Plants that like dark make a perfect addition to your indoor plants. These plants prefer low-light locations and can even be grown in dark rooms like the basement. giving the space a natural feel.
This article will explore various kinds of houseplants that can do well in lower light conditions, and most do not require heavy maintenance.
Furthermore, you will also discover the different characteristics of these plants, their growing season, and their benefits.
Contents
List of Plants for Dark Spaces
When it comes to sunlight exposure, different houseplants have varied requirements. A houseplant that needs full daylight will not flourish in a dark room, while a houseplant that wants less light will not thrive in a bright room.
These plants come in various shapes, colors, and textures.
1. Snake Plant
The snake plant is a slow-growing shrub, well-known for its tall and pointed leaves. It is a common houseplant known by its biological name Sansevieria trifasciata and is native to Africa and Asia.
Amusingly, the plant is also known as “mother-in-law’s tongue.” The plant is popularly grown as a houseplant and has yellow-striped leaves and tiny pale green scented flowers.
– Characteristics
The snake plant is adaptable and patient, tolerating high and low light levels and requiring only 2-6 weeks of watering. It is among the best plants for removing benzene, formaldehyde, and other pollutants from the air.
Snake plants decay fast; thus, they require a free-draining soil mix. Use a soilless potting mixture to ensure appropriate drainage. Additionally, use a terracotta pot that will not retain water within, and drain any standing water from the saucer as quickly as possible.
– Growing Season
Snake plants have rhizomes that can be easily divided. Although this can be done any time of year, spring is ideal. Because summer is the growing season, your newly propagated plants will grow faster.
– Specific Needs
Snake plants love bright, indirect light but may also handle some direct sunshine. They do, however, grow nicely (although slowly) in shady corners and other low-light regions of the house.
To avoid overwatering and root damage, water your snake plant every two weeks, allowing the soil to dry completely between waterings. During the winter, you can water your plant once in a month if the soil is damp after two weeks.
2. Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum, or spider plant, is one of the most common and well-known houseplants.It is very popular among beginners as it is easy to grow and propagate, tolerant of neglect, and can survive in almost any kind of environment. They may grow in low and indirect light, making them perfect for use in dark environments.
– Care Tip
Spider plants are vulnerable to tip burn, usually caused by dried soil, low humidity, or a salt and chemical buildup in some municipal tap water. Maintain a slight moisture level in the soil. Avoid using fluoridated or chlorinated water; cut them off if brown tips do appear.
– Growing Season
Spider plants will bloom almost all year if properly cared for, although they are most prolific from late winter to early fall. Small white flowers appear at the tips of long arching stems. They will produce seeds if pollinated.
– Specific Needs
The requirements of the spider plant are simple: Place the plant in a bright to a moderate light setting that is warm enough for everyone. Maintain a slight moisture level in the soil. In the spring and summer, once-week irrigation is sufficient; in the winter, leave the soil to dry somewhat more between waterings.
3. Peace Lily
The peace lily or spathiphyllum is a beautiful flowering plant that blooms multiple times a year, even when cultivated in low light. It can also grow in medium-light circumstances; however, if you have poor light, don’t worry about development being slowed.
Peace lilies can be problematic sometimes, but once you get a hand in caring for them properly, they make a lovely addition to almost any houseplant collection.
– Growing Season
Peace lilies produce white to off-white flowers beginning in early summer and continue to bloom throughout the year if given enough light. They may occasionally bloom again in winter.
– Specific Needs
Peace lilies thrive in low-light conditions, flowering with as little as two to four hours of sunshine every day. However, they perform best in bright, filtered, indirect light. Direct sunlight can cause peace lily leaves to burn. They prefer consistently moist soil and require adequate watering.
4. Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ)
ZZ plant or Zamioculcas zamiifolia is a houseplant that not only grows happily in low-light parts of the home, but it is also incredibly low-care. It can be left alone for lengthy periods with no attention. Its glossy, vivid green foliage gives a vibrant splash of color to any dark setting.
– Characteristics
The plants are also known as Zanzibar gems because of their pure, waxy leaves that are so deep green that they are frequently mistaken for artificial ones. ZZ plants flourish under fluorescent lights in workplaces and commercial buildings and grow best in lots of indirect light (direct sunlight can cause the leaves to burn).
– Growing Season
ZZ plants grow rapidly in the spring and summer. However, they slow down as the year advances and completely stop growing in the winter.
– Specific Needs
All zz plants need is adequate watering and enough light (they can grow well in the dark too). Let the soil dry between waterings, and water your zz plant every 2 – 3 weeks.
Water more frequently in bright light and less frequently in dim light. Wilting, wrinkled leaves and dry potting mix indicate thirst, whereas moist mix or yellowing and mushy leaves indicate overwatering and root rot.
5. Prayer Plant
Maranatha leuconeura, also called prayer plant, is a fantastic choice if you want low-light indoor plants with vivid foliage to bring a spark of color to a drab section of the house. This is because its leaves feature rich green, purple, yellow, and red variegation. The leaves point skyward like hands in prayer at night, giving rise to the common name “prayer plant.”
– Growing Season
Prayer plants can be grown all year indoors, making them appealing houseplants year-round, especially during the cold winter. Prayer plants must be fed every two weeks from spring to fall which is their growing season.
– Specific Needs
The variegated pattern on the leaves of this houseplant must be maintained out of direct sunlight to remain vivid. Prayer plants thrive in situations of high humidity, low light (partial to full shade), and wet but well-draining soil.
Plant it in well-draining soil and regularly mist its leaves. Use a good water-soluble fertilizer with an NPK of 10-15-10. Fertilize less or not at all during the winter because the conditions are not suitable for development.
6. Parlor Palm
Chamaedorea Elegans, or parlor palm, is a home plant that can thrive in complete darkness despite being a tropical plant. This plant may grow independently as long as it receives adequate moisture.
It requires little care and has long, waxy, bright green foliage that can light up any room, even with no windows. Single-stalk specimens are occasionally available, although most palms are planted in tiny clusters to mimic palm-like bushes in attractive pots.
– Advantage
The parlor palm plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs and has air-purifying properties. This makes the parlor palm plant an excellent choice for first-time plant owners and enthusiasts.
– Growing Season
The bloom season of palm plants is late winter to early spring, usually only when grown in an outside environment. This is an unfortunate side-effect of growing them indoors – you may not get blooms.
– Specific Needs
Parlor palms prefer bright, indirect light but may tolerate some shadow. Avoid direct sunshine, which will scorch the foliage and keep draughts at bay. Parlor palms require a warm environment, ideally 65 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with a minimum of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Cast Iron Plant
The cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) has a reputation for being a hard-to-kill houseplant as well as a stunning outdoor foliage plant in its growth zones. This plant can withstand neglect and growth conditions that kill many other plants, such as low light levels.
Its leaves are arching, lance-shaped, deep green, glossy, almost 2 feet long, and 4 inches broad. When cultivated outside, it occasionally produces small cream and purple flowers around the base of the plant, but the blooms rarely emerge when grown indoors.
– Growing Season
The cast iron plant grows slowly, and spring is often the best time to plant it. These hardy plants have beautiful deep green foliage, and during the summer growing season, outdoor cast-iron plants blossom milky white flowers with a mauve tint on the inner surface.
– Specific Needs
These plants require shade; therefore, they are best suited for a room with north-facing windows or a dark corner where nothing else will thrive.
Furthermore, they do well in dry environments, whereas most houseplants require misting or a humidity tray. Temperatures between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit are fine, and humidity isn’t an issue, so that this plant can be placed almost anywhere.
8. Devils’ Ivy
Golden pothos (also known as Devil’s Ivy or Epipremnum aureum )is a tropical vine plant that has successfully adapted as a hardy houseplant. It has lustrous, heart-shaped leaves and is available in various natural and cultivated forms to add interest to your home’s flora.
– Placement
Pothos grow as a trailing plant or on a moss pole. They remain compact in breadth when planted on a pole, making them suitable for small rooms in need of some greenery. They look nice on shelves or in Macrame hangers if left hanging. They may be placed in any room because they adapt to their surroundings.
– Growing Season
Devil’s Ivy is an evergreen plant that survives harsh conditions like winter and summer and grows all year round. It can only withstand winters in the warm, humid growth zones 10–12. If the temperature rises significantly throughout the summer, your plant will likely consume more water and develop more quickly.
– Specific Needs
Devil’s Ivy prefers a bright spot, but not direct sunshine or a drought. Pale leaves indicate that the plant requires more light. The soil can be wet, but the roots should not stand in water if feasible. Once a month, apply some fertilizer to keep devil’s Ivy growing.
9. Swiss Cheese Plant
The Swiss cheese plant (Monstera adansonii) gets its name from its massive, heart-shaped leaves, which develop holes as the plant ages (in a process called fenestration). This gives the leaves a Swiss cheese appearance. The Swiss cheese plant is an indoor plant that is a tropical perennial native to Central and South America.
– Characteristics
The Swiss cheese plant grows beneath the canopy of big trees in its natural habitat. As a result, it prefers indirect sunlight or sunlight filtered via a transparent screen. It will require some direct sunlight for a few hours every day.
– Growing Season
Under the right conditions, your monstera plant can thrive and grow from spring through fall. This is the active growth period of swiss cheese plants, but in winter, less intense sun encourages leaf development and color.
– Specific Needs
It is critical to locate the best location for your Swiss cheese plant. Too much direct sunlight will cause the leaves to burn. If the area is too shaded, the leaves will not perforate. A location a few feet from a window and in bright light is great.
Water and temperature needs are to be considered important. When the top of the soil is almost entirely dry, water it. Temperatures should ideally be between 60 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Ponytail Palm
Ponytail palms are an eye-catching, long-lasting indoor plant that thrives on neglect. The ponytail palm, despite its name and palm-like appearance, is not a true “palm.” It is more closely linked to desert plants from the genera Agave and Yucca (such as Joshua trees).
– Characteristics
A classic ponytail palm has a huge, domed “stump” that tapers into a thinner stem. As the plant ages, one or more rosettes of long, green, leathery leaves arise from the top of the stem.
The entire plant has been observed to grow up to 30 feet long in its native location (eastern Mexico). On the other hand, ponytail palms cultivated in gardens as landscape plants, rarely grow taller than 10 feet. When kept indoors, they rarely grow taller than 4 feet.
– Growing Season
Ponytail palms are traditionally planted in the spring season but can also be planted at any time of year. In spring and summer, long, spectacular, creamy-white inflorescences grow above the leaves on some or all of the branches.
They last for several weeks and are initially upright but droop as they age or get laden with little capsules. Some plants will bloom twice or three times per year.
– Specific Needs
Ponytail palms require bright light, so place them in the brightest room of the house, near a window but not directly in the sun. They survive dry conditions well, making them ideal for the low humidity of most interior environments.
Ponytail palm thrives in full light and well-drained soil (as would be used for cactus). Add sharp sand and tiny gravel to ordinary potting mixes to improve drainage.
11. Rex Begonia
Rex Begonia plants thrive in both medium and low light conditions. These plants have very pretty leaves that will brighten any space – all without needing much light.
– Characteristics
Rex Begonias are known for their beautiful leaves. The species comes in a variety of colors, textures, and shapes. Its leaves can take on a variety of shapes, including hearts, seashell swirls, ivy-like formations, and more.
The Rex Begonia is distinguished by its vibrant hues, which are frequently a combination of green, pink, and burgundy but can also include metallic tints of gray silver.
– Growing Season
The most common forms of begonias, wax, and tuberous begonias, flower from early summer till frost. Indoors, bloom times may vary, and some varieties bloom all year. Planting outside should be done after frosts in May, but indoors can be done at any time.
– Specific Needs
Rex begonias are difficult to care for and are typically grown indoors. The rex begonia generally loves cool temperatures, moist soil, and humid circumstances when grown inside.
They require high humidity (more than 50% — some cultivars prefer more), a porous planting mix, a shallow pot, heavy fertilization during growth, and careful attention to avoid overwatering.
12. Nerve Plant
The delicate and understated nerve plant is an excellent addition to your indoor garden. It is a spreading evergreen perennial with veined, deep green ovate leaves. The most popular vein color is silvery-white but there are also red, pink, white, and green.
– Characteristics
This plant grows to a size of about 3 – 6 inches with a trailing spread of 12 – 18 inches.
It rarely flowers as an indoor houseplant but when it does it’s with reddish or yellowish-white spikes. It is also used as a creeping ground cover.
– Specific Needs
The nerve plant is known for being tricky and temperamental to keep as a houseplant. It requires high and constant humidity – such as found in a terrarium. They can also quite easily suffer from sunburn. Which is perfect for the purpose of this article!
Conclusion
Plants that like dark share a common characteristic: almost all of them can survive in the medium to low light conditions and grow even better in indirect sunlight. The list we have compiled for you includes easy plants to grow, maintain and care for.
While not an exhaustive list, these plants can brighten up any corner of your house or office without worrying about enough sunlight.
- Plants like dark are easy to grow indoors and do not require much maintenance.
- They come in various shapes, textures, and colors, so it’s no wonder everyone loves them.
- They improve the air quality indoors and induce a sense of calm.
- They don’t like direct sunlight but benefit from indirect sunshine.
We have provided an extensive list of all the plants that share similar characteristics and can easily be planted in your dark spaces to uplift your mood. Make sure to take care of them according to their needs. Happy planting!
References
- https://gardening.org/plants-that-grow-without-sunlight/
- https://www.snexplores.org/article/innovation-2022-dark-photosynthesis-process-grow-plants-in-dark
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