Best Low-Light Houseplants

Not every room has a sunny window, and most "low-light" plant lists are wildly optimistic. The plants below genuinely tolerate low light — a north-facing room, a corner several feet from a window, or an office with mostly overhead lighting. They will grow slowly in dim conditions, but they will not sulk and decline the way a fiddle leaf fig would.

19 plants · Updated June 7, 2026

Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea seifrizii Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Blue Star Fern Phlebodium aureum Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Cast Iron Plant Aspidistra elatior Easy · Low light · waters every 14–21 days 🐾 Pet-safe Chinese Evergreen Aglaonema commutatum Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs Corn Plant Dracaena fragrans Easy · Low light · waters every 10–14 days ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs English Ivy Hedera helix Medium · Low light · waters every 7–10 days ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs Frosty Fern Selaginella kraussiana Hard · Low light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Heart Fern Hemionitis arifolia Medium · Low light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Impatiens Impatiens walleriana Easy · Low light · waters every 2–4 days 🐾 Pet-safe Jewel Orchid Ludisia discolor Medium · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Lady Palm Rhapis excelsa Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Lucky Bamboo Dracaena sanderiana Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs Parlor Palm Chamaedorea elegans Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Peace Lily Spathiphyllum wallisii Easy · Low light · waters every 5–7 days ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs Pothos Epipremnum aureum Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs Raven ZZ Plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Raven' Easy · Low light · waters every 2–3 weeks ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs Snake Plant Dracaena trifasciata Easy · Low light · waters every 2–3 weeks ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs ZZ Plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia Easy · Low light · waters every 2–3 weeks ⚠️ Toxic to cats & dogs

What counts as "low light"?

Low light does not mean no light. It means a spot where you could comfortably read during the day but where no direct sun ever lands — a north window, an interior wall a few feet back from a brighter window, or a well-lit office. A room with no windows is not low light; it is no light, and no houseplant survives there long without a grow light.

Every plant here will grow faster and fuller in bright, indirect light. "Low-light tolerant" means they accept dim conditions, not that they prefer them.

How care changes in low light

The single biggest adjustment is water. In low light a plant grows slowly and uses far less water, so soil stays wet longer — which means you must water less often to avoid rot. Overwatering, not darkness, is what actually kills most low-light plants. When in doubt, wait.

Frequently asked questions

Can houseplants survive with no natural light at all?

Not for long. Even the toughest low-light plants need some ambient daylight. In a windowless room you would need a grow light running several hours a day to keep a plant alive.

Why is my low-light plant turning yellow?

Almost always overwatering. In low light plants drink very little, so soil stays wet and roots rot. Let the soil dry out more between waterings.

Will these plants grow in a north-facing room?

Yes — a north-facing room with a window is a classic low-light spot, and every plant on this list handles it. Growth will be slower than in a brighter room, which is normal.