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Indoor Plant Care
Light requirements · ZZ Plant

ZZ Plant Light Requirements

UMN Extension puts ZZ Plant in its low-light group: 50–250 fc. Best window direction: Any direction including north; never direct sun.
ZZ plantZamioculcas zamiifolia
  • Part to full shade
  • Dry between
  • Toxic to cats and dogs (NC State)
Light category
low
Foot-candle target
50–250 fc (UMN Extension, low-light group)
Best window direction
Any direction including north; never direct sun

How low can it go?

ZZ grows in very low light, even where there is only fluorescent light (NC State Extension), and Clemson Extension notes it can be grown easily in darker rooms.

Signs your light is too low
Slower growth than usual, though ZZ grows very slowly in any light (Clemson Extension). Check watering too: Clemson Extension warns that overwatering can lead to root rot.

How much is too much?

Bright, indirect light speeds up its very slow growth (Clemson Extension). Direct sunlight can scald and brown the leaves (NC State Extension).

Signs your light is too high
Scalded, browned leaves (NC State Extension).

The most common ZZ Plant light mistake

Placing it in a south-facing window. Owners overcorrect after hearing that it tolerates low light and put it in direct sun, which can scald and brown the leaves (NC State Extension). Clemson Extension says to place ZZ anywhere except full sun.

Grow light substitute

Usually unnecessary: NC State Extension notes it grows even where there is only fluorescent light. If you want faster growth, UMN Extension suggests keeping a grow light 12 to 24 inches from foliage houseplants and setting a timer so they get 12 to 14 hours of light a day.

See our best grow lights guide for picks.

How to measure light at home

Use a smartphone light meter app (NC State Extension notes some are free) or an inexpensive handheld light meter. Measure at the leaf surface, not the ceiling.

As reference points, Clemson Extension groups indoor plants by the light they prefer: low 75–200 fc, medium 200–500 fc, high 500–1,000 fc, and very high 1,000 fc or more. It notes that the inside of a well-lighted home is often under 100 fc. NC State Extension lists 25–74 fc as enough only to maintain low-light plants. UMN Extension and Missouri Extension use broader groups: low 50–250 fc, medium 250–1,000 fc, and high 1,000 fc or more.

Sources: NC State Extension — Zamioculcas zamiifolia; Clemson Extension — ZZ plant (HGIC 1570); UMN Extension

For full ZZ Plant care — watering, humidity, soil, pests — see the ZZ Plant care guide. Or learn where to place a ZZ Plant in your home.