10 Houseplants That Thrive Without Direct Light (And How to Care for Them)
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🌤️ Introduction
Not every room is blessed with natural light... However, that doesn't mean you should give up on plants!
Hallways, bathrooms, offices or shady corners can also welcome a touch of greenery — provided you choose indoor plants suited to low light .
At Studio Plantes , we test each variety before offering it for sale to ensure its resistance and beauty indoors. Here is our selection of 10 green plants perfect for dimly lit spaces , accompanied by simple care tips.
🌿 1. Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant)
The queen of dark rooms. This African plant tolerates almost everything except overwatering. Its thick leaves store moisture, making it ideal for offices or hallways with little exposure. ZZs can even be propagated from a single leaf (with a lot of patience).
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: every three weeks
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☀️ Light: indirect to very low
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🌡️ Temperature: room temperature
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🛒 Discover our ZZs on Studio Plantes
🌿 2. Sansevieria (Mother-in-law's tongue)
Robust, graphic and almost indestructible, Sansevieria tolerates partial shade without any problem. Ideal for a bedroom or living room with little exposure.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: once a month
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☀️ Light: low to medium
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🌡️ Supports temperature variations
🌿 3. Anthuriums
Anthuriums are one of the world's best-selling plants, especially the andreanum variety, for its flowers. These plants grow under the canopy away from sunny areas and thrive in low-light locations.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: moderate
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☀️ Light: tolerates shade very well
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🌡️ Prefers stable temperatures
- 🛒 Discover our Anthuriums on Studio Plantes
🌿 4. Philodendrons
Philodendrons are an extremely diverse family in terms of shapes. Like anthuriums, they grow under the canopy. Climbing philodendrons will require more light than trailing ones like Gloriosum. Philodendron scandens thrives even in low light and is one of the most popular budget options.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: 1 time per week
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☀️ Light: indirect or dim
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🌡️ Warm and humid atmosphere appreciated
🛒 Discover our Philodendrons on Studio Plantes
🌿 5. Aglaonema
Aglaonema shines in dark corners. Its variegated foliage, silver or pink depending on the variety, makes it a highly prized decorative plant. Another canopy plant, growing in bushy clumps at the foot of the Asian jungle.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: only when the substrate is completely dry
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☀️ Light: shadow or soft light
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🌡️ Avoids cold drafts
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🛒 Discover our Aglaonemas on Studio Plantes
🌿 6. Spathiphyllum (Moon flower)
In addition to loving the shade, it blooms in the shade! Its white flowers bring light and serenity to quiet rooms. A communicative plant, it becomes flaccid when thirsty and quickly regains shape once watered.
Care instructions:
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💧 Keep the soil slightly moist, it signals when it is thirsty
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☀️ No direct sunlight
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🌡️ Stable temperature
- 🛒 Discover our Spathiphyllums on Studio Plantes
🌿 7. Calathea / Maranta (prayer plant)
Known for its vibrantly patterned leaves, Calathea thrives in humid, dimly lit rooms—ideal for bathrooms. These are ground-covering plants that protect against the direct light filtered by rainforest plants and trees.
Care instructions:
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💧 Regular watering without excess
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☀️ Dim light
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🌡️ High humidity recommended
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🛒 Discover our Marantaceae on Studio Plantes
🌿 8. Epipremnum (Pothos)
Fast growing, perfect for dressing up a shelf or desk. Pothos tolerates everything except full sun. There are many varieties, and most are versatile, suitable for climbing or trailing.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: When the substrate has dried
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☀️ Light: low to medium
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🌡️ Temperate atmosphere
- 🛒 Discover our Epipremnums on Studio Plantes
🌿 9. Chlorophytum (Spider Plant)
Often used as a hanging basket, this plant produces charming shoots and thrives in medium to low light.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: When the substrate has dried
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☀️ No direct sunlight
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🌡️ Easy to propagate
🌿 10. Scindapsus (Pothos)
Perfect for dressing up a shelf or desk, Scindapsus tolerates everything except full sun. There are many varieties, and most are versatile, suitable for climbing or trailing. They are often mixed with epipremnums in the "Pothos" category.
Care instructions:
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💧 Watering: When the substrate has dried
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☀️ Light: low to medium
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🌡️ Temperate atmosphere
- 🛒 Discover our Scindapsus on Studio Plantes
🌱 Our tips for maintaining your plants in a dark environment
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Water less often : less light = less evaporation.
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Turn your plants regularly to prevent them from leaning.
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Clean the leaves once a month to facilitate photosynthesis.
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Fertilize lightly in spring, once a month.
- Use grow lights if your area is really too dark
Find our lamps, designed by us with spectra adapted to plants and low consumption: Studio Plantes
✨ Conclusion
Houseplants aren't just for bright apartments. With the right species, a little attention, and curiosity, even the darkest corners can become veritable miniature jungles.
👉 Discover our special selection of plants for dimly lit rooms at studio-plantes.com 🌿