16 Low-Light Succulents That’ll Grow Without Bright Light

Even in a home with little natural light, you can still have plants, including succulents. There are several low-light succulents that can grow without bright light. They might not flourish or grow as readily as in partial or bright light, but they’ll get by.

Most succulents are drought intolerant, meaning you don’t have to water them very often, so they are pretty easy to take care of once you learn their needs.

Can Succulents Grow in Low Light?

Succulents can grow in low light, though they may not grow as much as they would in bright, indirect light. They can’t grow in complete darkness, so try to find at the least a partially shaded spot. They may start to get a bit leggy as they do search for the sun, but you can prune and propagate to fix its look.

16 Best Succulents That Grow in Low Light

Desert Rose

The thick, fleshy leaves of this succulent hold water, so you don’t have to water it too frequently. Desert rose gets its name from its habitat and its resemblance to a rose.

• Name: Desert Rose (Echeveria lilacina)
• Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but will do fine in low-light situations
• Soil: Well draining soiling
• Mature Size: Up to 6 in tall

Aloe Vera

Most people think of the cool gel that you rub on sunburns when someone says aloe vera. That gel actually comes from the leaves of this plant. The leaves can grow pretty thick, can be broken off, and the gel used to treat burns. It will do fine in low light, however if you want it to grow bigger, you should give it some light.

• Name: Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)
• Light: Does fine in low light but will not survive in total shade
• Soil: Well draining potting or succulent mix
• Mature Size: Up to 36 in. tall

African Milk Tree

While this plant is called a tree, it’s actually a succulent. The sap is toxic, so if you’re handling it be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards.1 The stem of the African Milk Tree resembles a cactus, while the little teardrop shaped leaves are more characteristic of a succulent.

• Name: African Milk Tree (Euphorbia trigona)
• Light: Indirect light to partial shade
• Soil: Cactus or succulent potting soil
• Mature Size: Up to 9 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide

Burro’s Tail

Burro’s tail gets its name from the long, thick, dangling leaves. Some say they resemble a donkey’s tail, its other common name. This plant is sensitive to overwatering so let the soil dry out completely between watering to avoid the leaves getting mushy.

• Name: Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
• Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but will survive in light shade
• Soil: Well-draining potting mix
• Mature Size: Up to 4 ft. long

Bear Paw

If you give bear paw exactly what it needs, it will reward you with orange flowers during the spring. Unfortunately if you’re keeping this plant in a shaded area, you probably won’t see them; however, the tiny green leaves with red dots on them are pretty enough to enjoy on their own.

• Name: Bear Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa)
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Well-draining, succulent soil mix
• Mature Size: Up to 1 ft. tall

Cylindrical Snake Plant

This is a great plant for beginners as its easy to care for and really only needs to be watered about once per month. If you use too much water, the plant may go into shock. It differs from other snake plants in that its leaves are like a cylindrical instead of flat.

• Name: Cylindrical Snake Plant (Sansevieria cylindrica)
• Light: Happy in most light, including shade
• Soil: Cacti or succulent potting soil
• Mature Size: Up to 6 ft. tall

Jade Plant

The jade plant, which is said to bring good luck to its owners, has thick, woody stems and plump, green, glossy leaves. Because of how plump the leaves are (full of water), you don’t have to give this plant a drink very often.

• Name: Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
• Light: Can tolerate most light conditions
• Soil: Cacti or succulent potting soil
• Mature Size: Up to 5 ft. tall

Christmas Cactus

This gorgeous plant rewards you with flowers when properly cared for. Water it when the top 2 inches of soil are dry, and keep it in partial shade so the bright colors don’t fade away. In the right climates, this plant can be moved outside during the summer months.

• Name: Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
• Light: Can tolerate full sun to part shade
• Soil: Well-draining cactus or succulent soil
• Mature Size: Up to 1 ft. tall and 2 ft. wide

Ox Tongue

This unique plant gets its name from the long, textured leaves that resemble a tongue. Ox tongue can even produce flowers when it’s fully mature.

• Name: Ox Tongue (Gasteria spp.)
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Well-draining potting soil
• Mature Size: Up to 2 ft. tall and 1 ft. wide

String of Hearts

This delicate trailing succulent features beautiful heart-shaped foliage. The vines can grow super long and can be draped over curtain rods or across shelves. Put it up as high as you can and watch as the hearts trail down towards the ground.

• Name: String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
• Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but can handle shade
• Soil: Well-draining succulent mix
• Mature Size: Vines can get up to 12 ft. long

Zebra Plant

This beautiful plant gets its name from its white-and-green striped pointy leaves. It’s a really interesting plant that can adapt to pretty much any growing conditions, making it an excellent choice for any low-light area.

• Name: Zebra Plant (Haworthia attenuata)
• Light: Tolerates low light, prefers full or partial light
• Soil: Well-draining soil
• Mature Size: Up to 5 in tall.

ZZ Plant

If you’re looking for a nearly unkillable plant, the ZZ is a great choice. It can store water in its rhizomes, so it should be fine if you forget to water it for a while. If you don’t mind seeing no growth, it’ll survive living as far from a window as possible.

• Name: ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
• Light: Tolerates all conditions except full darkness
• Soil: Well-draining potting mix
• Mature Size: Up to 4 ft. tall.

Panda Plant

The panda plant has unique fuzzy, blue-green leaves that have brown dots along the furthest edges. It succulent needs to be watered a bit more frequently than other succulents; give it a drink about once a week after soil has completely dried through.

• Name: Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)
• Light: Tolerates shade, prefers full sun
• Soil: Well-draining succulent soil
• Mature Size: Up to 18 in tall

Mistletoe Cactus

The trailing stems of mistletoe cactus are very delicate and look gorgeous in a basket or hanger or up on a high shelf. Watch as the string-like leaves grow longer and longer.

• Name: Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera)
• Light: Prefers indirect light but does fine in shade
• Soil: Well-draining potting mix
• Mature Size: Up to 6 ft. long

Ponytail Palm

Most people would be pretty surprised to learn that this plant is a succulent. The unique looking, albeit very popular, houseplant gets its name from the long leaves that look like a ponytail. Its large trunk stores water so you don’t have to water it too frequently.

• Name: Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
• Light: Bright, indirect light but can do well in low light
• Soil: Well-draining potting mix
• Mature Size: Up to 6 ft. tall

Snake Plant

Snake plant is one of the most common of houseplants yet few people know that it’s actually a succulent. It’s also really hard to kill. There are dozens of species of snake plant within the Dracaena genus with various patterns on the foliage, but one thing remains the same—the plant does best when mostly left alone. You’re more likely to kill it by overwatering it than underwatering it.

• Name: Snake Plant (Dracaena spp.)
• Light: Adapts to most light conditions
• Soil: Well-draining soil mix
• Mature Size: Up to 7 ft. tall