Usually, the more color in the leaves of a plant the more light it needs. This applies not only to different plant varieties, but also to plants within the same family. A croton with leaves of bright yellow, red, and orange is a high light plant. A heart shaped philodendron with dark green leaves is low light. A golden pothos with greenish yellow leaves needs more light than a green jade pothos with solid green leaves.

A dracaena Lisa can easily survive where a dracaena warneki cannot. Of course for every rule there is always an exception. My favorite low light plant, the aglonema elite silver bay, has broad silvery green leaves. This full hearty plant beautifies the gloomiest of areas, tolerates dry or moist soil (do not drown however), and still has some color in its leaves.

Next Section: Flowering Plants