Best Hanging Plants for Low Light: Perfect for Dark Apartments

Look, I get it. You're scrolling through Instagram seeing all these gorgeous hanging plant displays and thinking "my apartment doesn't have enough light for that." I've been there. North-facing windows, rooms that only get indirect light, that one corner that's basically a cave — I've dealt with all of it.

But here's the thing: there are actually tons of trailing plants that thrive in low light. Like, genuinely low light. Not "bright indirect light" disguised as low light. Actual low light conditions. I've killed enough plants to know the difference, and I'm here to save you from making the same mistakes.

Why Hanging Plants in Low Light Is Totally Doable

Most trailing plants people hang are tropical understory plants in the wild. They grow beneath the forest canopy, getting dappled light at best. So when your apartment has limited windows or faces north, you're actually mimicking their natural environment pretty well.

What low light hanging plants can't handle: direct hot sun (it burns their leaves), complete darkness (even shade lovers need some light), and sudden changes in light conditions.

Our Top Picks for Low Light Hanging Plants

🏆 Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — Best Overall

The king of low light plants. Seriously, Pothos is basically unkillable. I've had one in my bathroom (no window, just a frosted glass door) for 8 months and it's still going strong. The golden pothos variety adds those nice yellow variegations, but even solid green varieties thrive in low light.

Light needs: Thrives in low to medium indirect light. Mine sits 6 feet from a north-facing window and it's happier than I am.

Water: Let it dry out between waterings. Overwatering is really the only way to kill a Pothos. I water mine every 10-14 days in low light conditions.

Why it's #1: Fast-growing, beautiful trailing vines, crazy resilient, and super easy to propagate. One plant can become ten plants in under a year.

Check Pothos Prices on Amazon →

💚 Marble Queen Pothos — Best Variegated Option

Want variegation but still have low light? Marble Queen Pothos is your answer. The white and green marbling looks absolutely stunning trailing from a shelf or hanging planter.

Here's my honest take: the more variegated the leaves, the more light it needs — the white parts can't photosynthesize. But even with less variegation in low light, Marble Queen still looks better than most plants. I've seen it described as "moderate light" but in my experience it handles low light fine, just with slightly less variegation.

Light needs: Low to medium indirect light (the trade-off is less variegation in lower light)

Water: Every 10-14 days, let dry between waterings

Check Marble Queen Pothos on Amazon →

🪴 Neon Pothos — Best for Color Pop

If you want something that looks almost fluorescent, Neon Pothos is wild. Those lime-green leaves are impossible to miss. It's a solid Pothos variety, just with vibrant chartreuse coloring instead of gold or white.

I actually prefer Neon for darker spaces because the solid color means every part of the leaf can photosynthesize — so it does better in low light than heavily variegated varieties. Win-win.

Light needs: Low to medium light, handles darkness better than variegated varieties

Water: Every 10-14 days

Check Neon Pothos on Amazon →

🌿 Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

The underdog that deserves more hype. Heartleaf Philodendron looks similar to Pothos at first glance, but the heart-shaped leaves have a different texture and growth pattern. It trails beautifully and is equally tolerant of low light.

I got a Heartleaf Philodendron as a cutting from a friend and within 6 months it had taken over an entire corner of my bedroom. The vines grew almost 3 feet that first summer.

Light needs: Low to medium indirect light. Genuinely thrives in low light conditions.

Water: Every 10-14 days, let top 2 inches of soil dry

Bonus: If you want a Bush variety, you can pinch it back and it'll grow bushier instead of trailing. Same plant, two looks.

Check Heartleaf Philodendron on Amazon →

🖤 Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) — Best Upright Option for Hanging

Okay, this one's a bit different. Chinese Evergreen doesn't trail, but it's one of the best low light plants period, and it works great in tall hanging planters where the leaves cascade down.

I've seen these in mall lobbies with basically zero natural light and they're thriving. If you want something more substantial in your hanging planter, Aglaonema is the move.

Varieties to look for: Silver Bay (silver/green), Maria (dark green), Red Valentine (pink/red accents) — all handle low light well.

Light needs: Low to medium light. Can handle genuinely dark spaces better than almost any other plant.

Water: Every 14-21 days in low light. This plant tells you when it's thirsty by drooping slightly — it's basically impossible to kill if you pay attention to the droop signal.

Check Chinese Evergreen on Amazon →

🕷️ Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)

Named "cast iron" for a reason. This plant will survive neglect, low light, temperature fluctuations, and basically anything you throw at it. It's the plant equivalent of a Toyota pickup — not glamorous, but it'll run forever.

Cast Iron Plant has dark green, strap-like leaves that grow upright. In hanging planters, they create a more architectural look than trailing plants. Perfect for that minimalist aesthetic or if you want something that looks good without any effort.

Light needs: Low to medium light. Genuinely one of the most shade-tolerant houseplants.

Water: Every 14-21 days, tolerates drought well

Growth rate: Slow — this is a long-term commitment plant. Don't expect it to fill a basket quickly.

Check Cast Iron Plant on Amazon →

What to Avoid for Low Light Hanging

Don't bother with:

• String of Pearls — needs bright light to thrive, will get leggy in low light
• String of Hearts — similar issues, prefers brighter conditions
• English Ivy — tolerates low light but becomes a spider magnet in darker conditions
• Boston Fern — needs humidity more than light, but won't thrive in darkness
• Most Pilea varieties — prefer more light than you'd think

My Low Light Hanging Plant Setup

Here's what actually works in my north-facing apartment:

I have a Pothos in my bathroom (zero direct windows, just a frosted glass door), a Heartleaf Philodendron in my bedroom 8 feet from the only north-facing window, and a Chinese Evergreen in the hallway where nothing else survives.

The secret: Hanging them high. Warm air rises, and placing plants up higher often means they're closer to any indirect light coming from below. Plus it shows off the trailing better.

I use macrame hangers from Amazon basics — nothing fancy, just white cotton. Honestly, the cheapest macrame setup works fine. Don't overthink the hanger, focus on the plant.

Signs Your Low Light Plant Needs More Light

• Growth has completely stopped for months
• New leaves are smaller than old ones
• Vines are reaching/spreading out desperately (called etiolation)
• Variegated varieties are losing their variegation
• Color is fading to a washed-out green

If you see these signs, move it closer to light — even low light plants have their limits.

The Verdict

Best overall: Pothos. There's a reason it's the most popular houseplant online. It's beautiful, it's resilient, and it genuinely thrives in low light conditions. Start here and you won't go wrong.

Want something different: Heartleaf Philodendron for a similar but distinct look, Chinese Evergreen for something more upright and architectural.

Bottom line: Dark apartment doesn't mean you can't have beautiful hanging plants. It just means you need to pick the right plants — and now you know which ones those are.

Want help figuring out how often to water your new plants? Try our watering calculator →

FAQ

Can plants really survive with no natural light?

Technically they need some light for photosynthesis, but low light plants can survive in rooms with only ambient light from elsewhere in the apartment. Complete darkness will eventually kill any plant. If your room has zero windows, consider a grow light — they're cheap and solve the problem.

How often should I water hanging plants in low light?

In low light, plants grow slower and use less water. Water less frequently than you would in bright light — every 10-14 days is typical for most low light trailing plants. Always check soil moisture first.

Do trailing plants need fertilizer in low light?

Less than in bright light. In low light, plants grow slower and need fewer nutrients. Fertilize during spring/summer growing season only, and use half the recommended strength.

Can I mix different trailing plants in one hanging basket?

Yes! Pothos and Heartleaf Philodendron have similar care needs and look great together. Just make sure they're all low light tolerant and have similar water requirements.