15 plants for lightless interiors

Article for :All parent plants

Not everyone is lucky enough to live in a south-facing house in which to grow Pilea or Dracaena. Your home has the brightness of a hobbit's cave, but you're dreaming of plant-based decoration? Is the size of your collection such that you've been reduced to planting obscure rooms? Here are fifteen houseplants that don't need light to shine.

#1 The Calathea

Calathea prefer humidity to sun -Photo by Desing Strive

Who could believe that such decorative foliage thrives on little light? Green on top, purple on the reverse, Calathea leaves are adorned with patterns that look as if they've been sketched by a painter.

Unlike Monstera, which needs sunlight to sublimate its holes and variegations, Calathea prefers low light to preserve its patterns and colors. On the other hand, this tropical plant needs a high level of humidity and a regular supply of water.

#2 Dracula simia orchid

How can you be so cute and so scary at the same time? Photo by Dick Culbert

The Dracula simia orchid likes part shade or full shade. But if I were you, I wouldn't put mine in too dark a corner. The mocking monkey's face revealed in the middle of the purple flower could give you the fright of your life if you came across it in the middle of the night.

The plant doesn't take its name from the scary head at its center, nor from its love of darkness. Dracula is thought to mean "little dragon" and refers to the long spikes that extend from the petals.

#3 The Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

When it comes to light and watering, pothos are easy to care for - Photo by Mokkie

Plants that tolerate the dark have some spine-chilling names. Pothos known as devil's ivy. But to grow it in your apartment, you don't need to make a pact with Satan.

Just place it in part shade. Pothos is one of the few plants that can survive in a windowless room with artificial light (a neon office, for example). Suspended or along a stake, it's up to you how you want to show off its heart-shaped leaves.

#4 Moonflower (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

A spot in partial shade and regular maintenance, Spathiphyllum doesn't ask for the moon - Photo by Nacasma

With a name like that, it's hard not to include moon Flower in our top list of houseplants that don't need much light. Spathiphyllum owes its name to its flowering. It takes the form of a large white spathe, resembling the night star.

In theory, Spathiphyllum likes bright light, without direct sunlight. In practice, the plant is quite tolerant of part shade. If your moonflower lacks light, it will let you know: the tips of its lanceolate leaves will turn brown.

#5 Aglaonema

The Aglaonema does best in part shade - Photo by Krzysztof Ziarnek

Does the Aglaonema ring a bell? It's the plant Jean Reno carries around with him in Léon. While the one in the film has green foliage, other varieties are variegated pink, silver or cream.

In sunlight, Aglaonema's leaves soften and their tips turn brown. To preserve the leaf blades, find your plant a spot with a little indirect morning light and plenty of humidity. It will do best in a bathroom or kitchen with a window, even if the rooms face north or east.

#6 Dypsis lutescens

Too much light can burn the palms of your Dypsis lutescens - Photo by NY State Extension Gardener

Few plants evoke the beach and summer as much as palm trees. But with Dypsis lutescens, you won't need the California sun to feel like you're by the sea all year round. Unlike other indoor palms, such as Kentia or Areca, the multiplying palm does not require much light. It is content with a shady or half-shady spot.

But don't ask too much of it either! If its palms warp, the environment is really too dark for it. Bring your Areca palm closer to the light and it will regain its superb foliage.

#7 Saintpaulia

Saintpaulia bloom almost all year round - Photo by Dr Avishai Teicher

Would you like to flower your home, but there's not enough natural light to grow a Bird of Paradise or Dipladenia? Try Saintpaulia. Less spectacular, this little plant with purple, blue or pink flowers is just as exotic. It comes to us from Africa and adapts to the temperature of our houses and apartments.

The Cape Violet needs regular watering, a humid atmosphere and a half-shade position without direct sun. Properly cared for, it blooms all year round.

#8 Mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Mother-in-law's tongue is an almost impossible plant to kill - Thanluanphotography

Laurentii, Moonshine, Golden Hahnii... There are dozens of varieties of Mother-in-law' Mother-in-law's language. They may vary in size, habit, leaf shape and color, but they all have the same requirements: low light and indirect light.

Even a dazed, cave-dwelling killer plant can keep a Mother-in-law's Tongue alive. But to avoid adding another victim to your list, we still recommend downloading the Monstera app. Thanks to our watering reminders, your plant will have a life of its own. With our tips, you might even succeed in making cuttings.

#9 Aspidistra elatior

Aspidistra elatior brings a vintage touch to any room - Photo by James Petts

Aspidistra elatior was previously mentioned in our article on ten maintenance-free houseplants. This tall herbaceous plant thrives in rooms with little light. It thrives equally well in a sunny living room or a north-facing office. My concierge's plant lives its best life in a ground-floor dressing room overlooking a gloomy courtyard.

Very popular in the 60s, this plant native to Taiwan is making a comeback. Its dark green lanceolate foliage gives our interiors a vintage feel.

#10 Helixin or helixin

Helixin can also be grown indoors - Photo by David J. Stang

Outdoors, helxine (Latin: Soleirolia soleirolii) is a ground cover plant that thrives in high humidity and low light. A star of Japanese gardens, it can also be grown in pots and indoors. This green carpet will brighten up a bathroom with a window or a north-facing kitchen.

The plant blooms pink throughout the summer, even indoors. For even more color, opt for the Soleirolia soleirolii Aurea variety with its golden leaves or the Soleirolia soleirolii Variegata cultivar with its white variegated foliage.

#11 Mountain palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

This palm doesn't like sunny beaches. It prefers mountain undergrowth - Photo by David J. Stang

Do you have a tiny interior with little light? Then you need a mountain palm. Admittedly, Chamaedorea elegans reaches a height of two meters when fully grown, but you'll find young plants measuring around ten centimeters in height on the market. By the time yours finishes growing, we hope you've moved!

Saw Palmetto grows in the shade of tall trees in the forests of Mexico and Guatemala. At home, it thrives in part shade, away from a window or facing north, and with regular watering.

#12 The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

The ZZ plant can survive the toughest conditions, including dark interiors - Photo by Maja Dumat

Another low-maintenance plant that requires almost nothing. Plant ZZ is indestructible. As long as there's an opening to let in a little light, it'll hold its own.

Are you planning to put it in a dark corner and fear you'll forget about it? No problem for the Zamioculcas. It likes to be left alone and forgives forgotten watering. Its stems act as a water reserve, enabling it to survive for several weeks without care.

#13 Bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus)

In a slightly dark room, the bright green fronds of the bird's nest fern bring light - Photo by David J. Stang

Bird's nest fern, Asplenium nidus by its Latin name, doesn't shy away from anything. In their natural environment, these plants grow in rock crevices or on tree trunks. So your cave-like home is no match for them! All they need is a shady spot, without direct sunlight, and a little attention!

The ideal spot? A shower room with a window. The bird's nest fern loves humidity. By placing it next to your shower, you won't even have to mist it or resort to the trick of the clay ball bed. All you have to do is water it every week to maintain its green foliage.

#14 Pteris

Like all ferns, pteris love humidity - Photo by Leonora Enking

Pteris are ferns with an upright, drooping or spreading habit and dissected leaves. Most species are not hardy andmust be grown indoors.

Once sheltered from the cold, Pteris are undemanding. They need only a little indirect light and a high level of humidity. Place yours in your bathroom or kitchen, so it can benefit from the ambient humidity.

#15 The dwarf fig tree (Ficus pumila)

With the right care, your dwarf fig tree can reach a meter in height - Photo by NY State Gradener extension

In Asia, ficus pumila protects itself from direct light by growing in the shade of other trees. In your home, it will be satisfied with a spot in the shade or half-shade.

As well as being easy to grow, Ficus pumila and its heart-shaped leaves lend themselves to all your decorative desires. You can grow it as a hanging plant or climb it along a support. Fast-growing, it can also be used to create a plant wall. Finally, if the air in your home is dry, don't hesitate to plant it in a terrarium to give it the hygrometry it needs.

By Servane Nemetz
on 09-09-2022 at 07h51