10 Houseplants That Flourish Under Artificial Light

Indoor plants arranged on wooden shelves with grow lights for lighting — Credit:
Getty Images

All houseplants need light to thrive, but during the colder months, natural light often isn’t enough. That’s where grow lights come in.

Grow lights can supplement natural sunlight or replace it entirely in dim rooms. Not every plant responds the same way, but many popular houseplants can thrive under artificial light. “Grow lights can actually provide more consistency than windows, especially in winter,” adds Britt Parrish, a plant consultant and houseplant educator.

Below, we spoke to experts about a few houseplants that thrive under grow lights.

Britt Parrish, a plant consultant and houseplant educator
Bex Claire Hamell, houseplant educator and award-winning horticulturist

Using Grow Lights

Light is the most important element for healthy indoor plants, so your grow light’s quality and intensity, as well as how long you use it, will each play an important role in plant growth, according to the University of Maryland Extension.

In general, red, far-red, and blue wavelengths are most important for plant development—good-quality grow lights will supply at least all three of these wavelengths, or better yet, provide full-spectrum light to more closely mimic natural sunlight.

To help your plants thrive, try to match your grow light’s intensity, distance, and duration to what they would experience in their natural habitat. A shade-tolerant pothos will do much better with lower-intensity lighting than a sun-loving cactus, for example.

“Your plants will tell you if something’s off,” Parrish says. Look out for pale leaves, stretching, or slowed growth—these are good indications that you need to adjust your light levels. With the right setup, grow lights can keep houseplants healthy and growing year-round—even when sunshine is scarce.

01 of 10

Pothos

A potted plant placed on a small wooden stand surrounded by other plants in the background — Getty Images

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) are vining plants native to the understory of tropical rainforests.

"[They] don’t require intense light, and respond well to consistent, moderate, artificial light," says Parrish. Adding grow lights can help your plant grow fuller vines with closer leaf spacing.

She recommends medium-intensity light for four to six hours each day, keeping lights about 12 to 18 inches from the foliage. “Tighter internodes and stronger trailing are signs the light is effective,” Parrish says.

Size: 6 to 10 feet long; 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Low to bright, indirect light; well-drained potting soil

02 of 10

Philodendron

Similar to pothos, philodendrons are native to tropical rainforests and typically grow as vines around tree trunks beneath the tree canopies. This makes them excellent candidates for medium-intensity artificial light, says Parrish.

She recommends no more than six to eight hours of artificial light a day; avoid placing lights too close to the leaves.

“Thin leaves can burn,” Parrish says. In proper lighting conditions, you’ll notice new growth is compact, rather than stretched out.

Size: Varies by species; up to 15 feet tall and 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Medium indirect light; well-drained soil

03 of 10

Prayer Plants

prayer plant in a white pot near a window — AnnaDudek / Getty Images

Calathea and maranta also come from tropical rainforests and thrive on the forest floor. Unsurprisingly, they prefer steady, indirect light and are sensitive to too much light. These plants have a reputation for being dramatic, so consistency will be more important than brightness.

To provide the low- to medium-intensity light these plants prefer, keep your grow lights well above the plant’s leaves, and keep them on for no more than six to eight hours each day. If your leaves begin to curl, then your plant may be trying to protect itself from too much light, and you should reduce the light accordingly.

Size: About 2 feet tall and wide
Care requirements: Low to bright indirect light; free-draining, organic-rich soil

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ZZ Plant

ZZ plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) are native to the dry forests of East Africa and thrive in the low, indirect light of the forest floor.

These hardy plants store their energy in their rhizomes, which helps them tolerate growing under fairly low-light conditions. Because of this, these plants don’t need much supplemental lighting. You can get away with low- to medium-intensity light for four to six hours a day, with fixtures about 18 to 24 inches away.

Size: 24 to 48 inches tall; 12 to 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Low to bright indirect light; well-drained soil

05 of 10

Snake Plant

Sometimes misnomered as zero-light plants, snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata) do need light, and they actually do best in bright, indirect light.

Still, these plants are extremely adaptable and can also perform well in medium light. Consistency is key. You can opt for low- to medium-intensity lighting for as little as six to eight hours per day, keeping fixtures at a distance to avoid bleaching. Alternatively, if you’re already using higher-intensity lighting, you can pop it under a light for up to 12 hours a day.

Size: 12 to 36 inches tall; 6 to 36 inches wide
Care requirements: Low to bright, indirect light; well-drained soil

Monstera Deliciosa

In the rainforest, monstera grow vigorously up tree trunks toward the light. At home, they thrive in bright, indirect light.

Parrish suggests using medium- to bright-intensity lighting for six to eight hours a day, positioning the lights overhead. Bright artificial light can encourage more mature foliage on these plants; too much bright light will scorch the leaves.

Size: Up to 15 feet tall and 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Medium indirect light; well-drained soil

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Hoyas

Hoya hanging indoor plant — Mila Naumova / GETTY IMAGES

Hoyas prefer bright, consistent light and tend to bloom better under grow lights than near windows alone, Parrish says.

She suggests providing bright, indirect light for six to eight hours a day, keeping grow lights about 8 to 12 inches away. The thicker leaves on hoyas tolerate light well, but lights placed too close can still cause stress.

Size: 2 to 4 feet tall; about 2 feet wide
Care requirements: Bright indirect light; very well-draining soil

08 of 10

Anthuriums

anthurium plant with red blooms near a window — Ludmila Kapustkina / Getty Images

Velvet anthuriums typically grow in shaded rainforest environments, so they respond well to bright, indirect grow lights when heat and distance are managed carefully. Parrish notes that consistency is key for anthuriums, which can be on the more finicky side in terms of care.

Medium to bright light about 12 to 18 inches away for six to eight hours each day is ideal. If new leaves unfurl with crispy edges, you should pull back on your lighting.

Size: 1 to 3 feet tall and wide
Care requirements: Bright indirect light, tolerates medium to low; general-purpose potting mix

09 of 10

Syngonium

Since syngoniums naturally grow on the forest floor, they prefer bright, indirect light.

Parrish says these tropicals adapt well to artificial light and often develop larger and brighter leaves under grow lights. She also notes that consistent lighting helps prevent uneven growth.

Parrish recommends medium light for six to eight hours a day, being sure to rotate plants every now and then for even exposure. Syngoniums with variegation tend to benefit from slightly brighter setups, though you should be careful not to go overboard, as these leaves can burn.

Size: Varies by species
Care requirements: Bright indirect light; well-draining potting soil

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Echeveria

"Echeveria need full sun to maintain their gorgeous colors and compact form, so you will need a bright grow light in the winter," says houseplant educator Bex Claire Hamell.

Use high-intensity, full-spectrum grow lights for 10 to 14 hours each day, placing plants about 6 to 18 inches from the light. Without enough light intensity, plants will stretch, and their colors will fade.