Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
teengardener1888

houseplants for lowlight

teengardener1888
11 years ago

a list of plants for full shade

Comments (10)

  • goddess9
    11 years ago

    All plants would prefer some sort of light - direct or indirect.

    Plants that have dark green leaves are better at tolerating low light. Aglaonema, pothos, ZZ plant. They're all do fine with tolerating low light...but would prefer some brighter light.

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Google "Low light plants".

  • PRO
    Horticultural Help
    11 years ago

    Minimum light for low light plants is natural light that is adequate to read newsprint comfortably throughout the day. Generally, that is no more than 6-8 feet from the nearest uncovered window.

    Once you can meet those minimum light standards, then the best low light plants are Dracaena 'Janet Craig' or 'Lisa,' Pothos, Aglaonema, Corn Plant, Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans), Peace Lily, Kentia Palm (expensive), Rhapis Palm (expensive), and Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra).

    ~Will

  • stonesriver
    11 years ago

    Can you define low light/full shade?

    Cast Iron (Aspidistra) do well deep shade. Just remember to turn them if they are house plants so they don't grow in one direction.

    Cast Iron were a favorite of the Victorians with their love for dimly lit rooms and plants near staircases. They are are also favorites in shade gardens where they thrive in 80% deep shade.

    Also remember you have to keep a close watch on how you water as plants in low light can be very easily drowned.

    Out of curiosity I Googled "Low Light Plants" and found a ton of web sites. You might try that.

    Linda

  • teengardener1888
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I have googled low light plants but I was looking for something rare and exiting

  • teengardener1888
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I have googled low light plants but I was looking for something rare and exiting

  • birdsnblooms
    11 years ago

    TG, what's your definition of full shade? Total darkness?

    I'm uncertain what you mean by full shade, but keeping a plant alive w/o sun is a difficult task, keeping something rare and exiting is 'almost' impossible.

    If the spot is without any light, you should look into artificial lights.

    Don't know if you consider African Violets exciting, but there's many gorgeous varieties. Single and double-flowered, variegated leaves, etc.

    Aside from light, you have to consider air type. Humid or dry. Air flow. Toni

  • goddess9
    11 years ago

    Low light plants are typically common, and for good reason. Let a lot of people have low light spots they want to spruce up with green. Unfortunately, most low light plants are common and "unexciting".

  • teengardener1888
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    your probally right goddess and full shade in my house means two hours of bright light and the rest of the day shady but not dark

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    I've moved so many times and not all of my abodes always had optimal places to put all of my plants, and twice I lived somewhere where I couldn't put plants outside at all. Sometimes I would end up rotating them, letting them take turns in a sunnier window. Very few plants will actually grow without enough light, but many will hang on for a while, sometimes years, waiting to get more sun. Two hours of bright light is enough for a lot of plants.

    Sometimes we have a place in the house where we want plants but there is just not enough light. If you have other places that are brighter AND you're the type of person with discipline and a solid routine, you can put the plant in a sunnier place while you're at work or school, then bring it to your darker room to sit with you in the evening. Sometimes giving up on the idea that "this plant goes here" can fix a lot of issues. Shift them around. You'll learn quickly if you have any plants that don't appreciate being moved.

    Knowing what plants one would like to have, and being able to get those plants are, unfortunately, not the same thing. If you are interested in buying plants through the www/mail, your choices would be much more vast, but it's not something I want to get into. If you consider that almost all house plants are exotic in that they are from warmer places in other countries, that might make you feel differently about plants that you already have, even if they are commonly available. To my eye, a grouping of wildly-variegated and colored plants looks very exotic and tropical. Red leaves, striped leaves, leaves with a different color on the back. I know you aren't driving yet, but I've found that interesting house plants don't sit around at stores very long. The more often you are able to shop, the more you will find. If you have an owner-operated store nearby, you could ask when they get new shipments, and sometimes they are able to obtain a specific plant for you if you ask. Even the "big box" stores can have great house plants. You just have to get there before they are damaged by neglectful or improper conditions. Don't overlook the tiny ones. Often they are just cuttings or seedlings of plants that will eventually get big and impressive.

Sponsored
Cabido Design & Build
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars34 Reviews
DC & Montgomery County's Best in Full Service, Custom Home Remodeling