7 Houseplants That Need (Almost) Zero Sunlight

Natural light is scarce in my house. So we take Vitamin D all winter.

But for houseplants, lack of light can spell disaster, even death. While other plant needs such as water, humidity, and temperature are easier to control, light is more complex.

I’ve been on a quest to discover plants that can handle insufficient light.

Plants that can survive and thrive with less than ideal lighting situations.

Not only do live houseplants add that much-needed bold pop of green, but they are rumored to purify the air. Plants make any dwelling cleaner and fresher.

Here’s 7 low light houseplants to cheer up your space worry-free. Sun or no sun.

Read more: 7 Houseplants That Need (Almost) Zero Sunlight

1.) The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

The ZZ plant can survive a sunless life. While it can tolerate direct sun, it won’t mind a lifetime of shade.

This plant never looks shabby. Year after year, the ZZ plant looks as full and pristine as the day it came home from the plant nursery.

That’s rare. Over time, plants tend to get scrappy. Some describe the ZZ plant as a slow-growing succulent, but it’s not my slowest-growing plant; I get several new stalks a month.

The tough ZZ plant is tolerant and looks like a green sculpture!

I’ve read the ZZ plant can get aphids and spider mites but that hasn’t been my experience. Over the past five years of owning three ZZ plants, I’ve had zero pests.

The ZZ plant can handle temperatures down to 60 degrees F., making it the ultimate fuss-free houseplant.

Don’t overwater the ZZ plant. If you notice any stalks turning yellow, you have overwatered it. Let the plant completely dry out before watering again or root rot will occur. Those mushy roots!

2.) The Snake Plant

I own three snake plants. One of them has been in my dwelling for four years. Granted, even though the plant never seems to increase in size, it always looks proportional.

Slick, shapely, and spikey, the snake plant is awesome with upright, lance-shaped leaves.

The snake plant can handle no sun. Although it prefers filtered sun, it can survive a dark corner. It’s the perfect office plant that can get down to temps of 41 degrees F.

The snake plant can tolerate almost no water at all. I have so many houseplants to water My focus is the needy plants first, I’ve gone a month without watering the snake plant and it’s fine.

When you do water, let it sit in a pot or saucer filled with water, soaking the roots for 10 minutes. Then drain the water because overwatered snake plants die.

Snake plants do get mealy bugs, scale insects, and spider mites. But nothing a little neem oil can’t handle. It’s easy to divide this plant in spring or take leaf cuttings at any time of year.

But it’s the name that sets this plant off. Mother-in-laws tongue? Who came up with that?

3.) Chinese Money Plant – a low light houseplant

Many years ago, my friend Cheri (who I met from my blog!) sent me my very first Chinese Money Plant. I had never owned one before!

It’s a magnificent plant. Those round, saucer-like leaves never cease to flutter my heart.

Pilea peperomioides is known under various names, such as friendship plant, pass-along plant, pancake plant, UFO plant and others.

It’s an air-purifying plant as well.

The Chinese money plant likes bright, indirect light. They can survive in medium or low light, but they won’t grow as quickly. Direct sunlight will scorch leaves.

Prone to rot, only water when the plant is dry. This is usually once a week in summer and every other week in winter. Poke your finger in the top inch of soil and if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Never overwater!

Chinese money plants live about ten years. But they form tons of offshoots (pups) and you’ll get many new plants to share with family and friends.

4.) Red Prayer Plant

Not only do you want to keep your prayer plant away from direct sunlight, but it prefers a shady to filtered-sunlit position. Placing this plant near a window under the shelter of curtains is ideal.

Especially since the red prayer plant does not like drafts. The only pest that seems to go after this plant is spider mites, but I’ve never experienced any on mine.

Keep the soil constantly moist. This plant tolerates only a slight drying out. I hand-mist mine frequently to maintain high humidity. The maranta can deal with temps down to 59 degrees!

The red prayer plant is an ornamental indoor plant famous for its multi-shade green leaves with red veining. The foliage tends to curl up in the evening but the next day reveals newer, even more vibrant foliage.

It’s a good-looking plant that is fairly easy to maintain over the years as long as you repot every second year in early spring.

Feed with a low-nitrogen fertilizer once a month from spring to fall. Do not feed the rest of the year. The plant grows pretty fast when fertilized and can be divided easily.

5.) Spider Plant – a low light houseplant

Spider plants are tough and unique-looking plants, ideal in a hanging macramé basket for that boho look.

A perennial rosette plant that grows long, narrow, grass-like leaves with white-banded centers. Pendant plantlets develop from long racemes of white flowers.

The spider plant prefers filtered sunlight, never full sun. A low light houseplant. Perfect for a dwelling that doesn’t have too many full sun windows, however, it dislikes drafts.

Even in winter, the plant can go down to 41 degrees. Water well from spring to fall, although the plant is patient if you let it dry out.

Keep the soil drier if the plant is kept cool during winter. Mist frequently with a neem hand-spray to maintain high humidity. The neem will also prevent and cure spider mite problems.

The spider plant is one of the easiest plants to propagate. Repot those baby plantlets at any time of year to get more spider plants to share with family and friends.

Feed with a low-nitrogen fertilizer once a month from spring to fall. Just watch out for the pesky spider mites!

6.) Peace Lily

Peace lilies are easy plants. When I saw five peace lily plants being sold on FB marketplace for $15, I rushed to pick them up. There are many cultivars, with varying sizes of plant and flower.

The peace lily doesn’t like direct sunlight, so shade to filtered sun. Truly, a low light houseplant.

One NASA study found that peace lilies to be the most effective houseplant for removing TCE (trichloroethylene) from indoor air pollution, removing 23% over 24 hours. Peace lilies also help with dust and mold.

TCE is a man-made chemical commonly found in indoor air pollution, often stemming from cleaning solvents, paint removers, and adhesives. Yuck!

I appreciate those shiny and oblong leaves with the showy white flowers spathes that suddenly emerge.

Peace lily plants like high humidity and weekly misting. They don’t like to dry out! They tend to wilt quite suddenly when water-deprived. So to keep the lushness of the peace lily, water plentifully spring to fall.

Spider mites and gray mold are problematic.

7.) Bromeliad – the ultimate low light houseplant

The bromeliad is one crispy plant if you know what I mean. It always seems dead or fake.

The bromeliad is a low light houseplant that can deal with a broad light spectrum but avoid full sun. Despite its tropical look, the bromeliad can handle temps down to 46 degrees F. Rare among plants.

The bromeliad is a urn-shaped rosette of shiny leaves with a leathery texture and toothed margins. A mass of flowers grows in the rosette, surrounded by shiny red bracts.

Just make sure you water and fertilize inside the rosette. The rosette should always contain water except when the plant is kept at low temperatures in the winter dormant season.

Other than that, a bromeliad likes lukewarm water but can go several weeks without water. Watch out for mealy bugs and spider mites. Repot offsets in spring or winter.

I keep my bromeliad in a shadier part of my house and it doesn’t mind not getting a ton of sun. This frees up sunnier spots for plants that absolutely must have that burst of sun!

What houseplants have you discovered that don’t require much sun and can still thrive indoors?