Not all plants can live in a bathroom, but having the right ones can make the room more pleasant and welcoming for users. It takes a certain kind of botanical creation to thrive in that level of humidity.
Still, your bathroom is an amazing environment for lots of plants, and having a plant-filled washroom can feel like taking a tropical vacation from the comfort of your own house. Here are the most bathroom-friendly (and low-maintenance) plants to add to your home ASAP, even if you don’t have a green thumb.
- Philodendron
This is a coveted plant for all locations in the house, but it will add a particularly rustic and organic look to bathrooms. These tropical plants can grow with trailing vines or stems that grow up to 20 feet long. Others grow in a more upright manner, and both are simple to grow. Leaves will drop if it’s watered too little or too much. Be sure to place these in a bright area, since excessive shade can make your stems spindly.
2. Bamboo
This sustainable, vertical plant will really make your bathroom feel like a spa. Still, bamboo is a hard to control plant in a garden, however it can be grown in containers to avoid this sprawling nature. Still, they can get large, so this does best in large bathrooms that can get at least 6 hours of sunlight daily, but it can survive in low-light spaces without abundant sun.
3. Begonias
Begonias love warmth and humidity. Plus, they look pretty fabulous on a shelf. Rex begonias are particularly lovely, but be sure to avoid totally waterlogged soil from the shower, which can cause root rot. Flowering begonias do best with some direct, early morning sunlight, which foliage-only ones do best in bright light that doesn’t come directly form the sun.
4. Bromeliad
Bromeliads are related to have pineapples, and have quite a striking look. They’ll grow beautifully in bathrooms with a window, and can also tolerate dryness well, if you don’t have a green thumb and forget to water them. Still, they prefer to stay moist, so don’t be afraid to steam the bathroom up during a shower.
5. Fiddle leaf fig
If you want to make a statement in a bathroom that has more space than a powder room, go with the Fiddle Leaf Fig, which has larger leaves and need consistent, bright light. They love living in warm, wet places, so the bathroom is a perfect location.
6. Chinese evergreen
This plant is one of the most low-maintenance and attractive options you can find. They’re large-leaved and will survive even if you forget to water and feed. They also tolerate dry air. This plant can grow anywhere from 10 inches to 4 feet tall, so be sure to research the variety you want before buying. It grows best with low, indirect light, so this is good for bathrooms without a window.
7. Chinese money plant
More specifically know as the Pilea Peperomioides, this fresh and clean-looking plant does best in tropical environments, but you’ll have better success growing it in a bathroom that has bright or indirect light. It’s sometimes called the UFO plant due to its flat, round leaves which look great on built-ins or ledges.
8. Snake plant
If you don’t have a ton of horizontal space or don’t want a hanging plant, consider the striking snake plant, which grows upwards and is hilariously referred to “mother in law’s tongue”. It can grow from 8 inches to 4 feet, and flopping leaves can be held together with twine. Although it grows best in bright light, it can tolerate imperfect conditions. Less light may make your plant less stripey and all green.
9. Spider plant
If you have a compact washroom, think about investing in a spider plant, which enjoys growing in small, tight quarters, like a root ball-sized container. It forms little plantlets along the edge, which can be cut off when the roots are grown. Bright light is ok, but keep out of direct sun which will scorch it. Cool (not cold) temperatures are preferable to hot ones.
10. Cast iron plant
Nicknamed the cast-iron plant because it’s so difficult to kill, this low maintenance houseplant, otherwise known as the Aspidistra elatior, can grow up to 3 feet tall and tolerates full shade, for washrooms with no light or windows available. It doesn’t require constant high humidity, so you can go ahead and place this plant in a guest bathroom.
