Question
Hi Will,

I love having indoor plants - although I'm still to get my bearings about them. I have a few 'dark' spots in my house - which have low indirect light and virtually no direct light. Are there any plants that would do well in these spots? I had bought a peace lily with the understanding that it was a low light plant, however even the peace lily thought that lighting was unacceptable.
I'm told that plants like dieffenbachia, aechmea bromiliads, aglaonema, snake plant, golden pothos, do well in almost low to no light.

What would you recommend?
Thanks

Farah

Answer
Hi Farah,

Thank you for the high ratings and wonderful comments you have made about me previously. It is much appreciated and makes we want to do my best to help you more.

There is a great deal of confusion about just what low light actually is. Most people tend to over-estimate the light they have in their homes and underestimate the minimum amount of light that even low light plants require. Plant retailers, who want to sell plants, are always happy to tell patrons that they have lots of plants that do well in low light without ever explaining the limits of low light for plants.

There is also confusion about just what direct light is. Direct sunlight is what you get when the sun's rays shine through the window and directly on the leaves. It is the most intense of natural light and you only get it very close to a sunny window. Bright indirect light is the light that is joust barely outside the area where the direct sun falls. That means it is usually within 4 feet of the window.

Low light is indirect light and describes the lowest light in which a low light plant species will survive. This would be within 8 feet of a south facing window and within five feet of any other window. In most cases, a plant located across the room from even a sunny window is getting less than even low plants can tolerate.

Low light is NOT 'almost no light.'

Here is a good rule of thumb: low light is enough natural light for you to read newsprint easily at any time of the day. If you have to squint to read in that location, then you don't have enough light for even low light plants.

And don't forget, the sun moves every day so you have to calculate the average amount of light a given location receives during the course of the day.

Here is a list of legitimate low light plants: Corn plant, Dracaena 'Lisa,' Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Pothos, Philodendron, ZZ Plant, Peace Lily, Rhapis Palm, and Parlor Palm. That's about it. Dieffenbachias really need bright indirect light. Bromeliad flowers will deteriorate sooner  and will not flower again in low light. Snake Plants will survive for about a year in low light, but then they will suddenly fall apart and die. That is why they are not on my list.

I have written an article on low light plants that I will email for free to anyone who sends a request to me at my address below. (Farah, I already have your email address so I will email it to you shortly.)

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and nomination for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC