Houseplant clinic: which plants cope best in darker rooms?

All plants need a little light in their lives, but some can thrive even in the shadiest spots

What’s the problem?
We moved house two years ago, and some rooms in our new home have very little natural light. The plants we brought with us aren’t thriving. What houseplants can cope with low light levels?

Diagnosis
Many popular houseplants, especially those that need bright, indirect light, will struggle in dimly lit spaces. Symptoms like yellowing leaves, leggy growth and overall decline are common when plants aren’t getting enough light to photosynthesise properly. But all is not lost. Several houseplants are far more tolerant of low light and can thrive in shadier spots. The key is selecting species that originate from environments where filtered light is the norm.