I’m sharing 13 tough low light indoor plants with you today, one of my top posts of 2018. Some of them are tough as nails plants that you can’t kill easily. A few will grow with just about no light or fluorescent lights in an office. Many are forgiving drought tolerant low light indoor plants that accept and even thrive on neglect.
Looking through several older posts and photos of my home it struck me that while decorated and often pretty, some spaces lacked warmth. I’ve had one very tolerant low light plant that made appearances in several staged rooms and photos over the past three or four years. I was using it to add warmth to my photos. I felt like it was time to step up my game, commit and permanently add a few plants around my home. That way I could enjoy them all of the time and reap the benefits of indoor plants around the house.
You’d think that living by the water in a Florida beach house we’d be all windows and sunshine. Yeah, that’s for magazine photos of dream homes. Our reality, while it is nice, is a long (30 foot long to be exact) living room with only a front window under a porch and back windows that allow filtered light in.
Before I invested in new plants and pretty decor planters, I needed to pick the right low light plants for my home. I thought I’d share my shade loving plant research with you guys!
I use affiliate links to help you find the items I listed and used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Best Tough Low Light Indoor Plants for Hanging Baskets
You’re probably familiar with many of these low light tough as nails houseplants. I suppose they are around everywhere for a reason, like survival of the fittest. You’ve heard me say this before, the one thing I swear by with all of my plants is using SuperThrive on my plants! They grow like crazy.
Pothos, Devils Ivy or Epipremnum can be found with plain leaves and variegated. I added a pop of color to a dark corner by my DIY media console . Yes, that is a Wall Mounted TV Cabinet, another DIY project! …let me get back on track with my favorite low light houseplants 🙂
Heart Leaf Philodendron ,Philodendron cordatum, grows anywhere but not in full sun. There are vine and shrub versions.
Spider Plant or Airplane Plant– Chlorophytum comosum. Grows fast and spectacular in hanging baskets. I planted this little spider plant in a hanging basket for our heavily shaded front porch. It won’t be long before it’s full and cascading down.
Super Hardy and Tough Low Light Indoor Plants
Cast Iron Plant – Aspidistra , I read this plant even grows when it’s neglected! It’s also not bad looking either.
Snake Plant– also known as Mother in Law’s Tongue or Sansevieria. Very hardy, grows without much light! When the first part of a description reads impossible to kill I know this is my kind of plant! Oddly enough Snake Plants are also listed as a tough as nails outdoor plant. My neighbors have huge pots of these in the direct sunlight and they never die!
Low Light Loving Palms
Areca Palm – Dypsis Lutesens. I’ve had this one for about 3 years and it’s survived in spite of the neglect. Too much sun and the fronds get yellowish. It likes indirect light and drier soil. Plant it outside (in Florida) and it grows huge. We have them as hedges too.
You guys have seen this low light plant in lots of my photos!
Parlor Palm – Chamaedorea. Been in use since the Victorian times. I read it’s ability to put up with low light, drought and general abuse is legendary.
Other Durable Low Light Plants
Peace Lilly – Spathyphyllium. My front door is too shaded and flowers just won’t grow there. This is the second time I’ve had a peace lily plant in this spot. The first one lasted forever until it got too big for the pot. You may remember this DIY Planter Stand I made for the front door. I mixed in some pink polka dot plants and small leaf ivy along with my Peace Lily in an attempt to make a mixed planter. I don’t think the polka dot plants are happy here. Not enough sunlight.
Boston Fern – Nephrolepis exaltata. Looks great in planters by a front door. Likes brighter indirect light, but grows fine on my low-light front porch too. Doesn’t like to dry out though which makes it fussier in my book.
Bromeliads – Guzmania. Slow growing which is great when you want a plant as a decor item on a table top! Can live on florescent light alone, low or medium indirect light, loves humidity. Long lasting blooms come in red, pink, orange and yellow.
Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema. Super hardy, grows in low, medium or bright light. Lots of varieties and the red variegated is pretty!
Dracaena – Corn Plant, Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana” Likes indirect light.
Dieffenbachia – Exotica Dumb Cane. While Dieffenbachia loves bright indirect light it does well in low-light too.
Have you found my Is my list of tough low light indoor plants helpful?
Don’t forget to share this on Facebook with your friends and pin it for later!
Whew, after shopping for durable low light plants, talking to friends with some plant know-how and a bit of online research I’ve put together quite a list of tough low light indoor plants for your home. Now, all I need to do is pick out a few more planters that compliment my decor and the style of the plant to turn them into home decor! Remember, you can save money on planters and easily Drill Holes In Ceramic Planters for draining. It’s easy!
Do you have any favorite tough low light indoor plants that I didn’t list below? I love when our community shares info to help each other out. Share your knowledge below in the comment section!
Shirley Wood says
My family thinks I have a green thumb with houseplants. I have always enjoyed taking care of them. We have Pothos in multiple rooms and the Snake plant inside and out on the porch. Interesting that I left one in and put one on the porch this year. The one on the porch will have to be divided at the end of summer! I nearly killed my Christmas Cactus trying an experiment to force it to bloom, didn’t work but it’s recuperating nicely. Most of my indoor plants are located near a window except one Pothos. I love house plants! #merrymonday
Wendi says
Hi Shirley! My snake plant loves both outside and inside…or at least it’s living in both places. It’s been fun having live plants that stay alive. Plus, they do so much for the decor. So glad your Christmas cactus survived! LOL.. that’s funny, I would have tried something like that too!
Tata says
I have a Christmas cactus that is a cutting of one that has been in my family for years. The original plant was my great grandmother’s. I am rooting some for all of my kids.
Wendi says
Hi Tata, What a beautiful gift for your children! We have a Christmas cactus from our Mom as well. I hadn’t thought of sharing it with the family. I think we’ll “borrow” your idea and do that too! 🙂 Yes, they are tough plants! Thanks so much for sharing your family story and the idea of sharing a special plant!
Julie says
A great list. We have several of these around our house and they are all very good tempered and easy to grow.
Wendi says
Hi Julie! Thanks so much! I now have a bunch from this list too and they do well, even for a plant killer like me! I’m loving the cozy touch they add to my rooms. Thanks so much for your visit and note!
Kelsey says
This is a list I needed to find- I am a bonafide plant-killer and my apartment is in the shade of some tall fir trees. I will check these out, thanks!
Wendi says
Hi Kelsey! I can relate I felt like that too. It’s frustrating to not be able to keep things alive! I hope this list helps. I’ve had good results with it 🙂 Thanks so much for your visit & note & good luck with your next set of plants!
Rev. Suzanne says
Hello Wendy,
I have a large variety of houseplants that are either high, medium low, or indirect bright light. Some of them are the poinsettias, one of which I’ve had for about three years and still thriving. Snake plant, rhododendrons, begonias, ivy, orchids, Christmas and Easter cacti, streptocarpella, streptocarpus, African violets, peace lily and several types of succulents. I really do enjoy them all. Many are gifts from my children and many I have bought or propagated. The main ingredient to growing plants, indoors or out, is love. Raising plants is like raising children. If they don’t get love, they wither.
Thank you for this list. Thank you for your blog. Be blessed.
Wendi says
Hi Rev Suzanne! Wow, you’ve got houseplants 101 down to a science. What sweet memories you must have in the different plants that were gifts and the ones you started too. We have a Christmas cactus in the family that was my mother’s. It’s made the round between my sisters and I and it’s huge. You are so right about love being an ingredient necessary to grow plants. I enjoy the outside garden and relaxing in it, I supposed I’ll have a version of that for inside too. I’m so happy you enjoy my blog. Thanks so much for your visit lovely note.
Rev. Suzanne says
Dear Wendi,
Thank you for your lovely reply to my comment. Your replying shows us that you do read our comments and that you care about us as much as we care about you.
I would so enjoy reading an informational blog about cacti. Would also like to see a photo of your “huge” Christmas cactus.
Do you know that a Christmas cactus looks amazing in a macramé plant hanger?
Wendi says
Hi Rev. Suzanne,
I absolutely read and reply to every comment my friends and readers leave. I feel that if someone took their time to read my article and leave me a note, they should receive a note back from me. Many of my regular commenters have become like friends and I look forward to their comments and notes. It’s special.
I might be able to put together a cactus post later in the summer. Thanks for the suggestion. I can imaging they would be pretty in a hanging basket as well. – I would have replied back earlier but am on semi-vacation and prepping to host all my kids, their spouses, grandkids, sisters and their spouses in a few days and there’s lots to be done 🙂
As always, thanks for your very nice note! Enjoy your summer!
ki says
Love this! Pinned it because I really need to get some plants for our house
Wendi says
Hi Kirstin and thank you! I’m glad this list will help you choose the right plants for your space. It helped me a lot and goodness knows, I needed the help! LOL Thanks so much for your visit and enjoy your new plants!
MaryJean says
Wendi, like you I have a Peace Lily that I received in the 80s from members of an organization that I chaired. It is in a spot by my sliding door and does fantastic there. I have separated it when it got too big and tried to get the parts I separated to grow but they always died. Luckily I still have the original plant. It is a beautiful plant!
Wendi says
Hi Mary Jean! Wow, you’ve had one plant that long, how fun. Even more so that it was a gift and you have special memories that go with it! I’m pretty impressed! Thanks for sharing what you did when your peace lily got too big. My last one was huge. At least I know I can reduce the size, even if the extra doesn’t take and grow I can keep the one plant. As alway, thanks for your visit and I love your comments!
Barb says
I’ve been thinking of getting a plant so your list is very timely. Was considering a snake plant since I like it’s vertical height without spreading too wide. Plus knowing it’s next to impossible to kill is an added bonus since I have managed to kill a couple that were on your list. What can I say, plants are not my shtick. I have 3 plants that are doing quite well. 2 Christmas cactuses and 1 African violet. Don’t know if they’re low light, but it’s safe to assume they’re hard to kill since mine are still living. That would also mean they qualify for the low maintenance category too! Thanks for the useful info Wendi!
Wendi says
Hi Barb! I’m SO glad my list was helpful! I laughed when I read your note about killing everything. That’s been my experience with plants too. And yet, they look so pretty and make my home look much warmer. I’m hoping with this list I can keep most, if not all of them alive. You’ll love the snake plant, I have 4 of them and I love the durability and that they don’t grow out of their posts too fast…which really just means more work! LOL Thanks for your note!