Indoor Plants to Brighten Your Home

If you don't get sunlight through large windows, low-light indoor plants are the way to go when choosing greenery for your home. All plants need some light to grow, but a variety of vines, ferns and evergreens do well in dim areas of a room. Brighten up a sun-drenched space in your living room or office with these beautiful houseplants that thrive in low-light spots.

1. Cast iron plant

Here's a houseplant that truly lives up to its name. Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a low-light indoor houseplant that thrives in neglect. Lives happily in dark rooms with only occasional watering. Plus, this rugged plant spreads slowly, so it rarely needs replanting. Cast iron plant produces dark green narrow leaves; There is also a colorful pattern, but it is difficult to find.

2. Prayer plant

Brighten the darkest corners of your home with the cheery foliage of the praying mantis (Maranda leuconera). This easy-care charmer has colorful green and cream leaves with bright red veins. It got its name because the leaves fold at night. The prayer plant only grows 6-8 inches tall, so it's a good choice for a bookshelf or end table.

3. English ivy

Perfect for a hanging basket or vase, the trailing foliage of English ivy (Hedera helix) is a great choice to brighten up a dull room. English ivy is a low-light indoor plant that comes in a variety of leaf colors and shapes. It is the perfect plant to grow in a cool, north-facing window. You can practice English ivy in a variety of topical forms. English ivy can be bothered by spider mites, so mist the plants frequently to prevent these pests from gaining a foothold.

4. Corn plant

Corn plants (Dracaena fragrans) add elegance to any room in your home. Their broad leaves resemble the leaves of the plant that produces edible corn, hence the common name, although they are not related. The lowest leaves will naturally fade as the plant grows, so remove as many as necessary to keep your corn plant looking its best.

5. Arrowhead Vine

Native to Central America, arrowroot vine (Sygonium podophyllum) is one of the best low-light indoor plants and can tolerate many conditions. Its beautiful foliage can be bright green, bronze or variegated. When young, arrowroot vine forms a bushy mound; The plants will begin to flag over time, making them ideal for hanging baskets or training a trellis or totem. Pinch your plants back if they start to grow too leggy.

6. Peperomia

Perfect for landscape or dish gardens, Peperomia grows only 4-10 inches tall and offers a wide selection of different leaf shapes and colors. It has few pest or disease problems and is native to rainforests, so prefers a place with high humidity.

7. Moth orchid

Add an elegant touch to any room in your home with Phalaenopis, commonly known as moth orchid. These easy-care beauties keep flowers for up to four months and are one of the best low-light indoor plants.

Moth orchids come in a wide selection of colors and bicolors, and are typically sold in two sizes: standards that grow 18-24 inches tall and dwarfs that grow under 12 inches. Moth orchids grow on bark or moss and should only be watered when the material feels dry. More orchids die from overwatering than underwatering, so don't be afraid to let it dry out a bit.

8. Anthurium

Anthurium's bold, red, pink, orange, white or purple flowers are a welcome treat on dark winter days. However, these tropical beauties do not like too dry or wet soil, so it is important to keep the soil slightly moist at all times. Anthuriums bloom best in bright, indirect light, but do well in darker conditions, although blooms may be sparse. However, the plants have bright green, heart-shaped leaves that continue the color display even when they are not blooming.

9. Spineless Yucca

When you think of yucca plants, sunny desert conditions come to mind. But indoors, the spineless yucca (Yuca elegans) will do well in a dim corner, where you can enjoy its leathery green, spear-like leaves and attractive brown bark. The plant won't grow as fast in low light as in a sunny spot, but will do well as long as you don't overwater.

10. Begonia

A low-light indoor plant, begonia's jewel-like leaves and flowers can turn any dark room into a festival of color. There are many varieties of begonias to choose from, but one of the best to grow indoors is the rex begonia, which comes in a variety of varieties with multi-colored leaves such as silver, green, pink, red, orange, and burgundy. Growing only a few inches tall, rex begonias can be used in terrariums or dish gardens. Rex begonias do best in soil that is always slightly moist.

11. Ponytail Palm

The ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is an almost timeless addition to any room in your home. It is an attractive and unusual plant with long, strap-like leaves sprouting from a large, broad base, which gives this plant its other common name, elephant foot palm. If you travel a lot, the ponytail palm is ideal because the plant stores excess water in its thick base, so it can go without being watered for weeks. Ponytail palms are sold in various heights from tabletop to tree size.