How would it feel to take a shower in a rainforest? Or enjoy a bath in a tropical jungle? A bit of greenery can spruce up your bathroom and turn it into a spa. There are several kinds of plants that thrive in humid conditions without much sunlight.
Imagine the possibilities. You could hang a basket from the shower curtain rod. You could plant a fern in the shower caddy. Bamboo adds a striking touch to the countertop, and succulents are a charming accent on a windowsill.
While bathroom plants are popular for the greenery, they also remove harmful air pollutants at the same time. So, you can spruce up the bathroom and clean the air at the same time!
- The Best Plants for the Bathroom
- Begonias
- Bamboo as a Bathroom Plant
- Dracaena – Walk on the Wild Side in the Bathroom
- Snake plants Look Good in the Bathroom and Everywhere Else
- Boston Fern
- Maidenhair Ferns
- Orchids – A Stunning Bathroom Plant
- Golden Pothos
- Aloe vera
- Peperomia for a Bathroom Shelf
- Dieffenbachia or Chinese evergreen
- Peace Lily
- Philodendron
- Spider Plant
The Best Plants for the Bathroom
Go ahead, add an exotic touch with these best plants for bathroom. Here are our favorite suggestions.
Begonias
Begonias love bathrooms. The combination of fluorescent lights and high humidity makes them very happy. And you can wait until their leaves droop before you water them.
Just like humans, begonias are susceptible to fungus. Place your bathroom begonia where its leaves will stay dry to avoid problems with powdery mildew. And if you have wax or tuberous begonias, you can count on their blooms lasting all summer long.
Bamboo as a Bathroom Plant
Give your bath a touch of Zen with lucky bamboo. This is one of the best low light houseplants and needs no soil. Plant it in a container with pebbles and water. Then change the water once a month.
Lucky bamboo is part of the Dracaena family or Dragon plants. They are also good at purifying the air in your home just like Devil’s Ivy and Boston ferns.
Dracaena – Walk on the Wild Side in the Bathroom
There are at least 40 varieties of Dracaena plants. Most of them prefer shady conditions with moist soil and indirect light. They don’t mind a high level of humidity and are some of the best indoor plants that do not need sunlight. And if conditions aren’t healthy for them, their leaf tips will turn brown.
Dracaena houseplants can grow as high as 10 feet tall. A group of them in the corner of your bathroom can turn it into a jungle where you can get away for just a little while.
Snake plants Look Good in the Bathroom and Everywhere Else
You’re likely to see the snake plant in offices all around the world. That’s because it tolerates low levels of light, irregular watering, and temperature fluctuations.
It’s also called Mothers-in-Law’s Tongue, perhaps because of its sharp sword-like shape. It’s a natural bathroom cleaner since it filters toxins like formaldehyde out of bathroom air. That’s important because some cleaning chemicals and even some cosmetics contain this pollutant.
Boston Fern
Did you know that Boston ferns remove toxins like formaldehyde from the air? NASA proved that this was the case. You might be surprised at how many pollutants you’d find in your home environment, especially if you have new furniture or carpet.
Boston ferns are native to tropical rainforests, so they love high humidity. Keep their soil moist but not overly wet. If you use a Boston fern as a hanging plant in the corner of the shower, you might not even need to mist it.
Maidenhair Ferns
Maidenhair ferns are a little pickier than Boston ferns because they require more sunlight and a constant source of moisture. For example, in nature, they grow on rock walls near waterfalls.
To grow a Maidenhair fern in your home, place it in a north-facing window in the bathroom where everyone takes showers. But if it’s in a room with less traffic, put its pot in a water tray with pebbles and remember to mist it.
The bathroom isn’t the only place to put a Maidenhair fern. You can also set it on a dresser or on the bedside table in the bedroom or on the fireplace in the living room for some added ambiance. Ensure that it gets enough light by placing it near a window and water it according to its care instructions.
Orchids – A Stunning Bathroom Plant
Beautiful orchids enjoy warm air with high humidity, so they are a natural choice to decorate a bathroom. Place one on a countertop near the window so that it gets indirect light. Then only water it when the soil feels dry.
The best substrate for raising orchids is one that drains well. Many garden centers will recommend a mix of perlite, sphagnum moss, and fir bark. Be sure that the pot has drainage holes, too.
Golden Pothos
Devil’s Ivy, or Golden Pothos, is another winner from the NASA study about plants that remove toxins from the air. It’s a vine with gorgeous two-toned leaves that trail downward. And it adds a beautiful accent when placed on a high shelf or the top of a cupboard.
Golden Pothos prefers high humidity, bright indirect light, and warm temperatures. Water it when the soil feels dry.
Aloe vera
Of course, you can grow aloe vera in your bathroom. And there are several hundred species to choose from, although only some of them are helpful for healing wounds.
The barbadensis variety is the most common one you’ll find as a houseplant and is the kind with sap that soothes your sunburned skin. It prefers medium to bright sunlight, so keep it close to a window. And you only need to water it about every three weeks.
Peperomia for a Bathroom Shelf
There are many stunning types of Peperomia. Some trail like ivy while others look like succulents with fleshy leaves. They come in many delightful colors and patterns, like Peperomia argyreia with green stripes like a watermelon.
Most won’t grow more than a foot tall. These houseplants do well in poor lighting. They’ll even grow under fluorescent lamps.
You can let the soil dry out considerably between waterings. And make sure their roots have enough oxygen by including perlite or gravel in the substrate.
Dieffenbachia or Chinese evergreen
Dieffenbachia is another lovely tree-like houseplant that grows up to six feet tall. Each leaf can grow up to a foot long. If you’re striving for the feel of a forest in your bathroom, this is a good choice.
Chinese evergreen likes humid conditions and moist soil. While it doesn’t like direct sunlight, it prefers bright florescent lighting or indirect sunshine.
Peace Lily
The peace lily, as beautiful as it is, is not a good choice for homes with cats, dogs, and small children. Ingesting its leaves induces vomiting. But it’s another one of NASA’s picks for purifying indoor air.
Peace lilies come from a tropical environment, so they love high humidity. Lots of steam from showers or a daily misting will make them felt right at home. Indirect sunlight will ensure that it stays healthy.
Philodendron
There are almost five hundred varieties of philodendron plants. The first ones to be collected and classified came from jungles on islands in the Caribbean.
They prefer medium to low-intensity light, and grow well under fluorescent bulbs. Strong sunlight will turn their leaves yellow.
High humidity will cause the philodendron to produce lush foliage. Allow the top inch of its potting soil to dry between waterings. If the leaves look pale instead of having a vibrant green color, give it fertilizer with calcium and magnesium.
Spider Plant
That decorative foliage that you see in a shopping mall might not be artificial. The spider plant is often used to freshen the air in public places.
They aren’t picky about how much sunlight they get, and as low light office plants, spider plants love muggy conditions, and they only need water when the soil is dry.
The striped trailing leaves can spruce up any corner of your bathroom. And when the plant forms a spiderette, cut it off and let it root in water. Then you’ll have a new spider plant to share with a friend.
These living additions to your décor purify the air and add a sense of well-being like no other accessory can. Have fun decorating with the best plants for your bathroom and feel free to share this article about easy to care for bathroom plants with friends and family on Facebook and Pinterest.