Transforming a bathroom into a jungle oasis? Sign me up!
Adding plants is a fantastic way to add a touch of greenery to one of the most utilitarian rooms in your home.
Just pop a few plant friends, and hooray!
You have just made a simple bathroom more luxurious, inviting, invigorating, and less lonely.
What a beautiful way to decorate with nature itself.
However, not every plant will grow and thrive in this room.
It’s important to select your bath buddies wisely.
Which Plants Are Perfect for Your Bathroom?
Picking the best plants for bathrooms is all about selecting varieties that thrive in specific conditions.
Usually, plants that live well in this room have a few things in common:
- They can tolerate or even thrive in high humidity;
- They don’t need a lot of direct sunlight;
- They are generally easy to care for.
Humid, and has at least a little bit of light – does that sound like your bathroom?
Then the plants I will list in this article are a good choice of company.
The moist, steamy conditions of a bathroom mimic the natural habitats of many tropical plants, making the bathroom an ideal spot for these green beauties.
Let’s take a look at our candidates.
The Best Plants For Bathrooms
1. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)
Spider plants are practically indestructible, making them perfect for beginners to indoor gardening or those who don’t want a picky plant in their bathroom.
They can easily adapt to low-medium light conditions, and the extra humidity helps prevent leaf browning.
They filter the air of toxins and, with their spiderette offshoots, add a playful touch to your bathroom.
2. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
The peace lily is a great choice for an elegant bathroom aura, thanks to its calm, white blooms and glossy green leaves.
It’s a powerhouse at cleaning the air and thrives in the high humidity of bathrooms.
Peace lilies feel great in low to moderate light, making them a great companion for bathrooms with small windows.
3. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
Although having snakes in your bathroom does not sound very inviting, snake plants are a different story.
Snake plants are easily one of the best plants for bathrooms, thanks to their highly resilient and non-demanding nature.
They can survive even in extremely low light and high humidity, and they’re great for those who tend to forget about watering.
4. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
With its lush, green fronds, the Boston fern is in love with the damp conditions found in bathrooms.
It’s a bit of a drama queen when it comes to dry air, so the steam from your showers is exactly what will keep it happy, super green, and vibrant.
This plant prefers moderate, indirect light, so make sure to place it or hang it in the brightest corner of your bathroom.
However, it will still do well in low light conditions, but the growth will be slower.
5. Rubber Plant
Rubber plants enjoy humidity between 50% and 60%, making them excellent for bathrooms.
This plant loves bright, indirect light, but can adapt to tolerate low light too.
You don’t need to water your rubber plant often, especially when kept in the bathroom.
As a rule of thumb, water your rubber plant only when the top soil has dried up fully.
6. Orchid (Orchidaceae)
Orchids can bring a touch of elegance to your bathroom, and their color variety makes it easy to find a perfect match for your interior.
They thrive in the warm, humid conditions that mimic their natural tropical habitat, so these beauties will welcome any extra humidity.
Placed on a shelf or windowsill with indirect light, orchids will reward you with beautiful blooms.
7. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
If I had to name the most robust plant of them all, I would choose pothos in a second.
Pothos is a hardy vine with heart-shaped leaves that can tolerate low light – and it just loves humidity.
It’s excellent for adding a touch of jungle to your bathroom, with fast-growing, leafy vines that can be trained around windows or shelves.
A similar looking Scindapsus pictus, also know as Silver pothos plant, can look and grow well in a company of any kind of pothos.
8. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
When in doubt, just pick a ZZ!
The ZZ plant is practically immortal and – sometimes literally – thrives on neglect.
Its waxy leaves look great in any setting, it can handle low light and sporadic watering, and it will enjoy the extra moisture in the air.
Or, it won’t care about any of it at all.
These plants just don’t care. They live.
That’s why Zamioculcas is perfect for any room, not just bathrooms – it’s one of the easiest plants to grow indoors.
9. Bamboo (Bambusoideae)
If SPA, serenity, and tranquility aesthetics are your thing (mine sure is), look no further than bamboo.
Bamboo brings a ZEN-like quality to any space, including the bathroom.
It doesn’t even need soil to grow—just water, making it incredibly easy to care for in a bathroom setting.
10. Ivy (Hedera helix)
Ivy is an easy-to-care-for, stunning indoor plant with its trailing, leafy vines that grow fast.
It loves the high humidity of bathrooms and can thrive in moderate to low light.
Just be sure to keep it out of reach if you have pets, as it can be toxic, and do not indulge in watering too often.
Just like any other plant, ivy does not like sitting in soggy soil for too long.
11. Calathea (Calathea spp.)
Calathea is known for its beautifully patterned leaves, and pressing requirements when it comes to humidity.
These plants have big leaves that are prone to brown, crispy edges if the surrounding room lacks moisture.
This is exactly why calatheas thrive in the steamy conditions of a bathroom.
It also prefers low to medium light, making it perfect for brightening up a dim corner with its lively foliage.
12. Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
As tough as its name suggests, the cast iron plant can withstand low light, temperature swings, and irregular watering.
With a preference for 40% – 60% relative humidity, it’s one of the best plants for bathrooms, especially for those who want truly low-maintenance greenery.
Just place it in your bathroom and water once the soil is dry.
It won’t ask for more.
13. Philodendron
Philodendrons are versatile tropical plants that love the warmth and humidity of a bathroom.
With heart-shaped leaves from sizes small to huge, they add a rainforest feel and are generally easy to care for.
These plants can tolerate low light, but they will grow faster and (much, much!) bigger in moderate light conditions.
14. Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
This adorable fern thrives in indirect light, warm temperatures, and high humidity, making it one of the best plants for bathrooms too.
They have super fun, crinkly leaves that differ from the more traditional fern look, and that’s why people love them.
They’re different and unique.
Bird’s nest ferns love consistently moist but well-draining soil, so do not wait for the soil to dry out completely before watering.
15. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
The Chinese Evergreen is another excellent choice for adding a lush, green, tropical feel to your bathroom.
Its ability to thrive in low-light conditions and appreciation for bathrooms’ humidity make it a top contender on this list.
Aglaonemas love misting, so you can even place it close to your shower – high moisture conditions will prevent crispy brown edges on their leaves.
Can Plants Grow In a Windowless Bathroom?
This is one of the most common questions I get when it comes to growing houseplants.
Sadly, my answer is always the same: no, generally, plants can’t grow in rooms with zero sunlight.
A few species might enter dormancy and not perish in lightless rooms, but they will not be happy.
They will just exist without growth.
However, there are a few exceptions to this:
- Rooms with fluorescent lighting. I haven’t tried it myself, but I have heard stories of plants actually thriving in windowless rooms with strong fluorescent light.
- Grow lights. Grow lights are specific bulbs or lamps that emit light strong enough to affect plants and mimic natural sunlight. With them, you can grow and keep plants happy even in rooms with zero sunlight. However, you must keep these lights on for at least several hours daily.
How To Care for Your Bathroom Plants
Let’s get back to our bath gang.
While these plants are known for their resilience and low maintenance, a few quick tips can help ensure they thrive in your bathroom environment without issues.
Lighting
Assess the natural light your bathroom receives and choose plants that match your particular conditions.
While most bathroom plants can tolerate low light, some require a bit more of indirect sunlight to thrive.
Watering
The high humidity in bathrooms can reduce the need for frequent watering.
Ensure the soil is dry to the touch before watering to avoid overwatering your plants.
Ventilation
Good airflow helps prevent diseases, molds, fungi, and pests.
If your bathroom has a window, open it occasionally to allow fresh air to circulate.
Another option is to make sure to open the doors frequently to let some fresh air into your bathroom.
Fertilizing
If your bathroom has low to medium light conditions (like most bathrooms, I guess), these plants will grow more slowly.
Therefore, they won’t need frequent fertilizing.
A light feeding during the growing season (spring and summer) should suffice.
To lightly feed your plants, dilute a high-quality indoor plant fertilizer even more than the manufacturer recommends and use it when watering.
Less is always more when it comes to fertilizing!
Conclusion
Choosing the best plants for bathrooms can help you transform this room into a tranquil retreat that not only looks beautiful but feels healthier, happier, and more inviting.
You can create a natural sanctuary that uplifts your mood, purifies the air, and feels unique.
If you are unsure if plants will be okay in your bathroom, simply try one plant and see how it goes.
You can always get more plants if you want to.
I hope you found your perfect bathroom company on this list.
Leave a Comment