Plants such as pothos and peperomia are easy and tolerant
University can be challenging. Your life’s changing and you’ve got papers, essays, and maybe even a job or two. While a plant may not relieve you of life’s woes (or help you pass that course), a living and growing friend can improve your mental health.
Caring for a houseplant is satisfying. You put some effort into taking care of it and get to watch it thrive.
I had a marble queen pothos on my desk when I worked in an office. When I felt overloaded or needed a small break, I’d take a moment to admire its variegation (differences of colour across the plant), check its roots, and feel the texture of its leaves.
Above all though, I’d remember to breathe. Taking a moment or two to decompress made me feel better.
I know what you’re thinking — “Daisy, I can’t have a plant. I live in a basement apartment or dark residence room.” Don’t let a lack of direct light stop you! There are a wide variety of plants which thrive in low-light situations and more that will tolerate it. Here are some of my favourite easy-care plants who might enjoy your low-light room.
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamifolia)
ZZ plants look alien. They have long stems, thick fleshy leaves, and if you’re very lucky, corncob-looking flowers. Not only will this weird plant be super accepting of low-light, it’s also fairly drought tolerant thanks to it’s potato-like roots that will store moisture to keep the plant hydrated if you forget to water it. This plant is mildly toxic to pets, so if you’ve got a curious cat or dog, you might want to skip it. While it’s not fatal, ingesting a ZZ plant may cause discomfort and tummy trouble.
Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
Also known as Saint George’s sword, mother-in-law’s tongue (ugh), and viper’s bowstring hemp, snake plants can be excellent low-light companions.
Plunk them down wherever you like and water occasionally. They’re prone to rot, so make sure your soil drains well.
On occasion, your snake plant may choose to reward you with flowers. They’ll grow a long stem and produce a cluster with little tubular flowers.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Happy and low maintenance, a beginner can’t beat a pothos. They’ll trail, vine, climb… They are versatile and happy to be in any environment — except perhaps direct sunlight.
Water once a week when it’s warm or every two weeks when it’s cooler, or whenever the leaves begin to droop. There are many different species of pothos, and I’ve found they’re all relatively easy to care for. That being said, you may want to skip a heavily variegated pothos for a greener one. Lighter leaves have less chlorophyll and need more sun to sustain their colour. Don’t be surprised if your plant spits out green leaves in protest if you can’t meet its light requirements.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are a lot of fun. Like their precursors on this list, they’ll tolerate all levels of light and will forgive you if you miss a weekly watering. Plus, they look really cute in a hanging planter. They have long, grass-like leaves and are prone to spitting out baby plants. It’s a good one to share with friends!
Radiator Plants (Peperomia)
If you can’t find a peperomia you like, you’re probably way too picky. There are more than 1,500 recorded species worldwide.
While certain species will require more light to sustain their unique colour, many of these plants will tolerate a darker room and some gentle neglect.
I hope this list is a helpful starting point for those interested in getting a plant friend. Keep in mind it’s not exhaustive; there are many other plants that may tolerate your low-light room, but may not thrive. These plants will often grow slowly or get ‘leggy’ and grow longer stems with smaller and more spaced out leaves.
If you want to learn more, visit one of the many wonderful plant stores in the downtown core. They’re staffed by enthusiastic and knowledgeable plant people. Some stores (such as Plant on Wyndham St.) organize their plants based on light requirements, so it’s very easy to get the plant that suits your space.
A version of this article appeared in print in The Ontarion issue 191.5 on Aug. 26, 2021.
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