Adding plants to your bathroom not only enhances the space’s aesthetics but also promotes a healthier, more vibrant atmosphere. Plants have the remarkable ability to purify the air, increase humidity, and create a calm, soothing environment—ideal for a bathroom that serves as a personal retreat. However, choosing the right plants for a bathroom is essential, as bathrooms tend to have high humidity and varying light conditions, which require specific types of greenery.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best plants for bathrooms, from low-light lovers to humidity enthusiasts, to help you create a fresh, inviting oasis in your home.
1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
Why It’s Great:
- Snake plants are virtually indestructible and ideal for the bathroom, even in lower light conditions. With their upright, spiky leaves and air-purifying qualities, they not only add a touch of greenery but also work as natural air filters by removing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene from the air.
Care Tips:
- Light: Tolerates low to moderate light; can also handle some direct sunlight.
- Water: Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings to avoid overwatering.
- Humidity: Prefers average humidity but can tolerate drier air.
Where to Place: The Snake Plant works well on countertops, windowsills, or even in the corners of bathrooms with limited natural light.
2. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Why It’s Great:
- Pothos is one of the easiest plants to grow, making it perfect for beginner plant owners. Its trailing vines can be draped over shelves, hung in baskets, or placed in pots, creating a lush, flowing look in your bathroom. Pothos thrives in humid environments, making it ideal for bathrooms, and it’s excellent for improving indoor air quality.
Care Tips:
- Light: Thrives in low to medium light but will grow faster with bright, indirect light.
- Water: Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil feel dry to the touch. Avoid overwatering.
- Humidity: Loves humidity, making it perfect for bathrooms with showers or tubs.
Where to Place: Pothos works well in hanging baskets, on shelves, or in a decorative pot in corners where it can cascade.
3. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
Why It’s Great:
- The ZZ plant is a hardy, low-maintenance plant known for its shiny, dark green leaves and tolerance for less-than-ideal conditions. It can thrive in low light and doesn’t need much water, making it a great option for bathrooms that don’t get a lot of sunlight.
Care Tips:
- Light: Grows well in low to moderate light but will thrive in indirect sunlight.
- Water: Water sparingly; only when the soil is dry to the touch. It’s better to underwater than overwater.
- Humidity: Tolerates dry air, but will appreciate occasional humidity.
Where to Place: The ZZ plant can thrive on bathroom shelves, countertops, or even on the floor, making it a versatile addition to your bathroom.
4. Aloe Vera
Why It’s Great:
- Aloe Vera is not only a popular medicinal plant known for its soothing gel but also a beautiful succulent that can thrive in a bathroom environment. Aloe Vera enjoys bright, indirect light and the humid atmosphere of bathrooms, making it an easy, low-maintenance addition to your space.
Care Tips:
- Light: Needs bright, indirect light. Can tolerate some direct sunlight.
- Water: Let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Aloe vera is drought-tolerant.
- Humidity: Aloe vera doesn’t mind humidity but prefers drier conditions than some other tropical plants.
Where to Place: Aloe Vera is perfect for a sunny bathroom window or on a countertop that gets indirect light.
5. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Why It’s Great:
- The spider plant is a resilient and adaptable houseplant that thrives in a wide range of conditions. It’s especially well-suited to bathrooms with bright, indirect light and has the added benefit of producing “babies” (small offshoots) that you can propagate or use as decorative accents. Additionally, spider plants are known for their air-purifying abilities, removing toxins like formaldehyde and xylene.
Care Tips:
- Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but can adapt to lower light conditions.
- Water: Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Avoid letting the plant sit in water.
- Humidity: Enjoys moderate to high humidity, which makes it ideal for bathroom environments.
Where to Place: Hang your spider plant in a basket or place it on a bathroom shelf where it can trail down.
6. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Why It’s Great:
- Peace Lilies are popular indoor plants known for their beautiful white blooms and elegant, dark green foliage. They thrive in the humid conditions of a bathroom and are great for low light areas. Peace lilies are also excellent air purifiers, removing toxins such as ammonia, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air.
Care Tips:
- Light: Prefers low to moderate indirect light but will tolerate low-light spaces.
- Water: Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged. The plant will tell you if it needs water by wilting.
- Humidity: Loves high humidity, which makes it an ideal choice for a bathroom.
Where to Place: The Peace Lily can be placed on a countertop, windowsill, or in a corner where it can get some indirect light.
7. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Why It’s Great:
- The Boston Fern is a lush, full plant that thrives in humid environments, making it a perfect bathroom companion. It requires consistent moisture and humidity, and its delicate fronds add an elegant touch to any space. Boston ferns are also known to purify the air by removing toxins like formaldehyde and xylene.
Care Tips:
- Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but can tolerate some low light.
- Water: Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. The fern thrives on humidity, so occasional misting will be appreciated.
- Humidity: High humidity is essential. Place it near the shower or bath for optimal conditions.
Where to Place: Boston ferns do well in hanging baskets or on shelves in your bathroom, especially near a window.
8. Orchids (Phalaenopsis)
Why It’s Great:
- Orchids are known for their stunning, colorful flowers, and they thrive in the humid conditions typical of bathrooms. Phalaenopsis orchids, in particular, are well-suited to indoor environments and can last for weeks or even months with the proper care. They can add an element of sophistication and elegance to your bathroom.
Care Tips:
- Light: Orchids prefer bright, indirect light but not direct sunlight.
- Water: Water thoroughly, but allow the orchid to dry out slightly between waterings. Be careful not to overwater, as orchids don’t like standing water.
- Humidity: Orchids thrive in high humidity, making them perfect for a bathroom environment.
Where to Place: Orchids look beautiful on a bathroom countertop, windowsill, or in a decorative pot near the shower or bathtub.
9. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Why It’s Great:
- Chinese Evergreen is a hardy, low-maintenance plant that thrives in low light and humid environments, making it an ideal choice for bathrooms. Its variegated leaves add an elegant touch, and it’s known for its air-purifying qualities, removing toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.
Care Tips:
- Light: Grows well in low to moderate indirect light.
- Water: Water when the soil is dry to the touch, ensuring good drainage.
- Humidity: Prefers moderate to high humidity.
Where to Place: Place it on a countertop, in a corner, or in a bathroom with indirect sunlight.
Bringing Nature to Your Bathroom
Incorporating plants into your bathroom not only enhances the space visually but also improves the air quality and creates a relaxing, refreshing atmosphere. Whether you have a bright, sunlit bathroom or a more shaded space, there’s a plant that will thrive in your unique bathroom environment. From air-purifying favorites like the Snake Plant and Peace Lily to humidity-loving options like the Boston Fern and Pothos, the best plants for bathrooms are those that enjoy warmth, moisture, and low-maintenance care. Choose a few of these plants to transform your bathroom into a lush, inviting haven.
