10 plants for dark apartments
No sunny windows? These 10 plants grow in low light — plus how to tell how much light you really have and the one mistake people make in dark rooms.
Indoor Plants
Chinese Evergreen
Colorful pink, red or silver leaves that keep their color even in low light.
Aglaonema spp.
A Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema simplex) in a clay pot. Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Light
Chinese Evergreen tolerates: low light, medium / indirect. It is one of the few plants that copes with a dim room — growth just slows down.
Watering
Water when the top inch is dry, about every 7–14 days.
Is chinese evergreen safe for cats and dogs?
Toxic to cats and dogs (calcium oxalates). Keep it on a high shelf or in a room pets can’t reach — or pick a pet-safe plant instead. Source: ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
Size and humidity
Typical size indoors: 1–3 ft (30–90 cm). Humidity: normal household humidity is fine; avoid heater vents.
Top tips
- Keep above 60°F (16°C) — it hates cold drafts.
- Darker green types handle less light than pink ones.
- Slow and steady grower.
Guides that mention the chinese evergreen
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