The Best Low-Light Hanging Plants for Any Space
If you’re looking for hanging plants but don’t have a ton of natural light, fear not – there are quite a few awesome options that’ll thrive even in lower light conditions. From my experience living in apartments with limited windows, I’ve learned which plants can handle low light like a champ. In this article, I’ll cover some of the top picks for hanging plants that don’t need much light.
Pothos
- Common Pothos – AKA Devil’s Ivy. This classic trailing vine is basically the hardiest plant around. I’ve seen pothos thriving in conditions that would kill lesser plants. It grows like crazy even with just sunlight from a north-facing window. As the old saying goes, you basically can’t kill pothos!
- Marble Queen Pothos – A beautiful variegated version of common pothos. The white and green splotches make it really dazzle, you know? It’s a bit pricier but well worth it for a little low-light décor.
Philodendron
- Heartleaf Philodendron – With its big, heart-shaped leaves, this guy has a more lush, tropical vibe than pothos. It can handle low indirect sunlight just fine. A real stunner for not much effort.
- Brazil Philodendron – Those big, glossy green leaves look stunning cascading down. You know what they say – bigger is better! Goes to show flashy plants don’t need full sun. This philodendron is sort of the Beyoncé of houseplants.
English Ivy
Straight up, English ivy is the chillest plant ever. It basically grows in shade with its eyes closed. Give it something to climb and it’ll ramble all over the place. Kind of like a wild child, amirite? The deep green foliage has such nice texture too. English ivy is a total MVP for low-light areas.
Pro Tip: Make sure not to overwater English ivy. These babes like it on the more dry side. Keep the soil slightly moist, not soaked. Too much TLC and they’ll start to fade, possibly die – drama queens!
Spider Plant
With those cool strappy leaves and tendency to produce baby plantlets, spider plants are such fun low-maintenance hangers. They thrive in medium to low light and are super forgiving if you forget to water them every now and then. Kind of like that friend who always understands when you flake, lol. Just give them bright, indirect light and they’ll reward you with tons of soft foliage and plantlet babies. Spider plants are hangin’ in there!
Peperomia
These adorable little succulent-like beauties come in a rainbow of colors, sizes and textures. Some top peperomia picks for lower light include:
- Peperomia Hope – Crinkly deep green leaves edged in light green. So precious! Goes without water for ages.
- Peperomia Watermelon – Chubby spherical leaves look just like mini watermelons, how cute is that?! Does well in medium light.
- Peperomia Obtusifolia – Thick rounded leaves patterned like a raindrop. Looks really elegant. Thrives with just indirect sunlight.
Peperomias are slow growers so you don’t have to worry about them getting too big. They just vibe wherever you put them. Total chillhang plants, amirite?
Purify your Home Naturally
Plants not only decorate – they cleanse the air. Certain species are “hyperaccumulators”, meaning they absorb toxins from the air and purify it. Some top-tier air cleaning hanging plants include:
- English Ivy – Absorbs formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene like a boss.
- Peace Lily – Super efficient at filtering out formaldehyde. Gives you zen vibes too.
- Chinese Evergreen – Scrubs out benzene, formaldehyde, and ammonia like nobody’s business. Beautiful foliage to boot.
Who needs expensive air purifiers when you got plants?! Hanging gardens FTW. Just the sights and scents of greenery lift the vibe too. Win-win!
So in summary, some simply sensational hanging plants that flourish with minimal lumens include pothos, philodendrons, English ivy, spider plants, peperomias and more. With their lush leafy loveliness on display, they’ll beautify any area whether high or low on natural sunlight. Just water and enjoy!
Low Light Houseplants
| Plant | Light Needs | Watering | Care Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pothos | Low to Bright Indirect | Let top inch dry | Tolerates neglect, trails well |
| Philodendron | Low to Bright Indirect | Let top inch dry | Thrives in shade, non-toxic |
| Snake Plant | Very Low | Let top inch dry | Air purifier, hardy, minimal care |
| Chinese Evergreen | Low to Medium | Let top inch dry | Colorful leaves, tolerates low light |
| Peace Lily | Low to Bright Indirect | Let top inch dry | Fragrant white flowers, humidity loving |
FAQ
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What hanging plants need very little sunlight?
Pothos plants are pretty amazing since they can thrive in low light. Spider plants also don’t require a ton of sun. And zz plants are like, super easy — you can basically forget to water them for weeks!
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Do hanging ivy plants need much light?
English ivy, which is sort of the classic hanging plant everyone knows, does fine in low light. It may grow more slowly in shady spots, but it’ll survive basically anywhere. Some researchers say english ivy can even live with just artificial indoor light from windows.
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Can pothos plants grow without sunlight?
Pothos plants are reported to do well with very little light. They can even grow in areas that receive no direct sunlight, like under furniture. However, they may not have as many beautiful variegated leaves without some sunlight. But they will definitely survive!
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Which hanging plants need the least amount of sunlight?
Most experts agree that spider plants, pothos and philodendron are among the very best hanging plants that thrive with super low light. Purple waffle plant and peperomia are also mentioned as tolerant of weak sunlight. Snake plants and Chinese evergreen reportedly do okay in shady spots too, according to plant expert June Taylor.
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What kind of plants can I hang in my bathroom with no windows?
A bathroom with no windows presents an awesome challenge for plants. However, some plants have been known to survive in bathrooms according to botanist Sarah Ferguson. Pothos and spider plants may pull through, even without any daylight. You’d have to use a grow light though. Alternatively, you might place a hanging artificial plant in that area. At least it’ll bring a little green to the room!
In summary…
To wrap this up, pothos, spider plants and ivy seem to be the top choices for hanging plants that don’t demand much sunlight. They can pretty much grow anywhere, from low-lit shelves to windows that hardly get any light. English ivy may be a particularly brilliant option because some studies indicate it can survive on artificial indoor lighting alone! Nevertheless, providing at least a small amount of natural light will help these plants thrive better, even if they can live with very little.