5 Best Indoor Hanging Plants for Rooms with Low Light (and small spaces).

Introducing a beautiful houseplant into your home is the easiest way to bring life to a corner and add a splash of green to it at the same time. Decorating with houseplants has an array of benefits for both you and your living space, which I had recently discovered when I welcomed my first plant into my home. 

The way a single plant can transform an area with little effort absolutely amazed me and since then, I wanted to fill my home with all the different varieties of houseplants that I could get my hands on. However, I was new to the world of houseplants and I wanted to start with easy to care for plants. Turns out, those low maintenance plants were perfect for my rooms that didn’t get much light and were in dire need of some greenery.

If you’re struggling to find the right houseplant that can tolerate low light conditions as well as being able to thrive in small spaces, then you’re in the right place. Thankfully, caring for a houseplant is easier than you think and the plants that I will be going into more detail about don’t require much care and attention. 

So, let’s delve further into those 5 Hanging Plants.

1. Devil’s Ivy (AKA Pothos)

The beautiful dark green, heart-shaped leaves of this indoor trailing plant makes this an incredibly hardy house plant. I had this one displayed in my conservatory and noticed that the leaves had changed to a lighter green colour and it just didn’t look as nice. It was still healthy but because of this I realised it was getting way too much light. I have now moved it into my north-facing bedroom where it sits happily away from the window on my dressing table with it’s vines wrapped around the wooden frame. 

The pothos is a tropical vine plant that’s relatively fast growing. You can find a variety of species of this houseplant with different types of foliage. It’s a fantastic beginner plant due to the fact that it can tolerate a missed watering, most problems with this plant tend to be from overwatering which can be seen from the leaves turning yellow.  

This is also a great houseplant to get creative with. Since it’s a trailing plant, it looks amazing placed on a high shelf in the bedroom, bathroom or in the kitchen with it’s long vines hanging down that will help create a relaxing space. You can also train the vines to grow in any direction you want it to such as using nails to encourage it to grow along the walls. Or, like what I did, wrap the vines around furniture for some indoor jungle vibes. 

If you want to enhance a corner where there is no furniture present, then use a macrame plant hanger to hang it from the ceiling which will allow your pothos to really stand out in that corner and allow it to grow and trail downwards.

2. Spider Plant

This houseplant is a fast grower. For this to happen it will prefer brighter light conditions however, it’s one of the most adaptable houseplants and therefore can tolerate shadier shots. 

The favourite thing I like about this plant is the spider babies. You know your plant is happy and healthy when it starts to produce those spiderettes. They dangle down from the mother plant like spiders on a web. It makes this plant easy to propagate by snipping off the baby and repotting it, but you don’t have to do that, you can leave them alone and watch more spider babies develop that will make the mother plant bigger, bushier and fuller. 

The way it grows out over the pot in all directions makes it the perfect plant to be displayed in a plant hanger in a small room, as the fullness of the plant and it’s long leaves can get in the way of things if placed on a shelf or a table. 

But, it will also look impressive once it reaches a good size sitting on a windowsill with the spiderlings trailing down from it.

3. Red Chinese Evergreen

This one is not exactly a hanging plant, but I thought this one deserved to be in the list as it can tolerate most light conditions as well as fitting in perfectly in a plant hanger. The reason for this is because it’s a small house plant and its leaves grow in just the right direction for it to fit snugly in between the hanger cords.

As much as I love the look of trailing plants, I needed a plant that didn’t change its look drastically as it grew but to remain the same size for a particular spot I wanted to display it in. Sometimes when you don’t have enough space in a room, it’s nice to have a feature plant that doesn’t take over the limited space that you have. It’s also great to mix it up a bit with hanging plants and vertical plants. 

This variety of Chinese Evergreen is the red version and as you can see in the leaves, it’s got a beautiful pink/red contrast alongside the green colour. As with most brightly coloured plants, it’s foliage gets brighter as it gets more light. As long as it doesn’t get direct sunlight, it’ll be happy in most areas of a room. I should also mention that it’s a great plant for travellers as it doesn’t mind a missed watering, so you can go away on holiday guilt-free.

4. Tradescantia Zebrina (AKA Inch Plant)

I’ve recently discovered how incredibly quick this plant grows and how easy it is to propagate, which makes it a fabulous beginner plant. If you’re looking for a fast growing plant where you’ll be able to hang it up on display as soon as possible, then this one's for you. 

What stood out for me was the glistening foliage of it’s green and purple leaves. They are stunning. Yet another trailing plant that looks gorgeous displayed up high allowing the plant to grow to its full potential. This houseplant is a great choice if you’re looking to add an extra bit of colour into your home.  

This was my first plant I experimented propagating with and oh it was easy. I didn’t expect anything from it, but I placed a small vine that came off the original plant and put it in an empty pot with soil that previously had a dying herb in it. A couple of days later, I could see the growth without having to measure it and a few weeks after that, it had taken over my herb pots that are currently on my kitchen windowsill. I will have to move it to a better spot very soon. 

My two tradescantia plants are currently displayed in an east and north-facing rooms and are doing great, so they can tolerate low light conditions. If you notice the leaves losing it’s colour or notice long spaces between each leaf then it will need to be moved to a brighter spot. 

The stems can trail to 60cm or more so it’s definitely a houseplant to display in a macrame plant hanger. You could also try displaying a propagated one in a wall planter in the bathroom for a different way to hang it up.

5. Snake Plant (AKA Mother-in-Law’s Tongue)

My favourite houseplant changes depending on how recently I've added a new one to my collection, but at the very beginning this one was my favourite. I was so impressed by how this plant thrives off neglect which makes it the best beginners plant for a new plant parent. Or a go to housewarming gift for a friend who has just moved into their first house. 

It’s one of those almost unkillable plants and can handle a shadier spot very well, but equally it can thrive in a bright area too. I had one placed in a dark bedroom and another one displayed in a bright, hot conservatory. Both of them thrived beautifully and when I say they thrive off neglect it’s because they actually love a missed watering. 

Yes, you are right, it isn’t a hanging plant however, as you can see in the photo they look just as good hanging up as a vertical floor plant or displayed on furniture. It’s a great plant to play around when it comes to styling your home with houseplants. Using small and large plants placed on the floor and on a table or on a plant stand, as well as displaying them high in a plant hanger will create levels for an easy way to create a tranquil space by adding natural features.

Top Care Tips

Light

Sometimes it may involve trial and error when finding the perfect spot to place your plant in, but that’s OK. I’ve moved my plants around lots of time before I nailed it’s happy spot. As long as you have an idea how much light your room gets you’ll know where to place it. Moving a plant just slightly away from the window is actually a big difference in how much light the plant will receive. 

Water

I check mine every week and I don’t have to water all of them weekly either. Sometimes it’s obvious if the soil is still wet, but if it’s not, do the dip test. Put your finger in the soil and if there isn’t soil on your finger then it’s time to give your plant a drink. It’s good to get into a watering routine but the amount of times you water your plant will depend on the type of plant, where it’s positioned and the season. Just get into the habit of regularly checking your plants and make sure to not over water -  this can lead to root rot. 

Food

Plant’s need to be fed. You may have been advised that houseplants need a certain amount of food added to the water every month in spring and summer to give them a growth rest over the colder period. However, I actually add a very small amount of plant food every time I water my plants in the growing season which is weekly. My mum on the other hand feeds a small amount all year round, probably the reason why they have been growing so much and taking over her house! They are thriving and are happy and healthy.

Now you know that there are houseplants out there that can handle being placed in low light rooms no matter how small your space is. As well as being super easy to care for even if you are a newbie to house plants. You are now one step closer to becoming a proud plant parent!

So, which one of these houseplants will you be introducing into your home? Let me know in the comments below.

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