We hear regularly that people want to bring some life to their home or apartment, even their workspace, but they simply don’t have enough light. There are so many benefits to having fresh greens around all year long that it makes sense that everyone wants to have a little bit of it in their own home, especially at this time of year when the days seem far too short and the winter weather has settled in to stay.
Luckily, we’re happy to tell you that everyone can enjoy having a houseplant in any space they want.. you just need to choose the right one! And you don’t even need a sun-drenched location to enjoy their beauty and health-filled benefits. The idea that houseplants are only for people and places in the home with lots of ambient light is a complete myth. From the average room to those with barely any natural light at all, there are still plenty of options for anyone to have houseplants to enjoy!
ZZ Plant
This plant is perfect for people that aren’t around the house much or are prone to forgetting about their green household companions every once in a while. ZZ Plants practically thrive on neglect and are popular options for shopping mall containers where they end up doubling as trash cans, proving their toughness. The only way to kill these tough plants is to love them too much.
ZZs are simple and don’t flower, but they have glossy tropical-looking oval leaves that will quickly become a staple of your decor. They are the perfect plant for windowless rooms that not many other houseplants would thrive in, like bathrooms, because they only need small amounts of indirect sun or fluorescent lighting to grow. In fact, given too much direct sun, they’ll actually get a sunburn and start yellowing in their leaves.
When it comes to caring for them, less is more. They should be allowed to dry out between waterings (yellowing leaves are a sign of your plant complaining about too much water). Poke your finger into the top inch of the soil for a good indicator of dryness and when your plant is ready for more.
Peace Lily
The peace lily is a houseplant staple for good reason: it combines all the best qualities that you’d like your favorite houseplant to have. They are elegant and stunning, they are easy to care for, and they even help to clean your air for a healthier home! While they need almost no light (they’re nicknamed the “closet plant” for this reason) they will produce beautiful and iconic white blooms almost all year while filtering out chemicals, like benzene and formaldehyde, from the air.
These plants are popular in offices and large rooms, as they only need a little sunlight or some fluorescent light to thrive. Place them somewhere that gets some indirect sun for your plant to truly thrive.
Peace lilies keep it simple with the rest of their care. While they don’t want to be waterlogged, they shouldn’t be allowed to dry out completely either. Fortunately for the low-maintenance houseplant keeper, they are quite drought-tolerant still. While most other plants are stressed and even harmed by wilting, the Peace Lily is resilient enough to tolerate some wilting to remind you to hydrate it.
Croton
While they may not need a lot of bright light, crotons will undoubtedly brighten any space they occupy with their bright, bold, and colorful foliage. They come in a wide variety of fiery color variations with many leaf types, from curling and twisted to oak leaf and narrow. To keep them looking as brilliant and exotic as they are meant to be, though, they do require a little extra nursing indoors to keep them happy.
Crotons are comfortable in low light, but still require dappled, bright light coming from somewhere in the room. This little touch of light is what keeps them explosively colorful, so some is required to keep them vibrant.
Native to tropical climates, they also need a warm, humid environment to thrive, which can be a little difficult to find here in wintery Minnesota, but not impossible. Keep the room above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and keep them away from any drafty windows and doors. Water and mist frequently, and consider placing the pot on a homemade humidifier tray (a plate with stones and water) to keep them comfortable.
Houseplants are a great escape in the home and are an especially welcome break from our Minnesota winters at this time of year. With so many beautiful options for homes with limited lighting, there are choices for any home to get the New Year started right with a little bit of extra green all year – without any extra fuss.
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