9 Indoor Plants That Don't Need Much Sun To Survive

Many houseplants require several hours of direct sunlight in order to grow and thrive. If the rooms in your home where you want to grow indoor plants don't have a lot of windows — or the windows don't face the right direction to let in sufficient sunlight — this may leave you wondering whether you'll even be able to add any greenery to your living space. Fortunately, not all indoor plants have such high sunlight needs. There are actually several that can grow and survive under low lighting conditions; however, most of these will still do best in bright light, so keep that in mind as you're evaluating their growth.

Before we begin exploring some of the various plants that don't need much sun to survive, let's take a quick step back and discuss what low lighting means, even though the specific needs of each of the plants below will vary slightly. Medium to low lighting conditions may be found near north-facing windows in the home — some light will filter through these areas, but it won't be the direct or bright light like the kind that comes through south-facing windows. Other low-light areas of the home include those that are eight or more feet from a window where there is no light directly hitting the plant. For example, basements, hallways, and bathrooms with small windows could all be considered low-light areas.

While most plants require several hours of sunlight in order to flower, peace lilies are the exception to the rule. In many situations, they can produce flowers as long as they are given at least two hours of sunlight each day. These flowering plants are native to tropical rainforests in Central America and Southeast Asia, where they're used to growing on the forest floor, partially shaded by the taller plants and trees around them. They do not do well when placed in direct sunlight, as the hot rays from the sun can scorch their leaves.

If you want to keep your peace lilies as healthy as possible when minimal lighting is available, there are a few things you'll want to consider when deciding where to place them. First, these plants are sensitive to colder temperatures — they prefer warmer conditions, with an ambient temperature between 68 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They absolutely should not be kept in any spaces where the temperature drops to 60 degrees or lower, so a peace lily isn't a good candidate for a cold basement (or other areas that regularly receive chilly drafts from nearby doors or windows). These plants also prefer moderate humidity levels. When you consider these criteria, a dim bathroom with at least some natural lighting might be the ideal location for a peace lily. Just take care to avoid placing the plant directly next to a heating or air conditioning vent, as a steady stream of either hot or cold air could damage it.

A Chinese evergreen is another top candidate for rooms that lack lots of natural sunlight. These perennials are native to New Guinea and Southeast Asia, where they grow in tropical or subtropical conditions. Since they typically grow beneath taller trees, they have a preference for deep shade or partial shade, which means that you can grow a Chinese evergreen in a room that gets fewer than two hours of indirect sunlight. However, if you choose a variegated variety, it may need more moderate lighting conditions; a solid green cultivar may be the best choice for rooms that have very minimal sunlight.

Generally speaking, Chinese evergreens are easy to care for. These plants prefer temperatures between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, but they can tolerate drops to as low as 55 degrees Fahrenheit. They also prefer moderate to high humidity but will tolerate dry air. Because of its higher tolerance levels and its unpicky growing conditions, a darker corner of an office or bedroom could work great for this plant.

If you're looking for an easy-to-care-for plant that will survive in a room with minimal lighting, a ZZ plant is certainly an option to consider. As long as it gets a few hours of sun, these plants can survive. They are native to South Africa and Mozambique, often found in the understory of forests, where they are used to growing without a lot of sun. They also have fat, bulb-like rhizomes, allowing them to gather water reservoirs and nutrients. When light is low, the plant is able to tap into these resources and photosynthesize.

While the plant has lower lighting needs than many others, you'll still want to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't start to appear leggy, as this is a sign that it isn't getting sufficient light. While some indirect light can benefit ZZ plants, they should not be placed in direct sunlight. It can scald their leaves, cause them to curl, or turn their color to yellow or brown. Interestingly, this plant will even give clues that it doesn't like too much light. While most plants tend to stretch and reach toward the light, a ZZ plant's stems sometimes bend to get out of the light.

When deciding where to place your ZZ plant, consider its lighting and temperature needs to help ensure the plant stays healthy. A room with a window that lets in at least a few hours of indirect sunlight will offer the biggest benefit to this plant. It grows well in temperatures between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which should match the conditions of most rooms in your house. You could even consider placing this plant in a windowless room, such as a basement or office, but you'll want to set up fluorescent lighting for a few hours each day to help ensure the ZZ plant is able to continue growing.

Consider adding a philodendron to one of the rooms in your home that doesn't get a lot of sunlight. These plants, which are native to the rainforests of Central and South America, are considered epiphytes. If you've never heard the term epiphytes before, it refers to a type of plant that doesn't have roots in the ground but instead uses the branches or trunks of a tree or other plant for support as it grows. With this growing method, philodendrons aren't used to direct sunlight — the canopy of the trees above them blocks the direct light, providing them with more indirect or diffused light. This preference is why you can consider growing a philodendron in lower lighting conditions indoors — though it'll still need some indirect light to ensure its photosynthesis needs are met. Conversely, if the plant gets too much light, the leaves may yellow, become scorched, or even drop.

The ideal placement for a philodendron is near a window where it'll receive indirect light. Because the lighting conditions in the rooms of your home can change based on the season and the location of the sun, you could also consider moving these plants between rooms depending on the time of year. Alternatively, adding some fluorescent light during periods where sufficient sunlight isn't filtering into the room could be a good solution as well. There are different philodendron varieties, and a unvariegated one may also be a better choice for lower lighting conditions, as it can do even better under such conditions.

While spider plants may prefer a room with medium light, they can do surprisingly well in lower lighting conditions, even deeply shaded areas. Spider plants are native to South Africa, particularly the coastal areas of the region. In these regions, you'd likely spot spider plants in the undergrowth of trees, which explains why these herbaceous perennials are much more tolerant of shady conditions and can survive with fewer than two hours of direct sunlight.

When it comes to which room is the best for your spider plant's health, there are some additional items to consider beyond the available sunlight. Generally speaking, temperature isn't really one of these considerations, as these plants will do well in most indoor conditions — they just don't like when the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. (But you'll have much bigger concerns if your home's temperature indoors tends to get this low). Still, avoid placing the plant near drafty doors and windows or air conditioning vents. Humidity, however, is a bit more important for spider plants. They won't do well in dry air, so you'll want to pick a room with average or slightly-above average humidity. For this reason, the bathroom is actually the perfect place for your spider plant.

If you have a room that doesn't get much direct sunlight, consider adding a dumb cane plant to brighten it up. Officially called dieffenbachia, dumb cane can grow well in partial shade, so it won't need much sun throughout the day to survive. Varieties with darker leaves are even more well-suited to lower lighting conditions, as they have more chlorophyll and are better able to absorb enough sunlight in a short period of time to go through photosynthesis. Though, depending on just how much light is available, the plant might not grow as fast as it otherwise would. Dumb cane is native to South America and the Caribbean, where it receives only filtered sunlight passing through the tall trees that fill the skyline.

Considering the temperature and humidity needs, in addition to the light requirements, can help you choose a good location for dumb cane in your home. As a tropical plant, it probably isn't surprising that dumb cane prefers warmer temperatures and higher humidity levels. Ideally, the temperature should be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level of at least 60%. For this reason, dumb cane is another plant that might do well in a bathroom with a window that lets in at least some sunlight. If your bathrooms don't have any windows, you could consider placing the plant in another room, but you may want to consider adding a humidifier, particularly during the winter when the air is drier.

Bamboo palms — which are not actually bamboo — offer another solution for those looking to add some greenery to a room that doesn't get abundant sunlight. These plants don't do well in direct sunlight (it scorches their leaves), they grow well in bright light, but they are also very tolerant of conditions with very low lighting. This attractive plant is native to Mexico and Central America, where it grows in the understory of rainforests, only getting the light that filters through the canopy of trees above it.

As you search for the perfect low-lighting spot to keep your bamboo plants healthy, keep in mind that these plants do best when the temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees. Colder areas of the home — including those that get a draft from a window, door, or nearby air conditioning vent — may threaten the plants. Additionally, they also prefer more humid areas, with a humidity level between 40% and 60%. If a bathroom won't work, you could also set up a humidifier or create your own humidity tray.

Aspidistra elatior isn't commonly called a cast iron plant for nothing. It was given this nickname because of its resilience to subpar growing conditions, including a lack of sunlight. It is an excellent pick for those who want to add a plant to a bedroom, office, or other room that doesn't get much light. This is another plant that is native to forest understories, this time forests in Asia. In fact, it is so used to lower lighting that it actually grows better when it doesn't get much light — even indirect sun.

Cast iron plants thrive where others will die. Beyond their tolerance (and even preference) for lower lighting conditions, the plants can do well in different soil types, don't need regular fertilization, and can even survive through periods of drought. While you don't want to purposefully forget about any of your plants, this one would have pretty great odds of survival if you did. Humidity can be a concern for cast iron plants, however, so be careful to avoid placing them anywhere that the air stays overly dry for extended periods of time.

Those searching for the best hanging plant to add visual appeal to their space might want to consider English ivy. Native to Europe, this ivy plant is accustomed to growing on a shady forest floor — or even climbing up the trunks of trees that are in the shade. Because of this, the plant will require only a little natural light to grow well indoors. Keep an eye on your plant — you'll be able to tell if it isn't getting sufficient sunlight if the color starts to fade or if it begins to look leggy. Consider placing it near an east-, west-, or north-facing window to provide it with some light, but not too much direct sunlight.

When deciding on the best places to hang plants in your home, there are a few other variables to consider to ensure your English ivy plant stays healthy. One of these is humidity. The plants prefer medium or high humidity, so they are another great candidate for a bathroom with a window. Placing a humidifier along with them in another low-lighting room in the house could also work. Temperature is also key to keeping this plant healthy. If the room temperature is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant's health could suffer. Similarly, you'll also want to be careful to avoid placing it near drafty windows or doors or air conditioning vents. Even heating vents during the winter should be avoided as any extreme changes in the ambient temperature may cause undue stress to the plant.