25 Best Large Low Light Plants for the Living Room | Big Indoor Plants for the Living Room


Large Low Light Plants Collage

Large low light indoor plants make a bold statement, create a wow factor in any space which will give the living room a spectacular and welcoming sight.

While selecting the best plants for your living room, consider the growth conditions present inorder to match them with the requirements of the plant to achieve the optimal results.

We have outlined herebelow our selection of the best large low light plants that you can go for to liven up your living room.

25 Large Low Light Indoor Plants for the Living Room

Our selection of the best large low light plants for the living room include Swiss Cheese Plant, Laceleaf Anthurium, Madagascar Dragon Tree, Rubber Plant, Areca Palm, Hawaiian Schefflera, Polka Dot Begonia, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Fishtail Palm among others.

1. Swiss Cheese Plant

Swiss Cheese Plant, Monstera deliciosa

Botanical name: Monstera deliciosa
Common names: Swiss Cheese Plant, Split Leaf Philodendron, Monster Fruit, Mexican Breadfruit, Windowleaf Plant
Origin: Southern Mexico
Height: 20 ft

Swiss Cheese Plant is a popular plant whose large deeply perforated leaves are a sight to behold in a living room, is easy to grow and is also a good indoor air cleaner.

Monstera is ideal as a stand alone plant for occupying large empty spaces. To produce an upright plant, provide a moss stick to support it and also push the aerial roots into the soil.

Monstera deliciosa grows best in bright to medium, indirect light, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Learn more on how to grow and care for Swiss Cheese Plant.

2. Laceleaf Anthurium

Laceleaf Anthurium, Anthurium andraeanum

Botanical name: Anthurium andraeanum
Common names: Laceleaf Anthurium, Oilcloth Flower, Painter's Palette, Tailflower
Origin: Columbia and Ecuador
Height:  2-3 ft

Laceleaf Anthurium is a flowering plant which bears long, glossy blooms with a straight or arched yellow or white tail and is great in sprucing up the living room.

Several varieties and hybrids of Laceleaf Anthurium have been developed with white, pink, orange and red flowers and are readily available.

Anthurium andraeanum thrives best in bright, indirect light, average warmth, humid conditions and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Read more on how to grow and care for Laceleaf Anthurium.

3. Madagascar Dragon Tree

Dracaena marginata, Madagascar Dragon Tree

Botanical name: Dracaena marginiata
Common name: Madagascar Dragon Tree
Origin: Madagascar and other Indian Ocean Islands
Height: 8-10 ft

Madagascar Dragon Tree is a colorful plant that easily adapts to a wide range of indoor growing conditions, a good indoor air cleaner and is a magnificent splash of color in a living room.

Popular varieties of Madagascar Dragon Tree are the basic variety, Dracaena marginata, Dracaena marginata tricolor and Dracaena marginata colorama which are readily available.

Dracaena marginata requires bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Madagascar Dragon Tree.

4. Rubber Plant

Rubber Plant, Ficus elastica

Botanical name: Ficus elastica
Common names: Rubber Plant, Rubber Fig, Rubber Tree, Rubber Bush, Indian Rubber Tree, Indian Rubber Bush
Origin: Eastern parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia
Height: 6-10 ft

Rubber Plant is a tree-like plant, an ideal stand alone plant that easily adaptable to indoor growing conditions and will do perfectly well in a living room.

Common varieties of Rubber Tree include Ficus elastica 'Decora', Ficus elastica 'robusta' (Bronze Rubber Plant), Ficus elastica 'Black Prince', Ficus elastica 'Tineke', Ficus elastica 'Shivereana' among others.

Ficus elastica grow best in bright light with some direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn how to grow and care for Rubber Plant.

5. Areca Palm

Areca Palm, Dypsis lutescens

Botanical name: Dypsis lutescens
Common names: Areca Palm, Butterfly Palm, Golden Cane Palm, Yellow palm
Origin: Madagascar
Height: 6-10 ft

Areca Palm is a popular, low light, low maintenance palm which will add an unmatched exotic feel in any living room.

As indicated by the NASA Clean Air Study, Butterfly Palm is a good indoor air cleaner which gets rid of formaldehyde, xylene and toulene.

Dypsis lutescens prefers bright, indirect light away from hot direct sunlight, average warmth and humidity and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil accompanied by monthly feeding during the growing season. Read on how to grow and care for Areca Palm.

6. Hawaiian Schefflera

Schefflera arboricola, Dwarf Umbrella Tree, Dwarf Schefflera

Botanical name: Schefflera arboricola
Common names: Dwarf Umbrella Tree, Hawaiian Schefflera, Dwarf Schefflera
Origin: Taiwan and Hainan
Height: 4-6 ft

Hawaiian Schefflera is an easy care, fast-growing, tree-like plant with about ten leaflets radiating from each leaf-stalk which is a spectacular sight in a living room.

Many varieties of Dwarf Umbrella Tree can been selected for their variations in leaf color and pattern which are often variegated with creamy-white to yellow edges or centers.

Schefflera arboricola thrives in medium to bright light away from direct sunshine, moderate warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn how to grow and care for Dwarf Umbrella Tree.

7. Polka Dot Begonia

Begonia maculata, Polka Dot Begonia, Trout Begonia, Spotted Begonia

Botanical name: Begonia maculata
Common names: Polka Dot Begonia, Trout Begonia, Spotted Begonia
Origin: Brazil
Height: 8 ft

Polka Dot Begonia is an evergreen shrubby plant which bears large, glossy, olive-green leaves blotched with white dot-like spots and is a pleasant sight in the living room.

The Spotted Begonia is a cane-stemmed Begonia and bears large flower clusters which hang from the stems.

Begonia maculata grows best in bright, indirect light, average warmth, average humidity and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Read more on how to grow and care for Polka Dot Begonia.

8. Fiddle Leaf Fig

Fiddle Leaf Fig, Ficus lyrata

Botanical name: Ficus lyrata
Common name: Fiddle Leaf Fig
Origin: western Africa; Cameroon West to Sierra Leone
Height: 6-10 ft

Fiddle Leaf Fig is a good choice for a large low light plant. The striking large, leathery, violin-like leaves with prominent veins and a wavy margin are excellent in a living room.

Ficus lyrata is relatively tough and can withstand less than perfect conditions fairly well which makes it perfect for growing indoors.

Ficus lyrata prefers bright light with some morning direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Fiddle Leaf Fig.

9. Fishtail Palm

Fishtail palm, Caryota mitis

Botanical name: Caryota mitis
Common names: Fishtail Palm, Clustering Fishtail Palm
Origin: Tropical Asia; India to Java to Southern China
Height: 6-8 ft

Fishtail Palm is a popular indoor palm on account of its spectacular ragged-edged leaflets on arching fronds which makes ideal for livening up a living room.

The Clustering Fishtail Palm produces clustered stems and has a relative Caryota urens commonly called Wine Fishtail Palm whose leaflets are more triangular but fewer.

Caryota mitis requires bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season. Read on how to grow and care for Fishtail Palm.

10. Aralia balfouriana

 Polyscias balfouriana, Aralia balfouriana

Botanical name: Polyscias balfouriana
Common names: Aralia balfouriana, Dinnerplate Aralia, Balfour Aralia
Origin: New Guinea to Queensland, Australia
Height: 8 ft

Aralia balfouriana is a large, tree-like plant which bears an abundance of attractive dark green leaves and is perfect for a living room.

The charming Dinnerplate Aralia is closely related to Polyscias scutellaria, commonly called Shield Aralia and Polyscias fruticosa, commonly called Ming Aralia.

Polyscias balfouriana thrives in bright light away from direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Aralia balfouriana.

11. Spineless Yucca

Spineless Yucca, Yucca gigantea

Botanical name: Yucca gigantea
Common names: Spineless Yucca, Soft-tip Yucca, Blue-stem Yucca, Giant Yucca, Yucca Cane, Itabo
Origin: Mexico and Central America
Height: 8-10 ft

Spineless Yucca an elegant False Palm for a living room with a woody trunk and a crown of long, leathery, strap-like, spineless leaves and white bell-shaped flowers on mature plants.

The Giant Yucca can grow in a variety of soils and is drought-tolerant. The major drawback for this plant is that it is highly susceptible to root-rot if grown in soggy soil.

Yucca gigantea requires very bright light, average warmth and humidity and moderately moist, well-drained, fertile soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Spineless Yucca.

12. Calathea orbifolia

Calathea orbifolia, Round-leaf Calathea

Botanical name: Calathea orbifolia
Common name: Round-leaf Calathea
Origin: Northeast and southeast regions of Brazil.
Height: 8 ft

Calathea orbifolia is a popular Calathea which bears large, round leaves whose surfaces is light-green with lighter-green variegation along the rib and margins making it perfect for a living room.

Calathea orbifolia is low light plant which thrives in medium, indirect light and moderately moist, rich free-draining soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season.

13. Bamboo Palm

Bamboo Palm, Chamaedorea erumpens

Botanical name: Chamaedorea erumpens
Common name: Bamboo Palm
Origin: Central and Northeastern Mexico
Height: 6-10 ft

Bamboo Palm is a spectacula, low light palm which is highly adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions and grows with a minimal outward spread making ideal for a compact space.

The magnificent Bamboo Palm is also a good indoor air cleaner which gets rid of xylene, toulene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloethylene from indoor air.

Chamaedorea erumpens prefers bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding. Read more on how to grow and care for Bamboo Palm.

14. Corn Palm

Corn Palm, Dracaena fragrans

Botanical name: Dracaena fragrans
Common names: Corn Palm, Corn Plant, Striped Dracaena, Compact Dracaena
Origin: Sudan south, Mozambique, C么te d'Ivoire, Angola
Height: 6 ft

Corn Plant is low maintenace plant whose glossy, large, yellow-striped leaves will brighten up any space making it perfect for the living room.

The elegant Striped Dracaena is also a good indoor air cleaner and removes common VOCs like xylene, toulene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloethylene from indoor air.

Dracaena fragrans thrives in bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, average warmth and consistently moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding. Learn more on how to grow and care for Corn Palm.

15. Alocasia 'Regal Shield'

Alocasia 'Regal Shield', Regal Shield Elephant Ear

Botanical name: Alocasia odora X Alocasia reginula
Common names: Alocasia 'Regal Shield', Regal Shield Elephant Ear, Regal Shield Alocasia
Origin: Africa
Height: 5 ft

Alocasia 'Regal Shield' is a fast growing plant which bears large, heart-shaped dark-green to almost black leaves with light-green venation on light-green stems.

Regal Shield Elephant Ear will make a bold statement in a living room. It is one of the popular Alocasia plants on account of its size and spectacular foliage.

Regal Shield Alocasia grows best in bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with regular feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Alocasia 'Regal Shield'.

16. Ponytail Palm

Ponytail Palm, Beaucarnea recurvata

Botanical name: Beaucarnea recurvata
Common names: Ponytail Palm, Elephant Foot
Origin: Tamaulipas, Veracruz and San Luis Potosi in eastern Mexico
Height: 6 ft

Ponytail Palm is an easy care plant that does not require a lot of attention which makes it ideal for a beginner or the forgetful plant parent.

The elegant Ponytail Palm is a hardy plant with a swollen bulb which stores water, therefore, occasional dryness at the roots will do no harm to it.

Beaucarnea recurvata prefers bright light with some direct sunlight, average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Ponytail Palm.

17. Croton Plant

Croton Plant, Codiaeum variegatum

Botanical name: Codiaeum variegatum
Common names: Croton Plant, Joseph's Coat
Origin: Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Western Pacific Ocean islands
Height: 9 ft

Croton Plants are perfect for the living room on account of their vivid foliage colors and varied leaf shapes. They bear large, thick, leathery and shiny leaves.

The mesmerizing Joseph's Coat stiff leaves are borne on an upright stem; the usual pattern is large and lobed foliage on which are distinctly colored veins.

Codiaeum variegatum grows best in bright light with some direct morning or evening sunlight, warm and humid conditions and consistently moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Croton Plant.

18. Dumb Cane

Dumb cane, Dieffenbachia

Botanical name: Dieffenbachia
Common name: Dumb Cane
Origin: Mexico, West Indies
Height: 5 ft

Dumb Canes are popular living room plants with large and highly decorative leaves, easy to grow and a good air cleaner. The leaves are simple and alternate containing white spots and flecks.

The common name, "Dumb Cane", is derived from the unpleasant effect of its poisonous sap on the mouth and throat. Dieffenbachia is poisonous to both humans and pets if ingested. Always wash hands thoroughly after handling.

Dieffenbachia thrives in bright indirect light away from direct sunshine, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with fortnightly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Dumb Cane.

19. Lady Palm

Lady Palm, Rhapis excelsa

Botanical name: Rhapis excelsa
Common name: Lady Palm
Origin: India and Asia
Height: 6 ft

Lady palm is a small palm which grows in multi-stemmed clumps with glossy, evergreen leaves divided into broad, ribbed segments perfect for a living room.

The amazing Lady Palm produce fronds which are split into numerous segments radiating from a point at the base (fan-like segments like ladies fan), the segments may be entirely or only partly divided.

Rhapis excelsa grows best in bright to medium light, warm and moderately humid conditions and moderately moist, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Lady Palm.

20. Japanese Aralia

Fatsia japonica, Japanese Aralia

Botanical name: Fatsia japonica
Common names: Japanese Aralia, Paperplant, Glossy-leaf Paper Plant
Origin: southern Japan, southern Korea and Taiwan
Height: 4-6 ft

Japanese Aralia is large, low-light, low-maintenance, hardy plant with air-cleaning properties which bears large, deeply lobed and leathery textured leaves perfect for a living room.

One of the striking Paperplant common varieties is Spider's Web or Spider White which bears variegated leaves.

Fatsia japonica grows best in medium to bright light, average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Japanese Aralia.

21. Weeping Fig

Weeping Fig, Ficus benjamina

Botanical name: Ficus benjamina
Common names: Weeping Fig, Benjamin Fig, Ficus Tree
Origin: Asia and Australia
Height: 6-8 ft

Weeping Fig is a popular low light indoor plant due to its elegant growth and tolerance to poor growing conditions but it does not like sudden changes in light conditions.

The picturesque Benjamin Fig bears gracefully drooping branch-lets and glossy leaves, oval with an acuminate tip. The young foliage is light green and slightly wavy, the older leaves are green and smooth.

Ficus benjamina thrives in bright light with some direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Weeping Fig.

22. Bird of Paradise Plant

Bird of Paradise Plant, Strelitzia reginae

Botanical name: Strelitzia reginae
Common names: Bird of Paradise Plant, Crane Flower
Origin: South Africa
Height: 5-7 ft

Bird of Paradise Plant is one of the most spectacular flowering plants with vivid bright orange and blue flowers borne on top of tall stalks and surrounded by large leaves making it amazing for the living room.

The Crane Flower was described by Joseph Banks in 1788. The species name, 'reginae', means 'of the queen', in commemoration of the British queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of George III.

Strelitzia reginae requires bright light with some direct sunshine, cool to average warmth, humid conditions and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Bird of Paradise Plant.

23. Mandevilla Plant

Mandevilla Plant, Rocktrumpet

Botanical name: Mandevilla
Common name: Mandevilla, Rocktrumpet
Origin: Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and South Americ
Height: 10 ft

Mandevilla are evergreen, climbing plants whose stems are densely covered with glossy, dark-green oval leaves and bears brightly colored, large, trumpet-shaped flowers in white, pink, yellow, red or mixed colors perfect for a living room.

The charming Rocktrumpet is perfect for a hanging basket, a pedestal or a trellis where the beautiful leaves and vibrant flowers can be displayed for a spectacular sight.

Mandevilla Plant thrives in bright light with some direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions, and consistently moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with fortnightly feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Mandevilla Plant.

24. Philodendron sagittifolium

Philodendron sagittifolium

Botanical name: Philodendron sagittifolium
Common name: Philodendron sagittifolium
Origin: Brazil, Mexico, Peru
Height: 10 ft

Philodendron sagittifolium is an easy-care, vigorously-growing climber whose large, arrow-shaped leaves are pale green on top and the undersides are dark-green with light green spots ideal for a living room.

The spectacular Philodendron sagittifolium can be grown as a climber on a trellis or moss stick. The stems require a firm support to prevent the plant from toppling over.

Philodendron sagittifolium grows best in bright indirect light away from direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Learn more on how to grow and care for Philodendron sagittifolium.

25. Umbrella Tree

Umbrella Tree, Schefflera actinophylla

Botanical name: Schefflera actinophylla
Common names: Umbrella Tree, Octopus Tree, Australia Umbrella Tree, Queensland Umbrella, Amate
Origin: Queensland, Northern Australia, New Guinea and Java
Height: 6-8 ft

Umbrella Tree is one of the popular, easy to grow and propagate tree-like indoor plants and is ideal for the large spaces in a living room.

The eye-catching Australia Umbrella Tree gets its common name, 'umbrella Tree', from its large finger-like glossy leaflets radiating like umbrella spokes. The common name, 'Octopus Tree', is because of its spectacular, red-colored, tentacle-like flowers.

Schefflera actinophylla thrives in bright light away from direct sunshine, moderate warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season. Read more on how to grow and care for Umbrella Tree.

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