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Are You Aware Of The Extensive Number of Houseplants That Love To Be In The Dark?
Do you love plants yet live in an apartment or a home with low natural light? Have you experienced the frustration of having indoor plants die on you too often? I’m sure you’ll love to hear about these houseplants that love to be in the dark.
They simply thrive without a lot of sunlight.
If you’ve tried growing your plants with little success and decided your thumb is actually not green at all, then I have just what you need.
Of course, there are more than seven, but I want to share with you my favourite and often overlooked plants that you may not have realized do well in the dark.
Interior Light In Your Home
Before we get started, let’s talk about light. A lot of us shy away from buying plants for rooms in our homes because we simply don’t have enough natural light coming into our living spaces. Many plants can be grown indoors, but remember the ones that bloom, produce fruit, or display bright colours need the sun to grow.
To easily check if you have enough light in a room, try this out:
Get a magazine or a book you love, and see how comfortable you can read it at noon without having to turn on the lights. If it is fine and you can read without straining your eyes then you have enough light to grow your houseplants there. Try this in your living room, bedroom, in the den, where ever you would like to place your plants before you go out and buy them.
10 Happy Houseplants That Love To Be In The Dark And Won’t Die On You
Let’s look at which plants will easily adapt to your place and make you a happy plant parent.
1. ZZ (Zanzibar Gem) Plant
You can never, ever, go wrong with the ZZ plant. Also known as the Zanzibar gem, it is the most resilient indoor plant I have ever come across. Very much like my hubby, not much upsets this plant. The ZZ plant is easy to grow and care for.
It displays small glossy leaves on stems which can grow up to 1.1 meters ( 3.6 ft)long! indoors.
Many have called it the eternity plant due to its staying power. This plant does best when kept on the dry side.
Whenever I get new houseplants that love to be in the dark, I purposely neglect them to test their toughness. Did I mention that this plant is impervious to the majority of pests which can afflict other plants?
The ZZ plant does not disappoint. Leave it in the dark, don’t bother it, water it every two weeks and done.
Oh, the shade of it all!
2. Swedish Ivy
The funny thing about the Swedish Ivy is that despite its name, it did not originate in Sweden nor is it an ivy plant. It is one of the greatest houseplants to grow. Growing Swedish ivy plant indoors is a great project for beginner gardeners and plant parents.
“Creeping Charlie” is the nickname given to the Swedish Ivy. It grows well in hanging baskets and requires little effort.
You need to prune it regularly to help it develop new branches. If its leaves have begun to droop, it could be getting too much light.
3. Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law’s Tongue
This name is a bit cheeky as the leaf blades are said to be as sharp as your mother-in-law’s tongue, figuratively. The name doesn’t do justice to this vigorous houseplant.
I especially love the snake plant because you don’t have to deal with messy dropped leaves or pruning. It is low-maintenance so you only need to water it every couple of weeks.
If you pot this plant in a container with drainage holes, you have to be really cautious about the amount of water you give it. Although this is one of the houseplants that love to be in the dark, it will rot in standing water.
The snake plant is a hard-to-kill, air filtering plant. Going on a three-week holiday?
No problem, this plant will remain looking fresh when you get back.
The snake plant is my top choice for the bedroom as it absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen at night. Quite the opposite of many plants which release oxygen during the day.
4. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
This plant has relatively long, straight leaves that are dark green in colour, and accented by the occasional white lily flower. Peace Lilies need low lighting, but they won’t bloom if it is completely dark.
This shade-loving houseplant needs to dry out between waterings. Give your peace lily some water only when the potted soil is dry.
Your peace lily might sag a bit when it needs water, telling you that it’s thirsty.
It re-blooms several times a year and is extremely easy to grow.
Over-watering is often characterized by brown leaf tips. Peace lilies are listed by the ASPCA as one of the common houseplants that are poisonous to cats and dogs.
Always keep peace lilies out of reach of small children and pets.
5. Peacock Plant (Calathea)
This plant is so gorgeous, who wouldn’t want one of these in their home?
One of the best houseplants that love to be in the dark and is known for its foliage.
Its’ patterned and colourful leaves make this plant a lovely addition to any room.
The main thing the peacock plant requires is consistent moisture for growth. The soil should never dry out. Collect rainwater for watering peacock houseplants, or use bottled, distilled water without that doesn’t contain fluoride.
The Peacock Plant is also known as Cathedral Windows.
6. Begonias
You can grow your begonias indoors, and with good care, most live for 3 years.
Most begonia varieties love shade or indirect sunlight.
They offer a wide range of leaf colours and shapes.
If you get a Rex Begonia, like the one pictured above, it will live happily without any direct light. Growing begonias as houseplants only requires a little bit of knowledge in order to keep them looking their very best.
The main reason for begonias dying when grown indoors is due to over-watering. Watering correctly is important in the care of begonias. The soil should remain moist, but not too wet.
7. Dracaena
There are many stunning plants of the Dracaena family. All of which prefer to be in darker corners and are easy to maintain. Many dracaena plants come with braided and creatively shaped trunks.
You will see many types of dracaena houseplants that love to be in the dark used for home, office, apartments, and landscape decoration.
My two favourites of the close to 120 species are the Dracaena deremensis “Janet Craig” and the Draceana Massangeana, pictured above.
They are great at handling low humidity and air conditioning but do not like heat. You should keep them at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (90° degrees Fahrenheit), which is already extremely warm anyway. Anything higher than this and your plant will start discolouring.
Quick Mint Tip For Beginners
If you are unsure or not quite ready about running out to get a bunch of indoor plants, start with mint.
Mint will normally grow in a bog, so as long as you keep it moist and it gets just a little bit of light, you should be able to harvest your mint for tea, fruit salads, and yummy cocktails.
The added advantage is that it gives off a nice scent indoors.
Additional Tips When Caring For Indoor Plants
Don’t over-water your houseplants
Even if the indoor plant requires moist soil, be careful with watering
Prune your plants regularly
Reduce watering in winter
Avoid keeping the plant waterlogged all the time
Clean the dust that settles on the surface of leaves
Fertilize your houseplants once a month during the summer
Have Fun With Houseplants That Love To Be In The Dark
All you gotta do is to carefully select the right kind of houseplants that will easily adapt to your place.
Lastly, give your new houseplants a chance to acclimatize properly. If you bought them from the store, chances are, it has been put in a location with bright, indirect lighting so that people see it and buy.
When yo bring your plant home, place it in a spot that gets medium light.
Wait for three days before you move it to the spot where you will keep it.
Happy Planting
