18 Best Small Low Light Plants for an Office Desk With No Sunlight

Spider Plant also called Airplane Plant, Spider Ivy or Ribbon Plant is a fast growing, easy care, air cleaning plant and is charming as a desk top plant.

Spider Ivy is extremely adaptable and will grow in hot or cool rooms, in sun or shade and it will withstand dry air. It is one of the hard to kill plants that will withstand some level of neglect.

Chlorophytum comosum will thrive in medium to bright, indirect light, average warmth and consistently moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Spider Plants

Heartleaf Philodendron also called Sweetheart Plant is a climbing plant which bears magnificent glossy, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves and is perfect on a desk top where the stems can cascade down beautifully.

The Sweetheart Plant also freshens the air by removing trichloroethylene from indoor air but is considered toxic to both humans and pets as indicated by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals..

Philodendron scandens blossoms in medium to bright, indirect light, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing period.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Heartleaf Philodendron

ZZ Plant also called Zanzibar Gem, Zuzu Plant, Aroid Palm or Emerald Palm is a highly tolerant plant with attractive glossy foliage which is perfect for a low light office desk.

Zanzibar Gem is highly tolerant to low light, dry conditions but does not like direct sunlight. The plant is considered to be amongst the hard to kill plants.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia will grow in medium to bright, indirect light, average warmth and moderately moist, fertile, free-draining soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.

Read more on how to grow and care for ZZ Plant

Chinese Evergreens are compact plants with colorful sword-shaped leaves on short stems that will add a splash of color in indoor spaces and are ideal for a desk top.

Chinese Evergreens easy care plants even for a beginner. They are also good air cleaning plants that will freshen the indoor air by getting rid of benzene and formaldehyde.

Aglaonemas require medium to bright light, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, well-drained soils that are rich in organic matter but do not require regular feeding or regular repotting.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Chinese Evergreens

Pothos also called Devil's Ivy, Devil's Vine or Money Plant are popular, easy care, trailing plants with colorful, heart-shaped leaves and are perfect for a low light office desk.

Devil's Ivy are also good air cleaners which get rid of xylene, toulene, benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia from indoor air.

Scindapsus aureus flourish in medium to bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, moderately warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing period.

Read more on how to grow and care for Pothos

English Ivy also called Common Ivy or European Ivy is a trailing plant with lobed leaves whose colors vary from simple green to complex mixtures of white, cream, grey, yellow and is ideal for a desk top.

In addition, European Ivy is a good air cleaner which gets rid of benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, toulene and trichloroethylene from the indoor air.

Hedera helix will grow in medium to bright, indirect light, 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 English Ivy

Parlour Palm is a slow-growing palm which bears beautiful, dense, deep-green, feathery foliage on arching branches with a minimal outward growth which makes it perfect for an office desk in low light.

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

Chamaedorea elegans grows best in medium to bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing period.

Read more on how to grow and care for Parlour Palm

Snake Plants also called Mother-in-law's Tongue, Devil's Tongue, Jinn's Tongue, Bow String Hemp or Snake Tongue bear charming, architectural, long, narrow, succulent leaves perfect for a office desk.

The Bow String Hemp are hardy plants which will withstand low light conditions and is reknowned for its air cleaning properties getting rid of formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, toulene and trichloroethylene from indoor air.

Sanseviera thrive in medium to bright light, average warmth and moderately moist, loose, fertile, succulents potting mix coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Snake Plants

Calathea fasciata bears deep-green leaves with lime-green, rib variegation and purple undersides and is a striking plant for an office desk with no windows.

Goeppertia fasciata is a low light plant with spectacular, glossy, orb-shaped leaves radiating from the center of the plant.

Goeppertia fasciata grows well in medium indirect light, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing period.

Read more on how to grow and care for Calathea fasciata

Holly Fern or Japanese Holly Fern bears toothed, sharp-tipped, holly-like leaves which tolerates lower light and saline conditions than most indoor ferns.

Being a compact fern it is ideal for a desk top. In addition, Japanese Holly Fern is non-toxic to humans and pets as indicated by ASPCA.

Cyrtomium falcatum blossoms in medium to bright, indirect light, average warmth and humidity and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding during the growing season.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Holly Fern

Adanson's Monstera also called Swiss Cheese Vine or Monkey Mask Plant is a vining plant which bears glossy, long, ovate, green-colored, perforated leaves.

Monkey Mask Plant can be grown on a desk top where the stems can cascade downwards beautifully along the sides of the pot.

Monstera adansonii will do well in medium, indirect light, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with monthly feeding during the growing period.

Read more on how to grow and care for Adanson's Monstera

Cebu Blue Pothos is a low maintenance vine which is popular for its spectacular lance shaped leaves with a climbing and or trailing growth habit.

Cebu Blue can be grown on a desk top where the stems and leaves can cascade downwards beautifully making a magnificent sight for the eyes.

Epipremnum pinnatum 'Cebu Blue' requires medium to bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding in the growing season.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Cebu Blue Pothos

Asparagus fern also called Asparagus Grass or Lace Fern bears beautiful, feathery, needle-like branches can gracefully droop downwards and will be spectacular on an office desk.

Lace Fern adapts well to a wide variations in light, heat and frequency of watering and does not demand humid conditions like true ferns.

Asparagus plumosus grows best in medium to bright, indirect light, cool to average warmth and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soils. These characteristics make this plant perfect for an office desk with no windows.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Asparagus Fern

Cast Iron Plant is a compact plant with glossy, dark-green, upright leaves and easily adapts to less than perfect growing conditions like a low light office space.

Cast Iron Plant is a hard to kill plant which is very tolerant to shade and can withstand some level of neglect.

Aspidistra elatior can tolerate deep shade, dry soil, hot temperatures, air pollution coupled with moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil and monthly feeding during the growing season.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Cast Iron Plant

Pepper Face Plant also called Baby Rubber Plant or American Rubber Plant is a compact upright growing Peperomia with cupped leathery leaves making it perfect for an office desk.

American Rubber Plant is a hardy plant that will thrive even when the growing conditions are less than perfect. It grows best in bright light away from direct sunshine but it can tolerate medium to low light.

Peperomia obtusifolia requires moderately 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 Pepper Face Plant

Satin Pothos also called Silver Pothos, Silver Vine or Silver Philodendron are evergreen, trailing plants which bear pleasant, matte, green leaves covered in silver blotches with a satin sheen.

Silver Philodendron can be treated as a trailer or climber, reaching up to 10 ft or more. The stems can be allowed to trail from a hanging basket or tabletop planter.

Silver Pothos are low maintenance, pest resistant plants which will thrive in low light conditions with moderate watering making them perfect for a low light office desk.

Learn more on how to grow and care for Satin Pothos

Creeping Fig or Climbing Fig is a lowly plant which is useful as a trailer or climber which produces a dense green carpet and is one of the best indoor ground covers.

The long trailing stems make Climbing Fig ideal for a desk top where the stems can hang down beautifully along the sides of the pot.

Ficus pumila prefers medium to bright, indrect light, warm and humid conditions and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.

Read more on how to grow and care for Creeping Fig

Brown Spiderwort or Bear Ears Plant is a compact plant whose short bronze-colored leaves form a rosette and is ideal for an office desk.

Bear Ears Plant can grow to a height of 1-1.5 ft and the leaves are only about 6-8 in. long. The compact size of this plant makes ideal for the small spaces.

Siderasis fuscata grows best in medium, indirect light away from direct sunshine, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter coupled with regular feeding during the growing season..

Learn more on how to grow and care for Brown Spiderwort

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