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I live in a very dark house, with no south-facing windows and not much light to work with. This has made growing houseplants challenging, but it hasn’t stopped me. I have a huge, thriving indoor garden and I have become an expert on the best indoor plants for dark rooms.
In this post, I’m going to share the plants that have worked best for me in the darkest recesses of my cabin. Just because you don’t have giant sunny windows doesn’t mean you can’t grow lots of beautiful indoor plants!
Chinese Evergreen
Aglaonema, commonly known as Chinese Evergreen, is in my top three favorite houseplants of all time. It’s probably the easiest plant you can grow indoors, and it’s a true low light plant. It thrives in a dark corner, as long as it gets some indirect light for part of the day.
Chinese Evergreen requires very basic care and needs only average room temperatures, low light levels and moderate humidity. It tolerates mild neglect and easily bounces back from underwatering. It is perfect for beginners and anyone who needs a plant for a dark room, hallway or north-facing window.
This plant has many beautiful varieties to choose from. The only weakness is cold temperatures. If you plan to place it near an entryway, choose one of the newer varieties like “Emerald Star” or “Silver Bay.” They are less likely to be damaged by low temperatures.
Snake plant
Snake plant, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, is a well-known houseplant popular for its ease of care and tolerance to neglect. It is also one of the best indoor plants for dark rooms. My snake plant thrives in a dark corner of my living room where almost nothing else will grow!
Caring for snake plants is easy. It needs watering from time to time, and doesn’t mind too much if you forget about it for a few days (or even weeks). It likes dry air, so you don’t have to worry about maintaining humidity, and requires only infrequent feeding. It is another of the easiest houseplants to grow.
If you have a large darker area that you want to fill with plants, snake plant is an ideal choice. You can plant two or more snake plants together – or even combine them with other low-light plants to create a beautiful screen for dark rooms.
Cast iron plant
Cast iron factory (Aspidistra eliator) gets its common name from its ability to withstand almost anything – low light, underwater and general neglect. It is valued for its attractive foliage. Large, strappy green leaves have a natural waxy coating that gives them a glossy appearance.
Although it can tolerate neglect, the cast iron plant responds well to good care. It thrives in a north-facing window or even under artificial light, making it one of the best indoor plants for dark rooms. It can even handle fluctuating temperatures and inconsistent watering.
ZZ Plant
Just like a snake plant, you may also have seen the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) grows in hotel lobbies and office buildings. This is because it tolerates low light conditions well. Place it in a dark room in your home and it will work fine, as long as it gets one small light every day.
A very attractive and easy-to-grow houseplant, the ZZ plant does not have many demanding care requirements. Warm temperatures, dry air and occasional watering are all that are needed to thrive. An excellent choice for beginners and anyone with a dark room in need of plants.
Fred Lily
One of the only flowering plants that can tolerate low light, peace lily makes a beautiful addition to a dark room or hallway. The plant’s broad, dark green leaves give it the ability to thrive even in less than ideal conditions.
Peace lilies are very forgiving plants. They will put up with erratic watering schedules and don’t need a lot of sunlight. You may have trouble getting the plant to bloom in a dark room, but you can always enjoy the foliage or supplement with artificial plant lights.
Bird nest Fern
This easy-care fern produces rosettes of lush, green, banded leaves that are attractive in any space. Because of its large leaves, it is another of the best indoor plants for dark rooms. Plants with large leaves usually do better in low light.
Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus) needs little care apart from moderate moisture and monthly feeding with diluted fertilizer. Clean the plant’s leaves with a damp, soft cloth from time to time to remove dust and allow light to reach them. This also keeps them shiny and attractive.
Japanese Aralia
If you’re looking for tall plants for dark rooms, look no further than the low-light indoor tree – Japanese aralia. Well, it’s technically more of a shrub, but you can grow it as a small tree indoors. It copes well with low light and produces lovely foliage.
Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica) can survive temperatures down to freezing in winter, making it a good choice for a dark entryway or hallway near doors. It does well with cold drafts and doesn’t need a lot of light to maintain its lush leaves.
Heartleaf Philodendron
There are many types of philodendron, all very popular houseplants for their easy care and attractive foliage. But the cotyledon philodendron is the best choice for low-light situations – especially if you’re looking for a climbing plant for a dark room.
If you need plants for a dark kitchen, heartleaf philodendron is suitable. I keep mine on top of my kitchen cabinets, and it climbs over them in a beautiful display. I don’t get a ton of light for my kitchen, but it’s enough for this plant to grow.
English ivy
Non-variegated types of English ivy (Honor helix) does well in lower light. Variegated types will lose their pattern if they don’t get enough bright light, but they will still survive. Overall, English ivy is another of the best indoor plants for dark rooms.
As trailing plants, you can place them in a hanging basket or on a high shelf. I have my English ivy plant on a tall bookshelf, and I let it trail down over the pages. It does wonders to brighten up an otherwise dark and bland part of your home.
Peperomia
Three species of peperomia are grown as houseplants (P. caperata, P. argyreiaand P. obtusifolia). All three can adapt to dim light and have no demanding care needs. This makes them some of the best indoor plants for dark rooms.
Perperomias are ideal small desk plants that don’t need sunlight. They are good for offices because they thrive under artificial fluorescent lights. But you can also grow them at home in darker areas – like table tops and benches. They need minimal light to grow nicely.
What plants can live in total darkness?
The only plants that can live in total darkness are fungi, and they are not really plants but fungi. There are no houseplants that can live without sunlight at all.
You may have seen articles online that claim that some plants (including those on this list) can grow in total darkness or “in the dark.” But it is not true. Although you can grow plants in dark or dimly lit rooms, you need some sunlight.
Plants like Chinese wintergreen and cast iron plant can even survive for short periods in the dark, but they will eventually die if they don’t get some light – either natural or artificial. So, don’t believe everything you read!
Best indoor plants for dark rooms
All 10 plants on this list will grow in darker areas of your home. I own them all and my house is definitely dark (with only two east facing windows and one west facing window to work with). I have had success with these plants for years.
Watch out for plants that say they need bright light. Make sure they specifically state that they can tolerate low light, or you could be spending money on a plant that won’t survive. When I shop for plants, I always look up the care requirements on my phone before I bring anything home.
Stick to this list of the best indoor plants for dark rooms to fill the darkest areas of your home. But remember that all plants need some light to survive. And if you’re having trouble finding these plants locally, I always recommend checking out potted plants on Etsy.
