Most dracaenas do very well in Northern light, with little or no direct sun. Orange flash? Could you be referring to the Fire Flash Spider plant? Those do like good light, but no sun, and I have mine also in a north window, but mine doesn't look as good in the winter for some reason, and I've had other people tell me theirs didn't either. They seem to really perk up in the spring and summer. So don't give up on it!

Anyway, like I said, dracaenas are a good choice. Most pothos would also do well, although you said you have enough vines. Palms are another idea, and most get big (another thing you mentioned) in time. Paph orchids do well in a north exposure too. They will even bloom with no direct sun. Nepenthes (pitcher plants) are very rewarding and mine pitchers constantly with no sun. Let's see - oh. . . .ZZ plants! They get big, and don't require sun either. Plus, they are virtually maintenance free. Just don't overwater them. Snake plants are great for low light situations. They are still one of my favorites after all these years of house plant growing. My syngoniums have also done very well hanging in my north window. There are all kinds of colors available these days, with the new hybrids. Even pink! So you really do have lots of choices. I know I'm forgetting lots of plants, but this might give you a good start. Good luck shopping!

Randi

IMO, the very, very best plant for low light is Chinese Evergreen. Peace lily is also very good. So is snake plant.

I find dracaenas are overrated for really low light situations. ZZ's will survive in low light but get very floppy. Palms really don't do well long-term in low light, although some people report good luck with Bamboo Palms (chamaedorea seifrizii); not me, though, unless the light is good.

An important tactic for any of these plants, especially in the winter or when it's cold and cloudy, is to not overwater. Let the surface of the soil get dry before you water again, then water until it drains out the bottom and dump the extra. Peace lilies, however, WILL NOT do well if let get that dry - water when the top is barely moist, but don't keep them sopping wet.

I LOVE Calatheas for low light situations! Some get about 18 inches tall.

My Calathea 'Medallion':
{{gwi:77368}}

Also non-vining Philodendrons would do fine...there are some nice varieties to be found at the big box stores these days...'Prince of Orange' comes to mind.

Monstera deliciosa might also do well in a north window...don't water it as much as recommended and it will grow slower.

Have fun plant shopping!

Thanks for the responses so far, each one of you.

Watergal, I had a Chinese evergreen for a year or two. I loved the variegated foliage the one I bought had. And it was bushy when I got it. It seemed easy to maintain. But after a year or so, it lost quite a few leaves on the lower part of the stalk, and began to look leggy to me. I'm not sure what a mature & healthy Chinese evergreen is supposed to look like. I wound up repotting into a larger pot, partly so I could set the root ball lower, and bury some of the central stalk. That only worked for a while though. So how does one handle this plant?

Joel

I also agree that dracaenas would be a good choice, and so would sansevierias (not just the snake plant but other types as well, such as Sansevieria trifasciata `Moonshine' or Sansevieria trifasciata 'Golden Hahnii').

Joel - I was going to suggest a chinese evergreen also. I'm having good luck with one that's in a pretty low light situation.

I think it is normal for them to lose some of their lower leaves, and mine is starting to lose some of the low, small ones. The houseplant book that I have says this - "young specimens are virtually stemless, but older ones have a short trunk which is scarred with old leaf bases." (from The House Plant Expert, by Dr. D.G. Hessayon)

If you want to try ferns, Birds nest fern doesnt need much light, but you may have to provide a little extra humidity. Theres always the Cast Iron plant, almost indestructible. Aglaonemas are great plants, I have 2. If you get one with silver variegation they need more light. It is common for lower leaves to die back, but you can hide that by planting a small trailing plant in front. Good luck,

Jen

Aglaonemas/Chinese evergreens do eventually have their lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. Most of the 6" pot size ones I use at work only last for a year or two, the 10" pots I can get maybe 2 or 3 years out of. It seems like the varieties with the big leaves that are bushy hold up longer.

Eventually you can whack off the tops, root in water, and replant a bunch of tops together to make a nice new bushy plant.

The lower leaves will turn a mushy yellow fast if you keep the soil wet all the time. They like to get dry on top before you water again. But if you let them get totally parched, the leaves will turn yellow too, but more of a dry, dusty yellow.

Thanks for these suggestions. I'll have to see what plants are available locally.

Joel

I would have to say that the silver lace fern will do well. As well as dumb cane, and parlor palm. I myself have the same question. I'm looking for a small trailing plant with small leaves that will do good on my night stand by the north. The only thing I can think of is English Ivy... With the limited light, it will develop small leaves, but will not thrive.

greg, How about a heart-leaf philodendron?

Thanks watergal... You must have read my mind! I actually purchased a philodendron today... the leaves have a nice velvety texture to them and the plant looks GREAT on the night stand!

My favorite plant for indoor growth is definitely Zamioculcas. It can flourish with no natural light at all and almost no water.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zamioculcas low light plant

Glad to see this old thread revived. LOL

Anyhow, I got a heartleaf philodendron and it's done phenomenally for me as a low-light plant! Very healthy and lush. It's a vine (actually, I guess when you buy it from the plant shop, you get a cluster of vines/roots) - and when an individual vine grows too long, I cut it back and use the resulting clipping as a new vine shoot. I just bury a node in the pot's soil, and leave a short shoot with a single small leaf sticking up - 75% of which take root and flourish.