Low-Light Houseplants for Apartments: 10 Plants That Cope With Shade

If your apartment faces north, sits on a low floor or looks onto a brick wall, choosing low-light houseplants can feel like guesswork. This guide explains what “low light” really means and which ten plants handle it best. It also covers how to care for them without the usual mistakes, and which ones are safe around cats and dogs.

What counts as low light for houseplants?

No houseplant grows in the dark. “Low light” means a spot that gets no direct sun but is still bright enough to read a book in daytime. The University of Minnesota Extension defines low light as roughly 50 to 250 foot-candles. That is typical of a north window or a corner a few steps away from a brighter one.

Below that level, plants survive on stored energy and slowly decline. Mississippi State University Extension notes that light below about 50 foot-candles will not sustain plant life for long. So “low-light tolerant” really means “survives with less light and grows slowly”. It does not mean “grows in a windowless hallway”.

Measure your light in two minutes

You don’t need to guess. Free light-meter apps on most phones read light in lux. One foot-candle equals about 10.8 lux, so you can convert the extension categories directly. Take readings at midday on a bright day, holding the phone where the plant’s leaves will sit.

Foot-candle ranges from the University of Minnesota Extension. Lux values converted at 1 foot-candle = 10.76 lux and rounded. In the Southern Hemisphere, swap north and south.

Why distance from the window matters so much

Light fades fast as you move away from glass. A plant on the sill and the same plant across the room can live in very different conditions. Trees, balconies above, sheer curtains and dirty windows cut light further. The diagram below shows the general pattern for a typical apartment window.

10 low-light houseplants for apartments

These plants appear on the University of Minnesota and Mississippi State extension lists of low-light houseplants, or are widely grown in shade. Botanical names follow Kew’s Plants of the World Online where names have changed. Pet safety comes from the ASPCA plant database.

1. ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

Family: Araceae, native to eastern Africa. Why it suits low light: glossy, waxy leaves and thick underground rhizomes let it sit through dim spells and dry soil. Water: only when the soil is dry most of the way down. Oklahoma State University Extension warns that the rhizome rots if overwatered. Pets: treat as toxic. It belongs to the arum family, whose members carry irritating calcium oxalate crystals. Watch for: yellow, soft stems, the classic sign of too much water.

2. Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata)

Family: Asparagaceae. Botanists moved it from the old genus Sansevieria into Dracaena, so you will see both names on labels. Why it suits low light: stiff, upright leaves store water, and it tolerates neglect. Water: sparingly, letting the soil dry fully between waterings, and even less in winter. Pets: toxic to cats and dogs, according to the ASPCA, and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Watch for: leaves that flop or turn mushy at the base, a sign of rot.

3. Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Family: Araceae. Why it suits low light: it keeps growing in modest light and trails beautifully from shelves. Water: when the top inch or two of soil is dry. Pets: toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA). Calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing. Watch for: the yellow or white marbling fading to plain green, which the University of Minnesota lists as a sign of too little light. Our full golden pothos care guide covers pruning and propagation.

4. Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

Family: Araceae. Why it suits low light: soft, heart-shaped leaves on vining stems, and it forgives the odd missed watering. Water: when the top inch of soil is dry. Pets: toxic to cats and dogs, with the same calcium oxalate effects as pothos. Watch for: long bare stems with small, widely spaced leaves, which means it wants a brighter spot.

5. Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)

Family: Asparagaceae. Why it suits low light: its common name says it all. It is among the most shade-tolerant houseplants on both extension lists, and it copes with cool rooms. Water: moderately, letting the top of the soil dry. Pets: non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA). Watch for: very slow growth. Buy the size you want, because it will not get there quickly in shade.

6. Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)

Family: Araceae. Why it suits low light: green and silver types handle shade well. The pink and red cultivars need more light to keep their color. Water: when the top inch of soil is dry. It dislikes cold drafts. Pets: toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA), causing mouth pain, drooling and vomiting. Watch for: brown leaf edges near cold windows or air conditioning vents.

7. Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

Family: Arecaceae. Why it suits low light: a small palm that grows in the understory of forests in Mexico and Central America. Water: keep the soil lightly moist but never soggy. Pets: non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA), which makes it one of the best shade palms for pet owners. Watch for: brown tips, often from dry air or a build-up of salts from tap water and fertilizer.

8. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)

Family: Araceae. Why it suits low light: it keeps its dark green leaves in shade, though it flowers better with medium light. Water: it droops dramatically when thirsty and recovers quickly after watering. Pets: toxic to cats and dogs because of calcium oxalate crystals. It is not a true lily, so it does not carry the kidney risk that true lilies pose to cats. Watch for: no flowers, which usually means not enough light. See our peace lily care guide for more.

9. Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ (Dracaena fragrans)

Family: Asparagaceae. Why it suits low light: this dark-leaved cultivar is one of the most shade-tolerant dracaenas, and it grows tall enough to fill a corner. Water: when the top couple of inches are dry. Use filtered or rain water if tips brown, because dracaenas are sensitive to fluoride. Pets: toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA lists dracaenas as toxic). Watch for: brown tips and yellowing lower leaves. Our dracaena guide compares seven popular types.

10. Prayer plants and calatheas (Marantaceae)

Family: Marantaceae. Why they suit low light: these patterned plants grow on shaded forest floors, and their leaves fold up at night. Water: keep the soil evenly moist, using room-temperature water. They want more humidity than most apartments provide. Pets: the ASPCA lists prayer plant (Calathea insignis) as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Watch for: crispy brown edges from dry air. Of the ten, these are the fussiest, so start with one.

[PHOTO: The author’s own north-facing windowsill with a ZZ plant and a parlor palm, taken in natural daylight.]

Comparison table: low-light houseplants at a glance

Toxicity from the ASPCA plant database. ZZ plant is not listed by the ASPCA, but as a member of the arum family it is safest to treat it as toxic. Even non-toxic plants can upset a pet’s stomach if eaten in quantity.

Best low-light houseplants by situation

How to care for low-light houseplants

Water less than you think

This is the single most important rule. Plants in dim light grow slowly, so they use far less water. Mississippi State University Extension calls overwatering the number-one cause of houseplant death. It also notes that a plant in good light needs more water than the same plant in lower light.

Water by touch, not by calendar. Push a finger or an unpainted wooden dowel into the soil before watering. If soil clings to the dowel, wait. Make sure every pot has drainage holes, and never leave a pot standing in a saucer of water.

Feed lightly, or not at all in winter

Slow growth means low nutrient demand. Extra fertilizer in shade builds up as salts in the soil and can burn roots. Use a diluted houseplant fertilizer during the growing months only, and skip it entirely when growth stops in winter.

Keep the leaves clean

Dust on leaves blocks light a plant cannot spare. Wipe large leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks, supporting each leaf from below. Skip leaf-shine products, which can clog the leaf surface.

Rotate the pot

Plants lean toward their light source. Give the pot a quarter turn every week or two to keep growth even and stop stems from stretching sideways.

Signs your plant needs more light

The University of Minnesota Extension lists the classic symptoms of too little light:

• Pale green, yellow or whitish leaves
• Long, thin stems that lean toward the window
• Large gaps between leaves along the stem
• Older leaves dropping off
• Variegated leaves turning plain green
• Flowering plants that stop forming buds

If you see two or more of these, move the plant a few feet closer to the window. If that is not possible, add a grow light.

When a grow light makes sense

Some apartment corners are simply too dark, whatever you plant. A small grow light turns them into usable space. The University of Minnesota Extension offers practical guidance:

• Choose LED. LEDs are energy efficient, long-lasting and run cool, which makes them safe near leaves.
• White or full-spectrum light works for most foliage plants and looks natural in a living space.
• Keep it 12 to 24 inches above foliage plants. Light intensity drops quickly with distance.
• Run it 12 to 14 hours a day for foliage plants, on a simple plug-in timer.
• Compare bulbs by PPF or foot-candles, not watts or lumens. Lumens measure brightness to human eyes, not light plants can use.

Do low-light houseplants clean the air?

Many lists sell snake plants and peace lilies as air purifiers. The idea traces back to a 1989 NASA study that tested plants in small, sealed chambers. Those conditions are very different from a home, where air constantly exchanges with the outside.

A 2019 review by Drexel University engineers Bryan Cummings and Michael Waring looked at decades of these studies. They estimated you would need roughly 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter of floor to match the effect of normal building ventilation. In other words, a few pots will not measurably clean the air in an apartment. Opening a window or running an extractor fan does far more.

That does not make plants pointless. Many people simply enjoy living with greenery, and caring for plants can be a calming routine. Just choose them for that, not as an air filter. Our guide to indoor plants and wellbeing looks at what the research does and does not show.

Pet and child safety with houseplants

Seven of the ten plants above are toxic to cats and dogs. Most of them, the arum family members such as pothos, philodendron, peace lily and Chinese evergreen, contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. When chewed, the ASPCA says these cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Snake plant and dracaena contain saponins, which mainly cause stomach upset.

Practical steps help. Put toxic plants on high shelves or in hanging planters. Keep fallen leaves picked up. Choose the pet-safe options for floor level, especially with kittens and puppies.

Plant names, history and folklore

Several of these plants carry long cultural stories, and knowing them adds to the fun of growing them. These are traditions and anecdotes, not proven effects.

• Cast iron plant earned its name in Victorian homes, where it survived dim rooms and gas lighting that killed less hardy plants. It became a fixture of parlors and hotel lobbies.
• Parlor palm takes its name from the same era, when it decorated the formal front rooms of 19th-century homes.
• Snake plant is also called mother-in-law’s tongue for its sharp-edged leaves. In Feng Shui tradition it is sometimes placed near entrances as a protective plant.
• ZZ plant is sold as the Zanzibar gem and, in some markets, as a plant said to bring good fortune.
• Prayer plant is named for the way its leaves fold upward at night, like hands in prayer. Botanists call this daily leaf movement nyctinasty.

Lucky bamboo is another popular shade plant with a rich Feng Shui story. Browse our houseplant guides for care and folklore on more plants.

Common mistakes with low-light houseplants

1. Watering on a schedule. A weekly routine that suits a sunny window drowns a plant in shade. Check the soil first.
2. Treating “low light” as “no light”. Even the toughest plants slowly fail in a windowless room without a grow light.
3. Using pots without drainage holes. Water collects at the bottom and rots roots out of sight.
4. Repotting into a much bigger pot. Extra soil stays wet for weeks in low light. Go up only one size, usually 1 to 2 inches wider.
5. Buying colorful cultivars for dark rooms. Pink aglaonemas and heavily variegated pothos need more light to keep their color.
6. Placing pots on cold windowsills in winter. Tropical plants dislike cold glass and drafts.
7. Ignoring pet safety. Check the ASPCA database before buying for a home with cats or dogs.

Your first step before you buy

Download a free light-meter app and take a reading at noon where you want the plant to live. Between about 540 and 2,700 lux, any plant on this list will cope. Below 540 lux, plan for a grow light or choose a brighter spot. Five minutes of measuring saves months of watching a plant slowly fade.

Sources

1. University of Minnesota Extension. Light requirements for houseplants. extension.umn.edu
2. Mississippi State University Extension. Care and Selection of Indoor Plants, Publication 1012 (2022). extension.msstate.edu
3. Oklahoma State University Extension. ZZ plant profile. extension.okstate.edu
4. ASPCA Animal Poison Control. Toxic and non-toxic plants: golden pothos, Chinese evergreen, cast iron plant, parlor palm, prayer plant, snake plant, peace lily, philodendron, dracaena. aspca.org
5. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online (botanical names and families). powo.science.kew.org
6. Cummings BE, Waring MS. Potted plants do not improve indoor air quality: a review and analysis of reported VOC removal efficiencies. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, 2019. Summary: Drexel University
7. Wolverton BC, Johnson A, Bounds K. Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement. NASA, 1989.
8. America’s Poison Centers. Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222. poisonhelp.hrsa.gov