Low Light Houseplants For Beginners

When my husband and I first started bringing plants into our home, I was so concerned about whether or not the plant would get sufficient light. Being a beginner, I figured all plants required bright light. Even though our home does provide a lot of natural light, I did not think we would be able to keep our plants alive. Boy was I wrong. There are so many plants out there that are considered low light houseplants. They do not need bright indirect light to survive. Actually, some of the plants will ‘burn’ with too much light. Several of these plants will survive in all lights and can tolerate neglect. Keep reading to find out what are some low light houseplants perfect for beginners.

– This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thank you so much for clicking through and helping to support this little blog business of mine! See my disclosure policy here –

1. Snake Plant

One of the most common plants circulating the internet is this Snake Plant. They come in several variations as well. You may find ones that are short and skinny and others that are thick and solid green. Regardless of the exact type of Snake Plant you pick, this is hands down one of the easiest plants to care for. It is extremely low maintenance, can tolerate all lights and neglect. It is a very slow grower so be sure to pick a pot you absolutely love because it will take some time before you will need to repot this plant.

We have a large Snake Plant, pictured above, and a smaller, spikier version in our home. Both are doing well and have not caused any issues. They do not receive bright indirect light. They seem to be doing well with moderate light placed a few feet away from a West facing window.

You can find snake plants almost anywhere during the growing season of Spring and Summer. You can probably even find them during the Fall and Winter at a local Home Depot or Lowes. If you are unable to get your hands on a Snake Plant, there are several online stores you can purchase from. This includes Etsy, Planterina and Bloomscape.

• Botanical Name: Sansevieria laurentii
• Light: Bright indirect light to part shade. (Not too picky).
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: They like moisture. Allow top soil to dry out before watering.
• Temperature: Average temperature and humidity.

2. Baby Rubber Plant

Is this not the cutest little plant you have ever laid your eyes on? This is a Baby Rubber Plant, part of the Peperomia family. This particular variation remains quite small throughout its life but makes up for its height with its gorgeous leaves!

This is the perfect plant to have on your bedroom night stand or dresser. You could even put this plant on floating shelves in your kitchen or living area. Do not worry about the plant not receiving adequate light because it does prefer shade.

As of lately, I have not moved this plant to my bed side table. Instead, we do have it in a corner on our kitchen counter tops and it seems to be happy because it has sprouted new leaves! I love seeing new leaves! Think of it as your plant reassuring you that you are doing a great job!

• Botanical Name: Peperomia obtusifolia
• Light: Partial Shade- however, too little light may cause variegation to disappear so be sure to give Baby extra light every now and then.
• Soil: Peat based soil that drains well.
• Water: Fairly easy to water. Allow top soil to completely dry out before watering again.
• Temperature: Above average temperature and increased humidity. Try adding a humidifier into your home or misting the plant 1-2 times per week.

Related: Best Pet Friendly Houseplants

3. ZZ Plant

You have probably seen these plants included in other low light houseplants blog posts and those posts are not wrong. This is a ridiculously easy plant to care for and perfect for beginner plant parents.

It is extremely tolerate to neglect and impossible to kill.

You would have to try pretty darn hard to kill this plant. It can tolerate the lowest light to the brightest light. Just be careful not to burn these leaves if it does receive too much bright light.

ZZ Plants are another slow growing houseplant, so again make sure you give it a home you love as it will be a while before repotting. However, even though they do take their sweet time, some ZZ Plants can get very large!

• Botanical Name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
• Light: Minimal indirect light to shade (it’s not too picky).
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: Fairly easy to water. Allow top soil to dry out before watering.
• Temperature: Average temperature and humidity.

Related: Toxic Houseplants to Pets

4. Golden Pothos

What a beautiful houseplant has this turned out to be. It really is making its way up my ‘favorite houseplants’ list. Not only is it stunning, it is fairly easily to take care of. One thing it is picky about is humidity. If you can remember to mist it 1-2x/week, great! My husband will take this plant into the bathroom with him when he showers to provide even more humidity. Since doing so, we have seen a lot more growth!

This is an amazing plant for beginners especially for those who want to dip their toes into vining plants! They are so much fun and you can even train them to climb up walls or around shelves! Click here to see where I bought this affordable plant pot!

• Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum
• Light: Moderate indirect light to part shade. (Not picky.)
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: Fairly easy to water. Allow top soil to dry out before watering.
• Temperature: Average temperature but high humidity.

Related: Amazon Finds of April 2020

Low Light Houseplants For Beginners

5. Spider Plant

Spider Plants are very common, very easy low light houseplants for beginners. They are also very easy to propagate to create new baby plants for your friends and family.

We recently just moved our Spider Plant to a new location. We had this plant hanging down our loft banister a few feet away from an East facing window. When we first got this plant, we figured the morning sun would not be strong enough to cause any burning. We were wrong. For a while, our spider plant was thriving.

It even produced some dainty little white flowers!

But after watering it one fine day, I noticed several crispy leaves. So crispy that even with the slightest pull, they popped right off. This is okay! It will not die I promise you. We cleaned up all the dead burnt ends and moved the plant to a new location that is more shaded and protected from the sun.

• Botanical Name: Chlorphytum comosum
• Light: Part Sun to Part Shade (it’s not too picky.) Direct sunlight can cause browning of the tips of the leaves. Beware.
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: They like moisture, but do not prefer to be sopping wet or bone dry.
• Temperature: Average temperature and humidity.

6. Fiscus Elastica Tineke

Guess what I just checked off my plant wish list? If you guessed Elastica Tineke, then you guessed correct! When I first saw how stunning this plant was, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

It literally looks fake.

Before I purchased this plant, I did some research on the proper care for this plant. What I found was a bit confusing and all over the board. Some people suggest bright indirect light while others suggest shade. I suppose it is not picky and will do just fine in whatever light you provide. Please do not fry this plant as the leaves are so stunning you do not want to cause any burning! Aside from the light exposure requirements, this plant is pretty low maintenance and perfect for beginners!

• Botanical Name: Fiscus elastica
• Light: Bright indirect light to partial shade.
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: Keep it moist during the growing season. Come winter, it can tolerate more time between waterings.
• Temperature: Average temperature and humidity.

Related: Variegated Houseplants You Need

7. Majesty Palm

If you are looking to give your home an ‘urban jungle’ vibe, I urge you t o get yourself a palm. Not only do they put you in an amazing mood, they are super simple to care for and I would consider them low light houseplants.

This is another plant that can get crispy if exposed to too much sun. Often times you will notice the tips of its leaves start to yellow or even turn completely brown. Again, this is okay!

The plant will forgive you!

This happened to us. We had our majesty palm in a corner between a South and West facing windows and could not figure out why some parts of the leaves were dying off. We decided to move it to a location that was protected from the sun. Just when it started to do much better, it unfortunately suffered a spider mite infestation. Currently, it is quarentined by itself receiving treatments to elimate the mites.

• Botanical Name: Ravenea rivularis
• Light: Moderate Indirect Light. It’ll tell you when its seen too much light for the day.
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: They like moisture and consistency. Water twice a week.
• Temperature: Average temperature but increased humidity. Try adding a humidifier into your home or misting the plant 1-2 times per week.

8. Elephant Ear

Elephant Ear plants are a great intermediate option for newbie plant parents. If you feel like challenging yourself and testing out how green your thumb truly is, then I recommend getting an Elephant Ear!

Keep in mind they are large plants as they mature. Definitely prepare yourself by getting a large pot for this baby to grow!

Similar to the Spider Plant and Palm, these plants will ultimately let you know when it has seen too much light. Burning of the leaves is common so be sure to provide moderate indirect light. Considering it is native to the tropics, this plant requires a lot of humidity. Add a humidifier to your room or remember to mist a few times a week.

• Botanical Name: Colocasia
• Light: Moderate Indirect Light. It’ll tell you when its seen too much light for the day.
• Soil: Well draining peat rich variety.
• Water: They like moisture and consistency but be aware of overwatering as it can cause root rot.
• Temperature: Average temperature but increased humidity. Try adding a humidifier into your home or misting the plant 1-2 times per week.

9. Philodendron Brasil

I would like to compare this plant to the Golden Pothos. Often times, pothos and philodendrons get mixed up. They look very similar and require essentially the same kind of care. Both plants are low light houseplants perfect for beginners.

They are slightly bushier plants but with time they will begin to vine and climb up your walls! Philodendron Brasils have stunning variegation on their heart shaped leaves. Even though they are considered a low light houseplant, please keep in mind too little light can cause the plant to lose its variegation.

That is no fun!

Place this plant about 5-6 feet away from a West or South facing window and it will do just fine!

• Botanical Name: Philodendron scandens Brasil
• Light: Moderate indirect light to part shade.
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: Fairly easy to water. Allow top soil to dry out before watering.
• Temperature: Average temperature but high humidity.

10. English Ivy

Are you a newbie plant parent looking for an easy hanging houseplant that requires little light? Well look no further! English Ivy can be somewhat aggressive so be sure to do your research or contact a local nursery for more information on how to properly care for this plant.

You will often see English Ivy climbing up brick walls or lattices. If you are not prepared to maintain this plant to an appropriate size, then this may not be the plant for you.

I do not kid when I say it is aggressive.

But if you are up for another challenge, then this is a great plant to test out! It can be finicky and high maintenance but if you do your research and stick to a plan, I have no doubt you can keep this baby alive!

• Botanical Name: Hedera helix
• Light: Part Shade
• Soil: Well draining potting mix.
• Water: Fairly easy to water. Allow top soil to dry out before watering.
• Temperature: Average temperature but high humidity.

Low Light Houseplants For Beginners

When it comes to houseplants, you can always find a spot in your home where it will survive! If you do not have a lot of natural light coming through your windows, then the aforementioned plants are perfect for you! Even if you do have a lot of light, these plants will most likely be okay. Just remember not to place them in direct sunlight where you could potentially cause crispy leaves. Instead, display them on a shelf or console table a few feet away from windows.

Happy Planting!