Not all indoor plants need a lot of light and warmth. Just think of all the plant species that thrive on the floor of a rainforest and are not exposed to any sunlight. Although many indoor plants prefer a sunny location, not all of them do. Many houseplants can also cope with little light. And that's a good thing, because just imagine what the dark places in your apartment would look like without green natural beauties. Everyone knows that plants need light to grow, but here we show you which indoor plants are suitable for little light!
Low light - sophisticated mechanisms of nature
Why do plants need light at all? It's actually quite obvious: without light there is no photosynthesis and without photosynthesis there is no growth. Through the incident light they perform true miracles.
A small digression: Photosynthesis
The climate-damaging CO2 flows down the underside of the leaf into the interior of the leaf, where it is used together with water to produce the oxygen that is vital for us. The chlorophyll (green plant pigment) in the chloroplast absorbs sunlight. Without this solar energy, the process of photosynthesis could not take place. This energy converts carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose. The oxygen is released back into the environment, while glucose (dextrose) is converted into starch by the plant and used for its own needs. Through this chemical process they are the heroes of our nature!
The light intensity of (indoor) plants
But is it really that simple? Let's start from the beginning. It is well known that plants that are exposed to more sunlight grow better and faster. They are in constant competition with each other. On the most diverse landscapes such as forests, meadows and fields, they take the light away from each other because they grow close together. But plants have also learned to deal with these environmental conditions. They can thus adapt to changing light conditions and still carry out photosynthesis efficiently.
Plants that are exposed to low light intensity are also referred to as shade plants. Unlike sun plants, they only need a subset of the normal amount of light to thrive. The need for light varies depending on the plant, which is why the right location for indoor plants is the be-all and end-all so that they feel comfortable. We will show you examples of houseplants for low light in the course of the article.
The classic places for indoor plants for low light in your home
As you have probably already noticed, your apartment often has more shady locations than the most sunny and light-flooded locations. West- or east-facing bedrooms or even darker hallways are typical places where less sunlight reaches.
Tip: As soon as you switch off the artificial light, you will discover suitable shady places for your houseplant. The places where only dim light is available are very well suited for your future shade plants.
You can basically compare your apartment with a natural landscape. There are shady places also next to those that get a lot of sunlight.So why not convert your own home into a natural plant paradise?!
Where can you find corners for your houseplant in your apartment?
Places with little light in your apartment can be, for example, hallways, north and east windows or just corners in the room facing away from the window. In short, they are places where very little or no light reaches. In fact, houseplants that grow in these locations find the low light conditions very comfortable and don't want strong sunlight on their leaves at all.
Tip: You can remember a simple rule of thumb for such indoor plants: they should be at least 2.5 meters away from the nearest window!
Plus point of indoor plants that tolerate less light
Not that they only need little sunlight, no, houseplants for little light don't need intensive care either and that may be why you find them convenient. Since they are never exposed to direct sunlight, you don't have to worry about water loss from the soil and your plant. As a rule, low-light indoor plants store water very well and you only need to water them once a week. Now nothing stands in the way of the natural plant paradise of your apartment!
Our top 5 recommendations for indoor plants for low light
In order to give your apartment the right choice of shady houseplants, there are a few tips that you can pay attention to when buying. Indoor plants that require little light often have relatively large leaves. In the wild, these plants often grow in the shady undergrowth of forests, where they can make optimal use of the remaining light with their large leaves.
Here we present our top 5 indoor plants for little light, which are characterized by their easy care, aesthetic growth and, above all, their low light requirements. The Korbmarante is a classic for a less light-flooded corner of your apartment. With its dark green to purple leaves and the strikingly light veins and velvety hairs, the plant is a unique beauty. The special feature: in the evening, its leaves roll up and unfold again in the morning. The Korbmarante likes it little to medium light. Since the soil should always be slightly moist, a sip of water twice a week is good for it. The plant also prefers high humidity, so you should spray it with a spray bottle full of water from time to time. In summer, fertilizing once a month with liquid fertilizer is sufficient. In its original habitat, the subtropical areas and the rain forests, the Begonia Albopicta thrives up to an altitude of 4000 meters. It is characterized by its painted silvery dots that appear on the dark green leaves. When in bloom, it produces either pink or white flowers. The begonia also feels good in a little to medium light location. A west or east window, for example, is particularly suitable for this. If you water your plant with soft water once a week, it will thank you with its magnificent growth. In the summer months you should also fertilize them every two weeks. The Efeutute is a climbing plant that climbs along trees or house walls in its natural environment.Due to its leaves, which it propagates like tendrils, it can reach a height of several meters. Your bedroom with low to medium lighting conditions is a perfect location for the Efeutute. It is quite uncomplicated as it only needs little sunlight and can also grow well in cool rooms. If you always keep your plant's soil slightly moist (a sip of water twice a week), then there's no stopping you from bringing that beautiful leafy greenness home with you! Tip: Supply diluted liquid fertilizer once a month in summer. In the tropical rainforests, the Maranta leuconeura rustles gently in the undergrowth. Its white to pale pink flowers appear in the spring and summer months. Placing her in a partially shaded spot in your bedroom will give you the feeling of sleeping in nature. Always let the soil dry out slightly before watering about twice a week. Rainwater or distilled water are particularly suitable for this. Like most other low-light houseplants, you need to fertilize them once a month during the summer. The UFO plant enchants your home in an extraterrestrial atmosphere. The growth height is not very remarkable at approx. 30-40 centimetres, but its foliage is all the more vivid! The leaves grow on thin leaf stalks and have the shape of a flying object like from another galaxy. The thin stems make it appear as if the leaves are floating in space. It is best to place them in a partially shaded location. Always keep nice and moist, that's the rule you should follow when watering. Make sure that the root ball of the plant never completely dries out. You should not neglect additional fertilizing once a month. Now that we have created a few suggestions, it is up to you to put them into practice. Here are the most important things again: In addition to our recommendations, you will find here other suggestions for beautifying your home with evergreen indoor plants!5th place: The magnificent basket marante
4th place: The picturesque begonia
3rd place: The light green ivy
2nd place: The rustling Maranta leuconeura
1st place: The happy ufo plant
Everything at a glance
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