Indoor plants that thrive in low light

The plants on this page are survivors in low light (50-100 footcandles). Low light means 8′ or more from natural light or a room with no natural light where overhead lighting is present and on most of the working hours. If you have less light than this the plants will still survive but will need replacement more frequently (probably once a year). You will also need to be very careful with your watering when you are pushing the low end of the light spectrum. Any over or under watering  mistakes are magnified because the plant can’t regenerate enough growth to recover from the mistake.

These are the water code keys:

RED– enjoy going bone dry between waterings. Most succulents fall in this category. Your water meter (on a scale of 1-10) would read anywhere from 1-3 before you would water.

ORANGE– like to dry but don’t appreciate going bone dry. Most dracaenas fit in this category. Your water meter would read anywhere from 3-7 depending on the light before you would water.

BLUE– may recover from going bone dry but will probably lose a lot of leaves. Pothos tend to fall in this category. Your water meter would read anywhere from 4-7 depending on the light before you would water.

GREEN– like water. You can still overwater these plants so don’t automatically add water. Always check the moisture level before adding. A Peace lilly (spathiphyllum) falls into this category. Your water meter would read anywhere from 7-10 depending on the light before you would choose to add water.