11 Plants For Low Light Rooms, Meditation Spaces, Reading Corners & Journaling Nooks

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No one can deny that modern life is stressful! It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our daily routines and sometimes can end up feeling overwhelmed and anxious with the feeling that we’re constantly connected to our devices being bombarded with notifications and distractions. If you feel like this then creating a quiet corner in your home where you can write in your journal, read, meditate, and relax might just be what you need!

Related: 15+ Meditation Corner Ideas for Small Spaces & Bedrooms

One of my favorite parts about my journaling and meditation corner is the plants! I’ve always been fascinated by how plants can just make you feel better, more grounded, and in touch with nature. They also purify the air, improve our mood, and even help us to relax.

You might be thinking, “But I don’t have a lot of natural light in my home.” Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Even if you don’t have something as cool as a sunroom in your home, you can still enjoy plants!

In this article, I’ll be sharing my top picks for low-light plants that are good for low-light spaces or rooms that don’t get any sun, making them perfect for meditation corners and reading nooks.

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Pinterest pin showing a collection of low light houseplants in a dark meditation room

Related: Create a Peaceful Meditation Corner in 5 Easy Steps: DIY Guide

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)

Chinese Evergreen plant for low light rooms
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Source: Freepik

The Chinese Evergreen plant is a beautiful plant with spear-shaped leaves that are either green or have patterned leaves in green, white, or shades of yellow. There are quite a few varieties to choose from so you are sure to find one that you like!

Tip: The darker the leaves of the Chinese Evergreen, the less light it needs.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: The Chinese Evergreen can tolerate low light although it does prefers brighter, indirect light. Just make sure that you keep it out of the sun else the leaves could scorch or burn.
  • Watering: Water the Chinese Evergreen sparingly (especially in winter) and let the soil dry out slightly between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so make sure that you don’t kill it with kindness!
  • Temperature: The Chinese Evergreen prefers temperatures between 65-75°F (18-24°C).
  • Humidity: The Chinese Evergreen likes a more humid environment, but it can adapt if it needs to. That said, if you live in a dry area, make sure that you mist its leaves regularly.

Tip: To keep the leaves looking their best, you can place the plant on a tray filled with water and pebbles.

Related: How To Create A Peaceful Home: 21 Tips To Help You Get Started

Pothos (Scindapsus)

Pothos (Scindapsus) plant in a hanging basket
Pothos Plant (Scindapsus)
Source: Nataliya Vaitkevich

The Pothos is a versatile, trailing plant with variegated leaves in different colors that can thrive in low light and doesn’t need a lot of care.

Tip: The Pathos is a climber so it will happily climb up a moss stick. It can also be allowed to trail from a hanging basket. To make it more bushy, you can pinch out the tips.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: The Pothos likes a well-lit spot away from any direct sunlight. If it is a room that is too dark the variegation of its leaves might fade.
  • Watering: Water the Pothos sparingly, especially in the winter. Let the soil dry out slightly between waterings.
  • Temperature: Just like the Chinese Evergreen, the Pothos prefers temperatures between 65-75°F (18-24°C).
  • Humidity: The Pothos prefers more of a humid environment so you can mist the leaves regularly. It’s a great plant for low-light bathrooms.

ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas)

ZZ Plant for dark rooms and low-light-spaces
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas)
Source: Rocketman Team

The ZZ plant is probably one of the hardiest plants around and it is known as a great plant for dark corners. In fact, it will happily live under fluorescent lighting with no natural light at all. It seems to thrive on neglect and does well even with little watering. In some varieties, the leaves are almost black!

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: Low light or bright, indirect light
  • Watering: Give the ZZ plant water when the top inch of soil dries out and is almost completely dry. The ZZ plant also prefers dry air so it is a good choice for rooms with air conditioning.

Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Snake plant in a white pot
Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Source: Freepik

If you’ve struggled with choosing the right plants for low-light rooms in the past then the Snake plant could be for you! This really tough plant is known as the Mother-in-Law’s tongue in some parts of the world and has a reputation for being almost indestructible! It will grow in both sunshine and shade, it can go for a long time without water, and it doesn’t often need to be repotted.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: The Snake Plant is very versatile and will happily grow in any lighting including dark rooms with low light.
  • Watering: Water moderately from spring to autumn (let the soil dry out slightly between waterings). In winter, you can water it every 1 to 2 months.
  • Temperature: The Snake Plant is happy at an average warmth of about 50°F (10°C) in winter.
  • Humidity: Misting of the leaves isn’t required.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

The Peace Lily plant in an entrance way
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
Source: Sami Abdullah

The Peace Lily is a beautiful plant that can tolerate low light and is known for its ability to remove toxins from the air. It has beautiful white flowers that appear in Spring and sometimes Autumn.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: The Peace Lily likes bright light but must be kept out of the sun as strong sunlight will damage its leaves.
  • Watering: Keep the compost moist but reduce watering in winter. If you see the leaves starting to droop then it’s time to water the Peace Lily!
  • Temperature: The Peace Lily prefers a warm or average warm room (about 55°F (13°C) in Winter).
  • Humidity: The Peace Lily prefers a humid environment so it’s a good idea to mist its leaves.

Dracaena

Dracaena marginata houseplant for low light rooms
Dracaena (Marginata)
Source: Jessica Lewis

The Dracaena plant is a beautiful plant that is often used as a feature plant in a room – it is sometimes called The Dragon Tree.

The Dracaena plant is very tough and comes in many different varieties and sizes. The bigger varieties have almost a tree-like look to them so they are perfect for floor pots where you want to add a little bit of height to your room.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: The Dracaena does well close to an east or west-facing window.
  • Watering: Keep the compost moist and don’t let it dry completely out. You can reduce watering in Winter.
  • Temperature: Just like the Peace Lily, the Dracaena prefers a warm or average warm room (about 55°F (13°C) in Winter).
  • Humidity: Depending on the variety, you may need to mist the leaves. It would be best to check this when you buy your plant.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)

Spider plant (Chlorophytum) in pot
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)

Spider plants are really popular houseplants with long, slender leaves that often develop white stripes. They grow cute plantlets on the ends of long stolon that you can use to propagate new plants.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: Spider plants are versatile and can grown in a lot of different lighting conditions, from bright, indirect light to low light. However, they may grow more slowly in low light.
  • Watering: Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Be careful not to overwater as this can lead to root rot.
  • Humidity: Spider plants don’t mind low humidity but they definitely can benefit from occasional misting.
  • Temperature: Spider Plants like warm temperatures between 65-75°F (18-24°C). They don’t like cold draughts or sudden changes in temperature.

Ferns

Delicate Maidenhair Fern on side table
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum)
Source: Alex Quezada

Ferns are a very popular choice for indoor spaces that get no sun because they prefer to be out of direct sunlight. They are however a lot more delicate than a lot of the other plants on this list. Here’s a general care guide for ferns:

General Care Tips:

  • Light: While most ferns prefer bright, indirect light, many can tolerate low-light rooms. An east or north-facing window is ideal.
  • Watering: Keep the soil moist but be careful not to allow it to become soggy. Water regularly, especially during the growing season, and mist the fronds often to maintain humidity.
  • Humidity: Just about all ferns love a high humidity so mist their leaves regularly or consider placing the plant on a pebble tray filled with water.
  • Temperature: Ferns prefer a warm temperature between 60-70°F (18-24°C) with a minimum of about 50°F and a maximum of about 75°F .

Low-Light Fern Recommendations

  • Boston Fern: Known for its cascading fronds. Boston ferns are a popular choice for low-light spaces (see below).
  • Sword Fern: Sword ferns have upright, sword-shaped fronds and are a good option if you are looking for more of a taller upright fern.
  • Maidenhair Fern: These delicate ferns have feathery fronds and require high humidity.
  • Bird’s Nest Fern: This unique fern has a nest-like shape and can tolerate low light.
  • Rabbit’s Foot Fern: With its furry, brown rhizomes, rabbit’s foot ferns are an interesting addition to any spot in your home.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Boston fern in pot
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Boston ferns are known for their beautiful cascading fronds, which can grow up to 3 feet long. They have delicate, feathery leaves that can add a touch of elegance to your meditation corner.

Care Guide:

  • Lighting: Boston ferns prefer bright, indirect light and don’t like direct sunlight as it will burn their leaves.
  • Watering: Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water on a regular basis, especially during the growing season.
  • Humidity: Boston ferns love high humidity so you should mist their leaves and fronds regularly.
  • Temperature: Like most of the other plants on this list, Boston ferns like a warm temperature between 65-75°F (18-24°C).

Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)

Lucky Bamboo plant
Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
Source: Gamze Nur

Lucky bamboo is part of the Dracaena family and is a popular houseplant that is known for its slender, green stems that often twist or spiral. It’s often grown in water but can also be planted in soil.

Care Guide:

  • Light: Lucky bamboo can tolerate low-light rooms but it might grow more slowly and become leggy if it doesn’t receive enough light.
  • Watering: If your Lucky Bamboo is grown in water you will need to change the water about once a week (you may also need to add plant nutrients to make it grow well). If grown in soil, allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.
  • Humidity: Lucky bamboo prefers moderate humidity so it is a good idea to mist the plant occasionally.
  • Temperature: Maintain a warm temperature between 65-75°F (18-24°C). Like most of the other plants on the list, the Lucky Bamboo doesn’t like sudden changes in temperature.

Air Plant (Tillandsia)

Tillandsia Air Plant
Air Plant (Tillandsia)
Source: Cristty

The Air Plant is a very unique plant that doesn’t need soil because it gets its nutrients from the air and water. Depending on the species they can live in low-light rooms and they come in lots of different shapes sizes and colors. The air plant is the perfect plant for adding a touch of whimsy or interest to your room while it also improves the quality of the air.

Care Guide:

The Air Plant definitely is a unique plant and it needs special care. Check out this great guide with more detail on how to care for your Air plant well. Here is a quick summary:

  • Light: Air plants can live in a wide range of light conditions, from bright, indirect light to low light but some varieties might need brighter light to bloom.
  • Watering: Mist the plant regularly but be careful not to allow water to pool in the leaves.
  • Humidity: Air plants like a higher humidity so they are a good option for places like bathrooms or pool rooms.
  • Temperature: Maintain a warm temperature between 65-75°F (18-24°C).

Final Thoughts

Low-light rooms that don’t get any sunshine don’t have to be plant-free zones and when you choose the right plants, you can create a beautiful space that your plants will love and you will enjoy!

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