more light but tolerates very little. Upright shape fits narrow spaces. Toxic to pets. Care guide →

4. Pothos

The best trailing plant for low light, especially plain green varieties like Jade pothos. Variegated types lose their pattern in the dark. Toxic to pets. Profile →

5. Heartleaf philodendron

Similar to pothos, with soft heart-shaped leaves. Perfect for the top of a bookshelf. Toxic to pets.

6. Chinese evergreen

Brings color to a dark room — choose darker green varieties for the lowest light; pink and red types need a bit more. Toxic to pets. Profile →

7. Parlor palm

A soft, pet-safe palm that has graced dim Victorian parlors for 150 years. Profile →

8. Peace lily

One of the few plants that flowers in low-ish light (though it blooms more with more light). Droops when thirsty, so you’ll never wonder. Toxic to pets. Profile →

9. Dracaena (corn plant)

A taller floor plant for a dim corner. Slow-growing and low-maintenance. Toxic to pets. Profile →

10. Bird’s nest fern

The easiest fern for low light, and pet-safe. Loves a bathroom with a small window. Profile →

The #1 mistake in dark rooms: watering like it’s bright

A plant in low light photosynthesizes slowly, which means it drinks slowly. The soil stays wet much longer than you expect, and that’s when roots rot.

• Water only when the soil is dry 2 inches down (all the way down for ZZ and snake plants).
• Use pots with drainage holes.
• In winter, water even less. Our complete watering guide →

Help your plants get more light

• Clean your windows — dirty glass blocks a surprising amount of light.
• Dust the leaves once a month with a damp cloth.
• Use mirrors and light-colored walls to bounce light around.
• Rotate pots a quarter turn every couple of weeks so they don’t lean.
• Add a grow bulb. A full-spectrum LED bulb in a regular lamp, on a timer for 10–12 hours a day, turns a dark corner into a perfectly good plant spot — and uses little electricity.

Signs your plant needs more light

• New leaves are smaller than old ones.
• Long, bare stems between leaves (“leggy” growth).
• Variegated leaves turn plain green.
• The plant leans hard toward the window.
• No new growth at all in spring and summer.

If you see these, move the plant closer to the window or add a grow light. For pets in the home, our pet-safe plant list is sorted by light level.