27 Low Light Succulents that Grow in Dark

Grow these 27 Low Light Succulents Indoors, or in a shady patch of your garden, they’ll survive without direct Sunlight!

Succulents are low maintenance and grow well in dry soil. However, they require a lot of sunlight to thrive. As they’re native to desert and arid areas, most of them don’t grow well indoors or in a shady outdoor space of your garden. The good news is there are low light succulents, and they can tolerate shade and grow well in the lack of sunlight. We’re naming them below:

What is Low Light?

Don’t misunderstand low light as ‘no light.’ Low light refers to distant windows indoors or shaded outdoors. These low light succulents are good for spots that receive bright indirect light and, if possible, exposure to the morning sun as well. If you have decided to place any of these succulent plants on the dining table or office shelf that is completely dark, then you should opt for Grow Lights.

1. Aloe Vera

Botanical Name: Aloe barbadensis

Aloe vera is one of the most popular species of aloe genus. It can survive in low light settings and doesn’t mind low humidity as it prefers dry air. Also, it’s one of the best medicinal plants.

Also Read: Aloe Plant Care

Growing Tips: 

• Water infrequently, keep the soil on a drier side.
• If possible, place the plant on the south or west-facing window.
• Anyhow, access to all day long, bright indirect light is necessary.

2. Lace Aloe

Botanical Name: Aloe aristata

This rosette-forming aloe is compact in size with raised white marks on leaves. Lace aloe is a suitable choice for low light conditions as it loves to grow in filtered light. Check out more aloe varieties here.

Growing Tips: 

• Water only when the topsoil dries out.
• Provide filtered sunlight, avoid direct sun.
• You can grow it in a small to the medium-size pot.

3. Tiger Aloe

Botanical Name: Gonialoe variegata

This dwarf (6-12 inches tall) aloe looks great on the tabletop and in succulent arrangements. It loves to grow in partial shade but does survive the full shade, *but growth may impede.

Growing Tips:

• Water deeply, but only when the substrate is dry.
• You can also grow it under grow lights.
• It can tolerate low temperatures but not less than 55 F (12 C).

4. Snake Plant

Botanical Name: Sansevieria trifasciata

The snake plant or “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue” is the king when it comes to low light succulents. Keep it in full shade, where it can receive bright indirect daylight, and it’ll thrive. We also added it to our list of Plants That Grow Without Direct Sunlight!

Growing Tips: 

• Reduce watering in winters.
• This plant can grow in both direct sunlight and shade.
• Feed the plant with liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season.

5. Zebra Plant

Botanical Name: Haworthia fasciata

The fleshy leaves of Zebra plant are patterned in horizontal white streaks, giving it a zebra-like resemblance. It can grow up to 6 inches tall only. The short stature makes it one of the best office desk plants.

Growing Tips: 

• It can do well in low filtered sunlight.
• It prefers humid surroundings, to increase humidity, follow these tips.
• It can’t endure temperatures below 30 F (-1 C).

6. Jade Plant

Botanical Name: Crassula ovata

Jade plant is also known as a good luck plant. According to Feng Shui, it symbolizes wealth and prosperity. While a jade plant can tolerate low light and grow indoors, it doesn’t flower in lack of sunlight. Know about more Feng Shui plants here.

Growing Tips: 

• It prefers full to partial sunlight. But you can also grow it in a shady position.
• Plant it in well-drained, succulent soil.
• A jade plant can manage well in dry air, which makes it a successful houseplant.

7. Bear Paws

Botanical Name: Cotyledon tomentosa

Bear paws as name sounds look quite similar as cute as little bear’s paws. If that’s not enough, it also bears orange-red bell-shaped flowers during the active growing season. You can grow it in pots, in which it can be up to one foot tall.

Growing Tips:

• Avoid deep shades and try to place the plant in part sun or in a spot that receives at least bright indirect sunlight.
• If kept dry, it can live better in winters also.
• The well-drained granular mix is an excellent potting medium for cotyledon.

8. Fox Tail Agave

Botanical Name: Agave attenuata

This agave is also known as Lion’s Tail or Swan’s Neck because of its unusual inflorescences, or you can say blooms.

Growing Tips: 

• Grow it in a warm, well-lit location, and avoid dark shade.
• Water thoroughly when the topsoil is dry.
• This plant can manage in underwatering as well as in overwatering.

9. Woodland Stonecrop

Botanical Name: Sedum ternatum

One of the most shade tolerant sedums and it’s drought-tolerant as well. Once grown fully, stonecrop can manage without fertilizer in dusty, rocky soil.

Growing Tips: 

• While it can grow in the shade, it doesn’t mind full sunlight.
• Water regularly in the growth phase but wait till the growing medium is dry enough to avoid overwatering.
• Make sure your pot has sufficient drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.

10. Donkey’s Tail

Botanical Name: Sedum morganianum.

Also known as Burro’s Tail–It’s one of the best low light succulents for hanging baskets. Its 2 feet long dangling fat stems covered in gray-green leaves look pretty attractive.

Growing Tips: 

• Partial sunlight is optimum for burro’s tail, but it will flourish in bright shade.
• Use soil that is made, especially for cacti and succulents.
• It will be better not to move this plant from one place to another due to its delicate texture.

11. Flaming Katy

Botanical Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Our favorite flowering succulent, check out a few more here. Though it can grow in the shade, it needs sunlight to bloom prolifically.

Growing Tips: 

• If you want this succulent to flower, keep it in a sunny spot.
• It prefers warm surroundings.
• It flowers best in the root-bound state.

12. Wax Plant

Botanical Name: Hoya

Hoya genus has many successful houseplant species like Hoya carnosa and Hoya kerrii that are attractive & showy and perfect for homes and offices. These succulent vines grow well in filtered sunlight and produce fragrant flowers.

Growing Tips: 

• Grow it in indirect sunlight or semi-shade
• This plant prefers humidity.
• Since it’s a tropical plant, maintain the temperature above 50 F (10 C).

13. Kiwi Aeonium

Botanical Name: Aeonium Kiwi

This drought-tolerant plant can do quite well in low light shady spots in a warm climate. It has fat spoon-like, puffed leaves in a rosette pattern. The leaves are yellow and green and red toward edges. It flowers only once in a lifetime as it’s a monocarpic plant.

Growing Tips: 

• While it can grow in full shade in warm climates, provide it partial shade in the cold climate.
• Water only when the soil is dry.

14. Ponytail Palm

Botanical Name: Beaucarnea recurvata

Ponytail palm is also known as ‘Elephant Foot Palm’ because its trunk resembles elephants foot in which it stores water. It is one of the most spectacular indoor plants you can grow. We also added it to our list of Tall Houseplants.

Growing Tips:

• It can grow well in full or part sun. It doesn’t mind living in the shade as well. But the location with bright indirect light is required.
• It grows slowly, which means you won’t need to repot it soon.
• Avoid frequent and heavy fertilization and feed the plant with a balanced liquid fertilizer 2-3 times during the growing season.

15. Devil’s Backbone

Botanical Name: Euphorbia tithymaloides

It also goes by the name Buckthorn, Zigzag plant, Jew’s slipper, Slipper plant, Redbird cactus, Redbird flower, Christmas candle, and Red slipper spurge. When you are growing outdoors, it can go up to 8 feet tall. Indoors, you can prune it as per requirement.

Growing Tips:

• You can grow it in full shade, find a spot that receives bright indirect daylight.
• Keep rotating the plant every once in a while.
• It prefers dry soil but forgives overwatering mistakes.

Caveat: Like other Euphorbias, it’s sap is toxic, handle with care.

16. Crown of Thorns

Botanical Name: Euphorbia Mili

Crown of Thorns is one of the best shade-tolerant succulents. However, in the shade, the plant doesn’t flower. It’s essential to keep in mind that all parts of Euphorbia are toxic. 

Growing Tips: 

• You can grow it in the shade, but in order to bloom, it requires access to full or part sun location.
• It’s a low maintenance plant and doesn’t require frequent watering.
• Learn everything about growing crown of thorns here.

17. Panda Plant

Botanical Name: Kalanchoe tomentosa

Panda Plant is also known as Pussy’s Ear due to its velvety, soft-textured foliage that resembles its shape. This mini houseplant is perfect for a kid’s room, check out this list for more such plants.

Growing Tips: 

• Grow it in partial shade or indirect light.
• Avoid overwatering.
• Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season.

18. ZZ Plant

Botanical Name: Zamioculcus Zamiifolia (Zanzibar Gem)

ZZ is perfect for dark space where direct sunlight doesn’t reach. It requires proper warm surroundings to grow, except for that it’s quite rough–Drought tolerant and low care.

Tips: 

• Water when the soil seems dry.
• Place the plant in indirect light, a location that receives morning sunlight should be best.

19. Gasteria

Gasteria plant looks quite similar to aloe. Though it is short and plumper. Leaves are green with white spots. It is an excellent choice when you’re searching for the best low light succulents. Gasteria grows with slow speed and stays small.

Growing Tips:

• Place near a bright sunny window but avoid direct sunlight.
• Water infrequently and keep the soil on a drier side.
• Fertilize in the spring.

20. String of Pearls

Botanical Name: Curio rowleyanus

Strings of Pearls is a beautiful trailing succulent. Its leaves grow in the shape of small pearls that give them an attractive look. This plant can be used as a home decoration piece; you can grow it in hanging baskets.

Growing Tips:

• Avoid overwatering.
• Use a succulent mix when growing in containers.
• Filtered sunlight will work well.

21. Mother of Millions

Botanical Name: Kalanchoe daigremontiana

Mother of Millions, also sometimes known as Mother of Thousands, is a beautiful succulent houseplant from Kalanchoe genus, but some people consider it a weed outdoors. It’s a tough plant that tolerates low light and neglect well.

Growing Tips:

• You can grow it in the shade.
• It doesn’t require frequent fertilization and watering.
• Use a regular succulent soil to plant it. You can DIY it as well.

Caveat: This plant is toxic, and if you’ve pets & kids that are curious by nature, avoid growing it or keep it out of their reach. For more information about its toxicity, click here.

22. Conophytum

Botanical Name: Conophytum

It’s a group of several popular miniature succulent species that you can grow indoors as well. Some of the popular types of Conophytum are C. bilobum, C. calculus, and C. burgeri. It’s often confused with Lithops, which is a different genus.

Growing Tips:

• It needs bright, indirect sunlight.
• It has low watering and fertilizing needs.
• Can’t tolerate cold temperatures.

23. Aptenia

Botanical Name: Aptenia

If you’re looking to grow a trailing low light succulent–Aptenia cordifolia (popularly known as the baby sun rose) can be an option. It’ll greet you with red or magenta-purple flowers from spring to autumn.

Growing Tips:

• While it grows best in full sun, it doesn’t mind complete shade in a hot climate.
• Keep it in a location that receives morning sun or at least day-long indirect sunlight.
• Save it from cold drafts.

24. Spider Agave

Botanical Name: Agave bracteosa

Due to its compact size and spineless leaves, you can easily grow it in pots indoors. It’s perfect for a spot that receives morning sunlight.

Growing Tips:

• An east-facing window is fine for it.
• Use well-drained loamy soil.
• It has a low fertilizer requirement.

25. Sedum spurium

Botanical Name: Sedum spurium

Sedum spurium is also known as Dragon’s blood, Schorbuser blut, and Stonecrop. It looks best as an edging plant and ground cover in rock gardens. You can also grow it indoors in pots since it’s a shade-tolerant succulent.

Growing Tips:

• Sedum spurium manages well in dry soil.
• This plant can grow even in 2 hours of direct sunlight.

26. String of Bananas

One of the best hanging succulents, the string of bananas, is super easy to grow and known for its small and plump banana-shaped leaves that grow from long trailing stems.

Growing Tips:

• Grow this succulent in hanging baskets and pots.
• Avoid a sunny location.
• Normal room temperature is ideal for its growth.

27. Lifesaver Cactus

Botanical Name:  Huernia zebrina

Lifesaver Cactus is not a member of the cactus family–It’s a succulent. This plant grows deep green in low light and a little reddish in full sun. It’s known for its unique, beautiful flowers.

Growing Tips:

• Use the cactus mix for planting.
• Place the plant in bright indirect light or part sun.
• An east-facing window should be fine