The best bedroom plants for low light are snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, heartleaf philodendron, cast iron plant, and parlor palm. All of them grow in the dim light most bedrooms have, and all of them need water only every one to four weeks. They ask for little, drop few leaves, and have no strong scent.
Bedrooms are hard rooms for plants. The curtains stay shut for much of the day, the window is often small, and many people keep the room cool. The plants below handle all three.
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The 11 plants at a glance
| Plant | Light | Water about every | Pet safe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snake plant | Low to bright | 3 to 4 weeks | No |
| ZZ plant | Low to bright indirect | 3 to 4 weeks | No |
| Pothos | Low to bright indirect | 1 to 2 weeks | No |
| Heartleaf philodendron | Low to bright indirect | 1 to 2 weeks | No |
| Cast iron plant | Low to medium | 2 to 3 weeks | Yes |
| Chinese evergreen | Low to medium | 1 to 2 weeks | No |
| Parlor palm | Low to medium | 1 to 2 weeks | Yes |
| Corn plant | Low to bright indirect | 2 to 3 weeks | No |
| Peace lily | Low to medium | 1 week | No |
| Spider plant | Medium to bright indirect | 1 to 2 weeks | Yes |
| Prayer plant | Medium indirect | 1 week | Yes |
The watering times are rough guides. Check the soil with a finger first. Plants in low light dry out slowly.
The plants
Snake plant
Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) is the top pick. It grows straight up, so it fits beside a dresser or in a corner. It can go a month without water. It is toxic to cats and dogs.
ZZ plant
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) has glossy leaves on arching stems. It grows slowly and stays tidy. It is as tough as a snake plant in low light. It is toxic to cats and dogs.
Pothos
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) trails from a shelf or the top of a wardrobe. In low light, pick a plain green or ‘Jade’ type. Variegated types fade to green in dim rooms. It is toxic to cats and dogs.
Heartleaf philodendron
Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) handles a little less light than pothos. Its thin, heart-shaped leaves hang in soft lines. It is toxic to cats and dogs.
Cast iron plant
Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) grows in the dimmest corner of the room and does not mind cool air. It is slow and steady. It is safe for cats and dogs.
Chinese evergreen
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) has wide leaves marked with silver. The green and silver types handle low light best. It dislikes cold, so keep it above 15°C (60°F). It is toxic to cats and dogs.
Parlor palm
Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) gives a soft, feathery shape in a dim room. It grows slowly and stays under about 1.2 m (4 ft). It is safe for cats and dogs.
Corn plant
Corn plant is a dracaena (Dracaena fragrans) with thick canes and arching leaves. It is the tallest low-light pick here. It is toxic to cats and dogs.
Peace lily
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) lives in low light and droops to show it needs water, then stands back up. It needs more water than the others. It is toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing it causes mouth irritation, drooling, and vomiting.
Spider plant
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) needs a bedroom with a decent window. It suits a hanging pot or a high shelf. It is safe for cats and dogs.
Prayer plant
Prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) folds its leaves upward at dusk and lowers them in the morning. It needs medium light and humid air, so it takes more care than the rest. It is safe for cats and dogs.
What bedroom plants do not do
Many lists say bedroom plants clean the air, add oxygen, or help you sleep. The honest answer is plainer.
- Air cleaning. Houseplants do not clean indoor air in any meaningful way. A normal home swaps air with the outdoors far faster than a few plants can filter it. See do houseplants purify the air.
- Oxygen at night. Snake plants and some other succulents take in carbon dioxide at night. The amount is tiny next to the air in a room. It will not change the air you breathe. See how much oxygen do houseplants produce.
- Sleep. No plant is proven to improve sleep.
What does help the air is opening a window, running the bathroom or kitchen fan, and keeping dust down. A plant is in the bedroom because it looks good and is pleasant to care for. That is reason enough.
What “quiet care” means
A quiet plant is one you can forget for a while. Look for these traits.
- Slow growth. Less pruning, less repotting.
- Thick leaves or roots. They store water for dry spells.
- Few fallen leaves. No daily sweeping.
- No strong scent. Skip jasmine, gardenia, and hyacinth in a small bedroom.
- No thirsty habits. Skip ferns and calatheas unless you like daily checks.
How to tell if your bedroom has enough light
Low light does not mean no light. Every plant on this list needs a window in the room.
- Open the curtains at midday and stand where the plant will go.
- Try to read a book with no lamp on. If you can read it with ease, that is enough for the low-light plants here.
- Hold a hand 30 cm (12 in) above the spot. A faint shadow means low light. No shadow means too dark.
If the curtains stay shut all day, or the spot is too dark, add a lamp. A full-spectrum LED grow bulb fits a normal lamp. Put it on an outlet timer so it runs while you are out and shuts off before bed. More low-light picks are in indoor plants for minimal light.
Bedroom care tips
- Open the curtains each morning. This is the single biggest help.
- Water less than you think. In low light and a cool room, soil stays wet for a long time. Wet soil rots roots.
- Keep plants off cold glass. A bedroom window can be far colder than the room on a winter night.
- Keep plants away from heat vents and baseboard heaters. Hot, dry air crisps leaves.
- Use a saucer. Protect the nightstand or dresser from water rings.
- Wipe the leaves. Dust blocks what little light there is.
- Let the top of the soil dry out. Fungus gnats breed in damp soil.
A simple setup for most bedrooms
- One snake plant or ZZ plant on the floor near the window
- One pothos or heartleaf philodendron on a high shelf
- One parlor palm or cast iron plant in the dim corner
Water all three on the same day every two weeks, after checking the soil. Skip any pot that still feels damp.
If you have a cat or dog that sleeps in the room, choose from cast iron plant, parlor palm, spider plant, and prayer plant. If a pet eats a toxic plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.