The 10 Best Plants for Your Bathroom
There are usually not many plants in bathrooms, mainly because the environment is quite variable. Bathrooms are usually dry and hot, with fluctuating humidity, and lots of sunlight depending on how many windows there are. There are plenty of appropriate plants that can live in those kinds of varied and challenging conditions, but lucky for us they are available in a variety of colors. How can you tell what plants will thrive in your bathroom? Think of a plant’s native environment – choose tropical plants. With that in mind, these choices made our best bathroom plants list.
Bird’s Nest Fern
The bird’s nest fern is ideal for bathrooms that need some natural touches. Use medium-shade, indirect light when placing them above your window sill. This is one of the easiest ferns to grow inside. Originating in arid climes such as Southeast Asia and Polynesia, the bird’s nest fern thrives in the extra moisture provided by a bathroom. Any room can feel immediately like a jungle with its large wavy leaves.
Pothos
Its low light requirements make Pothos the perfect plant for a bathroom shelf or counter since it requires moderate to low light. Although pothos does not necessarily need an additional level of humidity, it’s ideal for a bathroom thanks to its tolerability for at lower light levels and irregular watering. Pothos are a tough plant — no matter if you have a green thumb or not, they’re black thumb-proof. They are also a super fast grower that loves to trail and hang off your shower curtain rod.
Tillandsia / Air Plant
The reason air plants work so well in the bathroom is that they can soak up moisture from showers and baths. Additionally, they offer more flexibility when it comes to display, because they don’t need a planter or potting mix. Water and nutrients are not taken from the roots, but rather from the surrounding air. They can tolerate a wide range of conditions, but thrive best in a room that gets high humidity and bright, indirect light. These guys love sunny windows in bathrooms.
Aloe Vera
Your plant should come with some beauty benefits attached to what you choose for your bathroom since we’re talking about bathroom plants in the first place, no? In addition to the healing properties of its gooey insides, aloe vera can also be used to reduce itch, soothe skin, and heal small burns. The interior gel is easily obtained by simply cutting off a mature leaf at the base of the plant, and then applying directly to your skin. They grow best in direct, bright light. The best place to place yours is close enough to a window for best results.
Staghorn Fern
Just like the bird’s nest, staghorn ferns like the bathroom’s increased humidity, so taking a long shower won’t upset them. It also requires indirect light, especially moderate to bright light to thrive. You can pot this on your bathroom windowsill, or even mount it on a piece of wood and hang it on the bathroom wall. Scagonhorn ferns live in their native environment as epiphytes, which refers to plants that live on air instead of in the soil. That’s why the wood mounting idea works, and it’s a good substitute if you don’t have a lot of space in your bathroom and can’t fit a potted plant there.
Calathea “Freddie”
Calathea thrives in humid conditions, so it makes a great bathroom plant. And since it enjoys moderate, indirect sunlight, you don’t need to worry whether your bathroom window is too small or if it’s placed too far from your bathroom window. Our favorite calathea is ‘Freddie’ because it has less light requirements compared to other varieties.
Chinese Evergreen
Chinese Evergreens are great plants for the bathroom because they are extremely hardy. They grow well even when not watered, so they are great plants if you travel frequently or have a tendency to be somewhat forgetful. Besides being very adaptable, it prefers indirect light but can also grow in bright spots. It likes humidity but dislikes quick temperature changes. Keep your windows closed on chilly days to avoid strong drafts that might disrupt its growth.
Gardenia
Gardenias thrive in humid, bright light, so bathe them in the morning sun and afternoon shade. They are tropical, which explains why they flourish in humid bathroom air. Depending on the time of day, gardenias need more sunlight. If you have a bathroom with a sunny window, like a south-facing window or a window facing west, this would be a perfect spot to grow one.
Snake Plant
Growing snake plants in the bathroom is a great, almost no-finicky option. It can grow in bright light, but will tolerate less light as well. Snake plants are native to West Africa, where they can survive in desert conditions. It requires little water and thrives on neglect, so snake plants are a perfect addition for someone who is new to plants or wants a plant that won’t mind being neglected every now and then.
Spider Plant
Other low-maintenance options include spider plants, which can handle low light or bright light. However, you don’t want to keep them in direct sunlight, as they’ll scorch. A little humidity is perfect for them, so showers and baths are perfect. You can cut and propagate spiderettes from the parent so that you would benefit from the species for years to come.
The best way to prevent your live plant from wilting is to have windows in your bathroom. Light is the plant’s food, and it needs it to survive. No natural light can be tolerated by some plants for some time, but not for an extended period. It is recommended that you choose preserved plants or fake ones for your bathroom. If you have a plant in mind for your bathroom that is not on this checklist, remember this list:
Select plants that thrive when high humidity is present and can withstand prolonged moisture.
It’s important that you have a window that lets in natural light in your bathroom.
Please keep plants away from direct contact with water. Do not place them near the shower floor.
Choose plants that do not require planters like epiphytes or plants like air plants.
Go find your way into the bathroom and get your grow on!