Low-light succulents are some of the best plants for plant lovers. These succulents are easygoing, highly adaptable, and can elevate any space by adding their beautiful greenery.
Low-light succulents don’t need direct sunlight and can thrive in shady conditions, making them the ideal indoor succulents for people who don’t have access to heavy lighting conditions.
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List of the Best Low Light Succulents to Keep
1. African Milk Tree
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The African Milk Tree is also known as Cathedral Cactus, Candelabra Cactus, and Good Luck Cactus because of its cactus-like look. It’s a succulent, not a tree, either. The triangular stems have ridges on either side that are covered in thorns and teardrop-shaped leaves.
Euphorbia trigona sap is extremely harmful to both people and animals. If consumed, it can result in convulsions, eye discomfort, and blisters. Although they thrive in a slightly shaded environment, these plants prefer indirect exposure because direct sunlight can burn their leaves.
Additionally, this is the tree that does not adapt well to prolonged droughts, unlike most succulent species. The soil doesn’t matter much to this succulent. However, it is crucial to have appropriate drainage conditions. The growth of the African milk tree is best supported by a soil pH range of 6.1 to 7.8, thus amending heavy clay soil for optimum drainage and pH.
This plant does best in sandy and sandy loam soils in a xeriscaped setting, as this tree doesn’t need much water. Only when severe drought conditions exist should you think about adding additional watering.
Otherwise, the typical rainfall in your area ought to be adequate. Once a week, indoor plants should receive a modest amount of watering, but, to resemble their natural environment, the soil must completely dry out between the times that you water it, which is why if you notice, this tree is one that is quite simple to grow
2. Lamb Tail
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Rows of fleshy, teardrop-shaped leaves cover Burro’s Tail, also known as donkey’s tail or Lamb’s tail, a low-maintenance plant. Select a windowsill that receives a lot of shade and sunlight, especially in the afternoon when the sun is harshest. It requires extra shade if the foliage turns gray or dull green.
This tail plant occasionally generates epicuticular wax, a white waxy material on the leaves. Don’t worry; the plant generates this regularly to defend itself from too much intense sun exposure.
All things considered, if you adhere to a few straightforward rules, these tail succulents grow readily. They thrive when little ignored, like most succulents; if you forget to water them once or twice, they won’t suffer. Overwatering this tail plant is the worst thing you can do to it.
When handling your lamb tail plant, you need to be incredibly gentle. Its drooping stems and eye-catching pointy leaves are exceedingly delicate and can break off with the slightest touch and the right plant care will fix it back up.
3. Christmas Cacti
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Christmas Cactus will brighten your holiday spirit even if Poinsettia is the typical plant that is most associated with the holiday season. Even though it is the most well-known, this plant is frequently mistaken for others.
Holiday cacti, native to Brazil’s tropical regions, can be grown outdoors in the summer before being brought indoors for the winter. This perennial can also be kept indoors all year. This low-light cactus prefers some shade because direct sunshine can diminish its vibrant colors, and they will thrive easily if you place them indoors.
For this, you may consider placing them in terra cotta or clay pots because they work well for these holiday cactus plants. Due to the porous nature of these pots, water from plants that can be injured by overwatering is wicked away. However, remember that there should be numerous drainage holes in the pot or one substantial one at the bottom.
You may go ahead and select a container for repotting that is just one to two inches larger in diameter than the existing one. Oversized pots can harbor pests and plant diseases or retain too much moisture. Despite being a cactus, this plant craves more water than most due to its tropical origins.
Thoroughly water the plant, letting extra water drain through the drainage holes. In between waterings, let the soil almost fully dry out. If the soil is arid, making the leaves visibly droop or shrivel, it’s time to water.
4. Cylindrical Snake Plant
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A perennial succulent known as the Cylindrical Snake Plant has striped leaves that are grayish-green in color. The leaves of this snake plant, which is not as well known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, have a cylindrical shape, and they thrive as you provide minimal care for them.
It’s good news for people whose residences don’t get much sun since they choose windows facing north, which brings the least light. The leaves may turn yellow if they receive too much sunshine. Your plant will thrive in shady areas; on the other hand, you may also be detailed as it might develop more slowly.
These plants often require very little upkeep. They can grow while being root-bound in a container and will still survive if you neglect to water or feed them; in addition, some would aim to place coffee grounds as natural fertilizers for them, and this can work well.
They are tough plants that don’t frequently struggle with pests or diseases and don’t have high standards for their growth environment. Neglecting them is more likely to cause harm than over-caring for them and overfeeding or over-watering them, as you would grow them with ease.
They will benefit from periodic fertilizing and semi-regular watering during the growing season, which are spring to autumn. Also, plan to water sparingly and avoid fertilizing over the winter. If you follow this procedure correctly, most of the maintenance is required to keep an African spear plant happy and healthy.
5. Chocolate Soldier Plant
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The chocolate soldier plant, or Kalanchoe tomentosa, is probably something you have seen if you have ever browsed succulent plants. Due to their ease of maintenance, attractiveness, and cuteness, chocolate army plants, sometimes known as panda plants, are trendy house plants.
Look for the succulent with pale-green leaves covered in grayish-white fluff and rimmed with chocolate brown dots to identify the chocolate soldier. There are several sizes of chocolate soldier plants, ranging from little to almost two feet tall.
Panda plants are Madagascar-native Crassulaceae succulents with vertical growth. They are simple to care for and need at least six hours of sunshine daily to thrive.
Though they seldom ever blossom when planted inside, chocolate soldier plants do well as houseplants. They can be left outside during the summer in places outside USDA garden zones nine to eleven, but they must be taken inside soon as fall temperatures start to drop, so you may be careful that you won’t harm the plant in the longer run.
6. Jade Plant
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Popular succulents called jades have oval, fleshy leaves and stalks that resemble tree trunks. They are often also used as housewarming gifts and make for excellent decorations. Because they are so simple to grow from cuttings, they are also the gift that keeps giving.
They might never bloom if you reside in a humid place because they favor arid surroundings. In short, you would notice that this is because all plant parts are poisonous to nosy dogs and cats, arrange your jade plants cautiously. These plants are quite resilient and can withstand when you give them simple yet minimal care as well.
All these plants need is a few hours of indirect light, and they’re pretty much good to go. So keep in mind how, this variety may not be completely light-free like some on this list; a jade plant will still be able to withstand difficult light conditions and be considered a low-light succulent.
Your best chance when selecting a potting mix for your jade is a blend made specifically for succulents. In addition, you would see how the potting mix for succulents is looser than all-purpose potting soil to promote drainage and avoid moisture retention, which can result in fungal growth.
7. Ponytail Palm
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Ponytail Palm trees, despite their name, are succulents and not trees; they belong to the family Palmae. These unusual palm-like plants have enormous trunks with tufts of strappy leaves that give them a tropical appearance.
These desktop plants may grow to exceed six feet in height, which surprises some people, but they do when the conditions perfectly meet their requirements. They are a slow-growing species, though, so they rarely develop to their full size indoors.
The ponytail plant can endure places with medium or low light levels, although preferring intense light. Although the thin, sporadically developing leaves of ponytail plants are not poisonous to animals, cats may find them appealing to attempt to eat. You will see how they require incredibly little care as they grow, making them the ideal houseplant for novices.
The ponytail is a highly easygoing plant when grown without light indoors, as long as it receives adequate sunlight and regular watering during the growing season. But remember that the ponytail plant grows relatively slowly, so don’t anticipate because the plant will grow into a corner specimen in just one or two growth seasons.
8. Aloe Vera
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Aloe Vera is a well-known household brand known for the calming gel found inside the leaves, which among other things, can aid with sunburns. However, the leaves should not be consumed. Therefore, keeping kids and pets away from this succulent is crucial, especially if you have cats, they should not bite or digest the sap.
From a basal rosette, this succulent’s mushy lance-shaped jagged-edged leaves protrude. Despite overgrowing, this plant may take three to four years to reach its maximum size. These houseplants can grow in bright shade, although they prefer full sun to part sun positions, so they can be considered dim-light succulents.
Aloe plant frequently grows in nutrient-poor soil and light conditions on sandy slopes with good drainage in their natural habitat. Use a cactus potting medium or regular potting mix blended with perlite and coarse sand to provide optimum drainage in a pot.
The aloe plant loves a slightly acidic soil with a pH of six or below, although it is pretty flexible and can also grow in neutral or alkaline soils. In short, you will see that this plant would adapt easily, and will be fruitful when the conditions are great, but make sure you don’t overwater it.
9. Mistletoe Cacti
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Because of its distinctive pencil-thin leaf and trailing growth habit, the mistletoe cactus, or the Rhipsalis baccifera, is a tropical epiphytic plant that is a favorite houseplant. The mistletoe cactus naturally develops on tree branches beneath the forest canopy in its native tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Central America, and Africa.
It absorbs moisture and nutrients from the air and its host plant. This cactus plant has successfully transitioned to indoor growth and is a well-liked houseplant, much like other epiphytic plants like orchids, air plants, bromeliads, and some ferns that would start thriving in the righht conditions given. Its stunning foliage will liven up any space, and its trailing stems look fantastic in hanging baskets.
The mistletoe plants, which appear every spring and summer, are smaller and less impressive than other epiphytic cacti, like the fishbone cacti and Christmas cacti, which are grown primarily for their showy blooms. Following the blooming time, you will see little white fruit, which can provide some visual interest to the plant.
The care guide for this plant is also easygoing, allowing you to let the plant grow at its own pace. If the plant begins drooping and has an extreme lack of sunlight, using a grow light could also be a solution, but that is rarely the case.
Conclusion
These indoor-friendly succulents are ideal for growing if you’re looking for low-maintenance plants that still add that touch of greenery and look fantastic, so just keep in mind:
- Some of the succulents on this list, like aloe and chocolate soldier, may enjoy some exposure to light, so avoid growing them if you have impossible access to it.
- Mistletoe cacti plants can flower when given the proper care, so try this variety if you’re looking for showy succulents.
- Lamb tail plants are excellent for achieving that waxy look, so grow them with all ease.
Now that you’re all set from list of the succulents from above you will know the right one that you can grow and see it thrive.
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