Low light · 2 min read
Plants for a north-facing flat
North-facing rooms get steady, gentle light and no direct sun. These plants genuinely do well there.
A north-facing flat is not a dark flat. It gets even, soft light for most of the day, which suits a surprising number of plants. What it cannot give you is direct sun, so anything that flowers heavily or wants full sun will disappoint you.
What works
Snake plant, ZZ plant, aglaonema, money plant, peace lily, philodendron and most ferns are all comfortable. Aglaonema in particular keeps its colour in lower light where other patterned plants fade.
What struggles
Succulents, cacti, adenium, hibiscus, bougainvillea and most herbs. They will survive for a while and then stretch, pale and stop growing. Put these on a balcony or a south or west window instead.
Get them close to the glass
Light drops off faster than people expect. A plant a metre from a north window gets perhaps a quarter of the light of one on the sill. If a plant is sulking, move it closer before you change anything else.
Water less than you think
Less light means slower growth and slower drying. A snake plant on a north wall may want water once a month. Check with a finger each time rather than watering on a schedule.
If you are not sure how bright your room really is, hold your hand a foot above the spot at midday. A soft, blurry shadow is enough for everything on the list above.
Last reviewed October 2026.
