Houseplants that do not need sunlight (and the light they need instead)

Every plant needs light. No houseplant lives in a dark room. What some plants do not need is direct sun.

ZZ plant, snake plant, cast iron plant, pothos, and Chinese evergreen grow in rooms where the sun never lands on a leaf. They also grow under office ceiling lights that stay on all day.

I earn a commission when you buy through links to Amazon. It costs you nothing extra.

What “no sunlight” means

A plant makes its food from light. In the dark it lives on stored energy, then it stops growing, thins out, and dies. That can take months, which is why a plant in a dark hallway looks fine for a while.

“No sunlight” plants need one of two things.

1. Daylight with no direct sun. A north window, a spot across the room from a window, or a room shaded by a porch or a tree.
2. Electric light for most of the day. Office lights that run 8 to 12 hours, or a grow light.

A quick test: at midday, with the lamps off, can you read a book in that spot? If you can, a low-light plant can live there. If you need a lamp to read, the plant needs one too.

10 plants that grow with no direct sun

Plant	Lives under office lights alone	Pet safe	Water
ZZ plant	Yes	No	When the soil is dry all the way down
Snake plant	Yes	No	When the soil is dry all the way down
Cast iron plant	Yes	Yes	When the top 5 cm (2 in) is dry
Pothos	Yes	No	When the top 5 cm (2 in) is dry
Chinese evergreen	Yes	No	When the top few centimeters are dry
Heartleaf philodendron	Yes	No	When the top few centimeters are dry
Parlor palm	Yes	Yes	When the top 2 to 3 cm (1 in) is dry
Lucky bamboo	Yes	No	Grows in a vase of water
Peace lily	Yes, with fewer flowers	No	When the leaves start to droop
Dracaena	Yes	No	When the top 5 cm (2 in) is dry

ZZ plant. It grows in an office with no window nearby. Thick roots store water, so it goes weeks between drinks.

Snake plant. It holds its shape in low light for years. It grows faster with more.

Cast iron plant. It earned its name in dark Victorian parlors. It is slow and close to unkillable.

Pothos. The vines keep growing in dim rooms. Variegated types fade to green, so pick a plain green or a ‘Neon’ for the darkest spots.

Chinese evergreen. The dark green kinds handle the least light. The pink and red kinds need more.

Lucky bamboo. It grows in a vase of water on a desk. Direct sun scorches it.

Plants for a room with no windows

A windowless bathroom or basement has two honest options.

Add a grow light. A full-spectrum LED bulb in a desk lamp or a clamp lamp is enough for one or two low-light plants. Place it 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) above the plant. Run it 10 to 12 hours a day on a plug-in timer. The timer matters more than the lamp, because plants need the light every day. Amazon sells both grow bulbs and plug-in timers. Read how to choose a grow light for houseplants.

Rotate two plants. Keep one plant in the dark room and its twin by a window. Swap them every two weeks. Each plant gets time to recover. ZZ plants and snake plants handle this best.

A plant left in a room with no light at all is a plant you plan to replace. A good fake plant is a fair choice for that spot.

How to care for plants in low light

Low light changes the care more than people expect.

1. Water less. A plant in dim light uses less water. The soil stays wet longer. Check it with a finger and wait until it is dry to the depth in the plant’s guide. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.
2. Feed less. Fertilize at half strength two or three times a year. Slow growth cannot use more.
3. Dust the leaves. A layer of dust blocks light the plant cannot spare.
4. Expect slow growth. A few new leaves a year is normal.
5. Use a pot with a drainage hole. Wet soil in a dim room leads to root rot and fungus gnats.

Signs a plant needs more light

• Long, bare stems that reach toward the window.
• New leaves that are smaller and paler than old ones.
• Variegated leaves that turn plain green.
• Soil that stays wet for more than two weeks.
• No new growth through spring and summer.

Move the plant closer to a window or add a lamp. It will not get used to the dark.

Plants that will not live without sun

Succulents, cacti, croton, fiddle leaf fig, bird of paradise, and most flowering plants need bright light. In a dim room they stretch, drop leaves, and fade.

Quick answers

Can any plant live in a dark room? No. Every plant needs light from a window or a lamp.

Can plants grow under normal LED bulbs? Low-light plants can, if the bulbs are bright, close, and on for most of the day. A full-spectrum grow bulb does a better job.

What plant needs the least light? ZZ plant and cast iron plant.

Is there a pet-safe plant for a dark room? Cast iron plant and parlor palm are both non-toxic to cats and dogs.

For dim rooms that do have a window, read indoor plants for minimal light.