If you’re looking to add greenery to a room with little to no natural light, there’s a range of unique and low-maintenance options. These indoor plants for no sunlight spaces boast an intrinsic beauty that can bring life and vibrancy to your home. Introducing indoor plants in the home can improve air quality, create a sense of calm, add color, and become living decor accessories.
Firstly, let’s appreciate the beauty of the Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), which is one of the most tolerant plants, prospering under low light. It has a unique, modern look due to its architectural shape. The stiff, upright leaves with green horizontal stripes make it an ideal choice when aiming to create a sleek aesthetic.
Often used in Feng Shui, a common belief is that the Snake Plant can protect a home from negative influences. It’s recognized for filtering air and removing toxins according to a NASA study. This hardy plant is perfect if travelling as it can withstand weeks of neglect without losing its shape and fresh look.
The ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is another popular choice for indoor spaces exposed to zero to low sunlight. The ZZ Plant has a stunning tropical appearance, with glossy, deep green leaves rising upward from the base. The plant has a reputation for thriving neglect. Its resilience, coupled with an ability to store water, makes it ideal for individuals who might not have a green thumb. But also bear in mind to keep this plant out of reach from children and pets due to its possible toxicity.
In contrast, Pothos plants add a softer touch with their long, trailing stems full of heart-shaped leaves. They thrive in a variety of lighting conditions and can even handle fluorescent light, making them an excellent addition to office spaces or bathrooms. What makes them more appealing is their reputation as a powerful air purifying plant, enhancing the overall air quality.
The Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) is considerably one of the most alluring indoor plants for low light conditions. Its beautiful, lush green foliage is crowned occasionally with unique white flowers, sometimes mistaken as part of the leaves. The Peace Lily is an adaptable and low-maintenance plant that cleanses the air its growing in, according to NASA’s clean air study.
Another low light tolerant plant is the Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum). These hardy plants with their attractive, arching foliage, sprout baby spider plants or spiderettes. Their slim, long leaves that come in a variety of greens and white bring a touch of wilderness indoors. They are non-toxic to pets, making them a safe choice for plant enthusiasts with curious furry friends.
One of the heartiest indoor, low-light plants is the Dracaena. It’s a large group of popular houseplants that tolerates a wide variety of growing conditions. They’re slow growing and boast leaves that are often variegated with lines of white, cream or red. While these plants have a reputation for being robust, be cautious of overwatering as it can cause root rot.
A lesser-known yet terrific option is the Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum). This plant presents a completely different aesthetic due to its delicate and lacy foliage. The continually moist conditions and low to medium light mimic the floor of a forest where these ferns thrive.
For no sunlight conditions, let’s consider some amazing succulents. While most succulent plants prefer bright light, Haworthias are an exception. Among them, the Zebra Haworthia (Haworthia Fasciata) is the most popular. The plant has thick, dark green leaves with white horizontal stripes on the outside of the leaves, giving it a zebra effect.
The Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) is one of the best plants for beginners. This plant is highly rated for air purification. They are known for their tolerance for both low light conditions and lack of humidity, allowing them to thrive where other plants would struggle.
Caring for indoor plants in low light involves understanding that these plants have adapted to survive in the understorey of forests, where light levels can be very low. Therefore, their lighting requirements are minimal. Overwatering is often a concern with many indoor plants, but less so if you choose a plant adapted to low light. Lastly, remember that even low light plants require some light to grow, thus entirely dark spaces are not suitable for plants.
To conclude, the options mentioned offer a wide variety for novice indoor plant owners or seasoned plant lovers looking for something new to add to their collection. There’s a world of stunning and resilient indoor plants that can live with no direct sunlight.
Remember, even though these plants grow in low light, they need care and attention to thrive. The positive benefits indoor greenery can bring into your life, along with the feel-good factor of tending to them, outweigh the efforts to keep them.
