The Truth About Low Light Houseplants
So, you don't have a lot of light in your home, but you're interested in getting a few houseplants. You've done a little research and found that there are actually some "low light houseplants" out there. Hooray! You go buy yourself a cute little pothos and you stick it in a dark corner and expect it to thrive. But. It doesn't. What gives?!
There really are houseplants for those low light areas in your home, but the truth is, no houseplant is going to THRIVE in dark lighting conditions. Let's dive into what it really means to be considered a "low light indoor plant" and get you on the right track for pro plant parenting!
The low light category of houseplants is really referring to plants that can handle lower light, aka "low light TOLERANT". These plants include sansevierias (snake plants), zz plants, pothos, aglaonemas, marantas, calatheas, and more. We have a Low Light Plant category that you can shop HERE. And when we talk about low light, keep in mind it's not "no light". These plants will still want around a minimum of 3-4 hours of indirect light per day.
Location matters. Low light areas of your home (when we're talking about houseplants) are areas that are still in a room that receives some natural light. It's just not direct sun (prime real estate for succulents, cactus, etc.) or even medium to bright indirect sun that's just a little bit back from a window (prime real estate for a wide range of plants including philodendrons, ficus, and many more). A low light area might be that spot in your east-facing living room that gets a glow of morning light and is 5 feet back from the big front window. Or maybe your home office with north and east-facing windows. Sounds like a low-light plant zone to us!
When you purchase plants with light needs in mind, you're off to the right start and we're here to guide you toward just the right fit! And, if you're really determined to display a plant in a too-dark corner, there are grow lights for that!
If you need a little more help figuring out what kind of lighting an area of your home receives, here's a handy little illustration (who doesn't love a visual?!) and our Three Way Moisture Meters even have a setting that will read light so you can more easily judge if a space has enough natural light for your dream houseplant.
