Plants for Windowless Rooms: A Guide to Thriving in Artificial Light
Introduction
If you work in an office without windows or have a room in your home that lacks natural light, you may think your only lighting options are fluorescent bulbs or incandescent lighting. But don’t despair! There are many plants that can thrive in artificial light, bringing a touch of nature and greenery to your indoor space.
Choosing Plants for Artificial Light
When choosing plants for a windowless room, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Light requirements: Plants need light to photosynthesize, produce flowers and fruit, and stay healthy. Choose plants that are tolerant of low light conditions.
- Growth rate: If you want a plant that will quickly fill your space with greenery, choose one with a rapid growth rate.
- Growth habit: Consider the size and shape of the plant before purchasing. Some plants, like dracaena, can get quite tall, while others, like peace lilies, have a more compact growth habit.
- Vining or trailing plants: These types of plants are a good choice for hanging baskets or trailing down shelves.
Recommended Plants for Windowless Rooms
Here are a few foolproof plant choices for offices and darker homes:
- Snake plant: Known for its sword-like, stiff leaves with attractive green and often gold markings.
- Cast iron plant: A quirky plant that can tolerate low light, dampness, dust, and general neglect.
- Peace lily: Another plant with sword-like leaves, but it produces a creamy white spathe resembling a big cupped flower.
- Dracaena: Comes in many forms and sizes, often with variegated leaves or splashes of alternate color.
- Philodendron: Also comes in many forms and sizes, with heart-shaped or lobed leaves.
Other good choices include:
- Chinese evergreen
- Spider plant
- ZZ plant
- String of pearls
Care for Indoor Plants in Artificial Light
Once you’ve chosen your plants, here are some tips for caring for them in a windowless room:
- Watering: Interior plants that are not exposed to direct light do not tend to dry out as quickly as their counterparts. Use a water meter to tell when it is time to water the container. Overwatering is a real danger, especially if you are adhering to a schedule made for plants with sun exposure.
- Cleaning: Interior plants, especially those with big leaves, need to be dusted or rinsed under water to remove debris which can clog the plant’s respiration system.
- Repotting: Repotting every few years is a good idea to refresh the soil and give your plants more room to grow.
- Fertilizer: Fertilizer is crucial to interior plant health since they are confined to soil with limited nutrient value and cannot rely upon sunlight to create plant carbohydrates. Use a good houseplant fertilizer at least every month for healthy low light plants.
Conclusion
With a little care and attention, you can enjoy beautiful and thriving plants in your windowless room. Choose plants that are tolerant of low light conditions, and be sure to water, clean, and fertilize them regularly.