My apartment faces north. My windows are partially blocked by the building across the alley. Some months in winter, I get one hour of sunlight. I have killed many plants.
But not these ones. This is the honest survival list.
The Unkillable: Pothos and Snake Plants
If you can't keep these alive, you need to examine some things about yourself. Pothos trail beautifully from high shelves in dim corners. Snake plants look architectural and dramatic and actively prefer low light and infrequent watering.
The Underrated: ZZ Plants
ZZ plants are so good at surviving neglect that they feel like cheating. Watered once a month. Zero direct light. Completely alive. They look like something from a design showroom.
The Cheat Code: Grow Lights
I mounted a grow light fixture — disguised as a regular wall sconce with a full-spectrum bulb — in my darkest corner. My fiddle-leaf fig has lived there for two years. Before the grow light, it dropped leaves weekly. Now it's fine. Sometimes the answer is just giving plants what they actually need.
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