How much light does a bonsai tree need
Most of the indoor bonsai trees need a light intensity ranging from 500 – 5000 Lux (Lumen/m2). The light intensity required by the bonsai depends on the tree species. Please refer to grow indoor bonsai trees using artificial lights for more details on how to setup artificial lights and which light to use.
Following table shows the minimum amount of light required by various indoor bonsai trees.
| Plant name | Light Intensity (Lux) | Plant name | Light Intensity (Lux) |
| Adenium | 500 | Grevillea robusta | 1500 |
| Adenium obesum | 1000 | Hedera | 200-500 |
| Aralia | 500 | Hedera helix | 1000 |
| Aralia sieboldii | 1000 | Helexine | 500-1000 |
| Araucaria | 500 | Hibiscus | 1000 |
| Araucaria heterophylla | 800 | Holarrhena | 2000 |
| Ardisia crenata | 1000 | Jacaranda mimosifolia | 1500 |
| Aucuba japonica | 800 | Jacobinia | 500 |
| Azalea | 1000 | Kalanchoe | 1000 |
| Bougainvillea glabra | 2000 | Lagerstroemia indica | 2000 |
| Buxus harlandit | 800 | Lantana camara | 2000 |
| Cactaceae | 2000 | Ligustrum | 1000 |
| Calliandra brevipes | 2000 | Lonicera nitida | 800 |
| Camellia japonica | 1000 | Malpighia coccigera | 1500 |
| Carmona microphylla | 1000 | Murraya paniculata | 1000 |
| Casuarina equisetifolia | 1500 | Myricaria cauliflora | 1500 |
| Chamaecyparis | 1000 | Myrtus communis | 1000 |
| Chamaedorea | 800 | Nerium | 500 |
| Cissus | 200-500 | Nolina | 1000 |
| Cissus rhombifolia | 800 | Olea | 500-1000 |
| Citrus | 500 | Olea europaea | 1000 |
| Citrus microcarpa | 2000 | Ophiopogon | 500 |
| Cocos nucifera | 1000 | Passiflora carnea | 1000 |
| Codiaenum | 500 | Pelargonium | 1000 |
| Coffea arabica | 1500 | Pellionia repens | 800 |
| Cotoneaster | 1500 | Pereskia | 500 |
| Crassula | 500-1000 | Pilea | 500 |
| Cupressus macrocarpa | 1000 | Pistacia vera | 1000 |
| Cycas | 800 | Pittosporum tobira | 500 |
| Cycas revoluta | 500 | Podocarpus macrophyllus | 800 |
| Dracaena | 1000 | Poinsettia | 1500 |
| Echeveria | 1000 | Polyscias fruticosa | 1500 |
| Eugenia | 1500 | Portulacaria afra | 1000 |
| Euphorbia balsamifera | 2000 | Psidium guajava | 2000 |
| Euphorbia pulcherrima | 2000 | Punica granatum | 1500 |
| Eurya | 500 | Pyracantha | 1000 |
| Fatshedera | 800 | Rhododendron | 500 |
| Ficus benjamina | 1000 | Rosmarinus officinalis | 500-1000 |
| Ficus benjamina ‘Lucy Natascha’ | 1000 | Sageretia theezans | 1000 |
| Ficus buxifolia | 2000 | Samanea saman | 2000 |
| Ficus carica | 1500 | Saxifraga | 500 |
| Ficus nertifolia | 2000 | Schefflera | 500-1000 |
| Ficus panda | 800 | Schefflera actinophylla | 800 |
| Ficus pumila | 1000 | Selaginella | 500-1000 |
| Ficus religiosa, F. virens | 2000 | Serissa foetida | 1000 |
| Ficus retusa, F. natalensis | 1000 | Solanum | 500 |
| Ficus rubiginosa | 1000 | Sparmannia | 500-1000 |
| Ficus virens | 2000 | Spurge | 500 |
| Fortunella hindsti | 2000 | Succulents | 500-1000 |
| Fuchsia | 800 | Tamarindus | 2000 |
| Gardenia jasminoides | 1000 | Ulmus parvifolia | 1000 |
What is the best bonsai for indoor low light?
There are many indoor bonsai trees that can be grown successfully in low light settings. To name a few:
Hedera helix – English ivy tree
Cissus antarctica – Kangaroo vine bonsai tree
Schefflera actinophylla – Umbrella tree bonsai
Cycas revoluta – Cycad bonsai
Rhododendron – Satsuki Azalea bonsai
Citrus – Citrus bonsai
Aralia – Ming Aralia bonsai
Look at the table above to see all the bonsai tree species that can be grown in low light conditions indoor.
