As a succulent from the Crassulaceae family, my fundamental relationship with light is non-negotiable. To answer your question directly: no, I cannot truly thrive in low-light conditions or under standard office lighting for an extended period. While I may survive for a while, it is a slow and unhealthy decline. My very physiology is engineered for abundant sunlight.
My plump, water-filled leaves are designed for arid, high-sun environments. The process that fuels my growth, photosynthesis, is entirely dependent on light energy. In low light, this process becomes severely inefficient. I cannot produce enough photosynthetic products (sugars) to sustain myself. This energy deficit means my growth will stall completely. Any new leaves that do manage to form will be weak, stretched, and pale as I desperately reach for any available light source.
The most immediate and visible symptom you will observe is etiolation. This is the scientific term for the abnormal, stretched growth I mentioned. My stem will become elongated and weak, my leaves will grow farther apart, and my characteristic tight rosette shape will loosen and become disfigured. Concurrently, my vibrant colors—the blues, pinks, purples, and reds—will fade to a uniform, dull green. This is because I stop producing protective pigments like anthocyanins, which are triggered by strong light. Without these pigments, I lose my stress colors and become chlorotic.
Standard office fluorescent or LED lights are fundamentally different from the full-spectrum light of the sun that I require. Their intensity is vastly lower—even a bright office is often only a fraction of the light intensity found near a sunny window. Furthermore, the spectral quality is typically tuned for human vision, not plant photosynthesis, often lacking the specific blue and red wavelengths I need most. A desk lamp used for reading provides even less usable light. Placing me in such an environment is akin to placing you on a severely calorie-restricted diet; you might exist, but you will not be healthy or vibrant.
If you are determined to keep me in an office, my survival depends on significant human intervention. I must be placed directly on a windowsill that receives several hours of direct sunlight, preferably a south-facing one. A north-facing window is rarely sufficient. If a sunny window is unavailable, you must provide an artificial sun. This means investing in a dedicated, high-quality grow light positioned close to me (6-12 inches away) and keeping it on for 12-14 hours a day to mimic a natural photoperiod. Even with a grow light, you must be exceptionally careful with watering, as my reduced metabolic activity in artificial conditions makes me extremely susceptible to root rot.
