Light · 4 min read
Plants for a dark corner that will actually cope
No plant lives without light, but some need very little. Four plants that will hold their own in a dim corner.
Every home has one: the corner next to the sofa, the shelf in the hallway, the north-facing bedroom. You'd like some green there too. First, the honest bit: no plant lives without light. A shade plant is one that copes with little light and keeps growing slowly. In a hallway without a window, no plant will last long.
How dark is your corner?
A simple test: around midday, can you read a newspaper there without a lamp? Then there's enough light for the plants below. If it's dark enough that you reach for the light switch, it gets tricky.
Light drops off quickly the further you get from the window. Three metres away it's already much darker than your eyes tell you. So every metre closer helps.
It also matters which way the window faces. A north-facing window gives soft light all day, and these plants are perfectly happy with that. A south-facing one gives far more, even in a corner a few metres away.
Four plants that can handle it
ZZ plant
Glossy leaves that always look neat. The ZZ plant stores water in thick roots and only needs a drink every three weeks. In a dark corner, even less often.
Kentia palm
A calm palm with graceful fronds. It was a fixture in Victorian parlours over a hundred years ago, and those weren't exactly bright either. The kentia palm is also safe for cats and dogs.
Satin pothos
Heart-shaped leaves with silver speckles, lovely trailing from a shelf. In low light the speckles fade a little, but the satin pothos just keeps on growing. Let the soil dry out almost completely between waterings.
Snake plant
Very nearly indestructible. In the shade the snake plant grows more slowly, but it stays upright and tidy. Forget about it for a month and it'll barely notice.
Giving them a hand
- Water less than you think. Little light means little growth, which means little water. Overwatering is the biggest trap in a dark corner.
- Dust the leaves once a month. It makes more difference to the light than you'd expect.
- Give the pot a quarter turn now and then, so it doesn't lean towards the window.
- Skip the feed. In a dark corner a plant grows slowly and barely uses it.
Everything for that corner in one go
The Dark corner bundle has a ZZ plant, a satin pothos and a snake plant, for less than buying them separately. You'll find it under bundles.
Still unsure about your spot? The plant finder asks how much light you have and shows which plants suit it.
