Five plants that forgive low light
A north-facing flat is not a dead end. These five plants cope with less light and still look like they mean it.
No plant grows in the dark, but several cope well with the soft light of a north window or the far side of a room.
- Snake plant: upright, architectural and almost impossible to overwater in low light, as long as you barely water.
- ZZ plant: glossy leaves, stores water in its roots.
- Pothos: trails happily from a shelf and tells you when it is thirsty by drooping.
- Cast iron plant: the name says it all.
- Parlour palm: soft and feathery, likes humidity.
In low light every plant drinks less. Halve the watering you would give it on a sunny sill.
Questions about your own plant?
Send us a photo and a line about where it stands. Our plant doctor replies within a day.
Plant care journal
Keep reading
Winter care: what to change when the heating comes on
Shorter days and dry radiator air change everything for a houseplant. Four small adjustments that carry them through to spring.
How often should you really water a monstera?
Forget the weekly schedule. Read the soil, the leaves and the season instead, and your monstera will tell you when it is thirsty.
Repotting without the drama
Roots circling the pot, water running straight through: the signs it is time, and a fifteen minute method for the kitchen table.