Shade-enduring Plant Low light indoor plants are much sought after within the indoor gardening fraternity. Indeed, a shade-enduring plant will tolerate fairly poor conditions, where other plants would flounder.
Yes, there are a number of shade-enduring plant varieties that have become readily available as house plants. To facilitate healthy growth, reproducing conditions similar to where the plant would normally have grown, will always give the best results.
Just what is meant by low-light conditions?
If it is necessary to turn on the lights, or if you need a torch to cross a room - then yeah, this is pretty dark.
However, if you are still able to read a book, even though these are dim conditions, this then is what is considered as low light for house plants. Don't go any darker than this for low light indoor plants.
The most likely areas to be considered low-light, include rooms downstairs, depending on the aspect of the house, hallways and all those pokey places around the home. Then again, if you are an apartment dweller, this may encompass the whole place.
Growing plants without light is a fallacy.
Plants will not grow in the dark. They can spend some time in the dark, but you cannot just leave them there and expect them to grow. They will starve to death without some form of sunlight, even reflected.
You can have plants displayed in the dark areas of the home, but only if you have a number of plants and are able to rotate them, regularly.
Rotating Your Indoor Plants.
You will need to have indoor plants already growing in more light. These are the plants you are going to be rotating with the ones from dark areas.
Leaving a house plant in a dark area for an extended amount of time, like more than 3 days, will weaken the plant. However, if you rotate it out with your other plants until it regains its health it will survive. Rotating is, taking a plant that gets the most light, and swapping it with the one in the darkened area.
Replacing the one removed, you then move your other house plants one spot closer to the brightest area. The plant taken from the dark area, is placed at the back of the houseplant queue, in a position with the least light.
With the plant that was previously in the darker area, do not think you are going to do it any favors by putting it outside in the sun. It will certainly burn to a crisp, then probably keel over from shock. The re-introduction to stronger light must be a gradual one.
Similarly, you must not put an already weakened plant back into the dark. Give it time to regain its strength. This is why you will need a number of replacements, to extend the time between the dark areas.
This is a lot of work and, if limited time, or back problems, preclude this sort of activity and, you are desperate to have some sort of color in those dark areas, get some fake plants. A statuette, a lamp, etc.
Commonly Available Low Light Indoor Plants.
This is a short list of plants with a high tolerance to low light, and inexperienced indoor gardeners. The resilience of these plants to neglect is quite phenomenal.
Sanseviera - Mother-In-Law’s Tongue or, Snake Plant.
Evergreen, with upright, strap-like leaves, dark green, banded with light gray-green and cream edges. Growing to 6 cm wide and 90 cm high. Will take a lot of neglect, if not abuse. Do not plant outside.
Dracaena Fragrans - Fortune Plant or Happy Plant.
Graceful long wide leaves usually variegated. Smaller Happy Plants are often sold simply sitting in a bowl of pebbles, for stability. A fair indication of their hardiness. Almost survives on air, should be renamed the Do Nothing plant.
Dracaena Marginata - The Dragon Tree.
Strap-like, dark green, red edged, stiff leaves crown the leggy branches. As the plant ages, the trunk takes on a very gnarled look. When it gets a bit too leggy, hard pruning will bush it out.
The Dracaena family are mostly long-stemmed plants with decorative rosettes of strap-like foliage. Easily grown from cuttings or layering. If cuttings are laid down horizontally, it will shoot from multiple buds. Thrives on neglect.
Neanthe Bella - Parlor Palm.
Stiff and erect when leaves first emerge from the center, opening to elegant feather-like fans. The best of palms for low light, also very hardy.
Philodendron
Mostly climbing plants, with rich green leaves, some have a coppery-red underneath or have red veins. Some leaves are red when they are young but eventually turn green. This is a tough medium-sized plant for low light areas and is fairly forgiving of neglect.
Zamioculcas - Zanzibar Gem
Long succulent stems, each growing to around 90cm, covered with deep green glossy leaves. Great for high or low light conditions and tolerant of long dry spells. Virtually indestructible.
Ficus benjamina - Weeping Fig
Small, green, shiny leaves. Also the variegated form, Ficus benjamina 'Variegata'. Can reach to a couple of meters tall indoors. Also a good Bonsai plant. Extremely tough and easy to grow.
This was never intended to be a full list of low light indoor plants. As a rule of thumb, practically any shade-enduring plant variety will grow indoors. This short list was merely to indicate that there are, indeed, low light indoor plants commonly available.
Mr Meagher has been a gardener and organic gardener for 45 years, permaculturist for 29 years. Further reading to be found at : Gardening Secret
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Contributor's Note
Low light indoor plants have a tendency to also be indestructible, making them perfect for new-comers to indoor gardening. Sometimes referred to as a shade-enduring plant, these are ideal for those dim places in the house.
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All my plants keel over from shock when they find out I'm their owner. 
appreciated
