Best Plants for Office No Windows: A Guide to Plants That Don't Need Sun — Biofilico Wellness Interiors

Have you ever wanted to make a radical change and decorate your living or office space, especially an office with no windows, using biophilic design?

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Some of the most important principles biophilic design is based on introducing as much natural lighting as possible, but that is virtually impossible in cases when you can’t open windows due to various building regulations or simply because the room does have windows but they not in the right position for flowering plants due to low natural light levels?

If you are wondering about what plants for windowless office, in other words, plants that dont need sun directly on their leaves, read on to learn more.

What then?

Well, circadian lighting that imitates natural one is the way to go in case of no or low light conditions, but what about plants?

Well, that can be covered too, by opting for houseplants that don’t need sun, and if you want to find out what are the best plants that don’t need sun to thrive - keep up with us.

Plethora of indoor plants for low light conditions

It’s very well established that plants need some sunshine at least, but there are some low maintenance plants that need less than most, or none at all, in order to survive, as they can thrive in artificial lighting as well.

Here are some of the best plants that grow without sunlight and can add a much needed touch of greenery to your home or office.

Chinese evergreen plant

Among the office plants that need no sunlight, or next to none, is the Chinese Evergreen. To many people, this low-maintenance plant is a great kind to start with if you are new to houseplants in general.

The older Chinese Evergreens produce flowers that are similar to calla lilies, and look the best on the floor next to furniture, while the younger version is compact enough to fit on your desk, tabletop, or shelf.

Speaking about their sun preferences, this plant's needs depend on the color of its leaves. Therefore, if they have darker leaves, they thrive in low light, while the varieties with pink or orange leaves prefer medium light. Either way, they shouldn’t be placed in direct sunlight.

Chinese Evergreen made its way to NASA’s list of air-filtering houseplants, which should say enough about the benefits of owning one!

Snake plant & spider plant love the gloomy corners

Snake plants and spider plants are incredibly indulgent, and can thrive in those gloomy corners of your house or office, that barely any sun touches. They are not even that demanding when it comes to watering as they need to be watered only when the top layer of the soil is completely dry.

Snake plants have pointed leaves, motley coloured that can look equally beautiful, whether in a small pot or in a larger planter. They are adaptable to various light conditions, including low light, and are known for their air-purifying qualities, making them suitable for office spaces and busy households. They need to be watered only when the top layer of the soil is completely dry, and that usually takes about two to three weeks.

Spider plant is usually used as a hanging plant, and it grows like weed, so it needs to be trimmed regularly. As they are prone to rotting, you have to keep the saucer and a pot with drainage underneath, in order to avoid that.

Vibrant Bromeliad

Bromeliads are tropical plants, and can also be enlisted among the houseplants that don’t need sun, or not a lot of it at least.

Bromeliads are unique looking, and resemble some tropical plants with vigorous pops of colour, which makes them a perfect option for a houseplant that will look good wherever you put it - on the shelf, tabletop, or even on the floor, depending on the species.

Most Bromeliad species prefer indirect sunlight, which means that it’s not directly hitting the plant. If you do happen to position it under the direct sunlight, the extended exposure will damage its’ leaves, so it’s best to keep near a window for example, not in front of it. Another great thing about bromeliads is that they can thrive on fluorescent lighting if the natural is not available.

Maidenhair Fern - beautiful but complicated

Maidenhair Ferns are one of those beautiful plants that don't need sunlight, but are a bit complex when it comes to the watering part. Ferns must not be over or under watered, they have to stay humid at best.

They thrive better if they are planted in a clay pot, and instead of being watered from the top, you have to put small stones in the saucer beneath the pot, and put water directly in the saucer. This is how you create a humidity dome around the plant, but another safe option is to keep it in the bathroom.

Semi - dangerous Dumb Canes

These beautiful plants are a common ornament both in homes and office spaces, and are called dumb canes because of the parts of the plant that are poisonous, which is why

it's advisable to keep them away from children and pets.

Dumb Canes can thrive anywhere between low and high filtered lighting (the sunlight that shines through a curtain or a covered window), depending on the species. Most of theme can survive really well in the low light, but some of the probably won't grow anymore.

The cascading Ivy

The Ivy varieties might some of the most popular plants that don't need sun out there. Some of them are green, while others can have white or green diversification.

Ivys are quite tolerant of any form of neglect, so you can only water them when they've completely dried out, cause you don't want them to feel soggy. When it comes to their appearance, you can always trim them if you want to keep them looking sumptuous.

The English Ivy variety is the to turn any gloomy wall or corner into a piece of art, but it's also great for fences and other places you can decorate with vines, but keep in mind that vines take a longer period of time to grow.

The English Ivy prefers bright indirect light, but can survive in the low lighting conditions as well. The thing is - the more light it gets, the brighter green it becomes, however, it shouldn't be exposed to it too much.

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The extravagant Staghorn Ferns

Staghorn ferns are one of those unique, excessive plants that can be very picky when it comes to their living conditions, which also applies to lighting.

The Staghorns prefer bright indirect or filtered lighting, but never direct sunlight. It should also be noted that the plant can not survive in the artificial light, and it can be a bit high-maintenance in terms of watering - like Maidenhair Fern, the soil has to be damp, but never wet.

Pothos for beginners

If you are new to plant care, the plants that don’t need sun (or not a lot of it) are a great start, but how to choose when wanting to cultivate plants without sunlight, is whole other dimension.

We believe Pothos is a great beginners plant - it prefers bright, indirect light, and can even tolerate low light conditions. It is commonly known for its’ oval leaves and pinkish veins, thanks to which it looks great in hanging baskets. Pothos can also thrive under fluorescent light, making it a versatile choice for various indoor settings.

However, even though Pothos is considered to be quite the low maintenance, if it doesn’t get enough light during the day - it will close its’ leaves over night and won’t reopen them anymore, or the leaves will start to fade, so make sure not to put it in the shade.

The vibrant Bird of Paradise

The tropical looking Bird of Paradise is not only the future replacement for all of your other plants, it’s is also enlisted among the lower maintenance plants that can live without sunlight. Another great option for windowless offices is the cast iron plant, known for its hardiness and minimal care requirements.

This vibrantly coloured plant has a unique look, but doesn’t require a ton of care at the same time, which makes it a perfect household plant. You should always make sure the soil is damp though, so your Bird of Paradise would thrive.

The bottom line now that you know what kind of plants that don’t need sun, or not much of it, are, than you are ready to start decorating your home, or your office, with the right green touches of some air purifying, mid-maintenance plants that make any space instantly brighter.

Further Reading