Best Plants for the Bathroom
It’s no secret that plants can bring life to any space. We often see plants adorning a windowsill, giving a boost to a bedside table, or dressing up a cozy corner. But have you ever thought about turning your bathroom into a jungle oasis? Bathrooms should evoke a feeling of relaxation, so it only seems fitting to add some natural elements to your decor, such as plants!
When choosing plants to deck out your bathroom, it’s important to keep their native environment in mind. If a plant thrives in humidity, warmer temperatures, and is native to tropical regions, there is a good chance it will love living in your bathroom.
However, not all bathrooms are created equally. Some bathrooms receive plenty of bright light, while others may only have a tiny window (if any). Providing your plants with the proper amount of light is crucial to their overall happiness. Luckily, we did the dirty work and compiled a list of hearty plants that can withstand the unpredictable light levels found in many bathrooms and will also love the extra boost of humidity.
Ivy- If your bathroom has lower light levels, a trailing ivy plant would be a great fit. Ivy naturally grows on forest floors and tree trunks with a canopy overhead, so it’s used to limited and dappled sunlight. Because of their native environment living on forest floors, they enjoy a consistently damp environment much like a bathroom.
Pothos- This easy-care beauty is tolerant of varying light levels and can withstand a skipped watering day (we’re all a bit guilty of this from time to time). Pothos plants love to hang and trail, so they are a perfect element to add to shelves or macrame hangers.
Calathea- Many of the Calathea varieties flourish in high humidity and moist environments. Their uniquely patterned leaves will add a fun focal point to your bathroom decor. Calatheas will be happiest in bright to medium, indirect sunlight.
Monstera- Native to tropical regions, the Monstera’s wide, green leaves will add a touch of the tropics to your space. They are fairly flexible when it comes to their preferred light levels. They will be happiest in bright, indirect light, but can also handle low light.
Fiddle Leaf Fig-Our dwarf fiddles grow to reach heights up to about 2-3 feet tall, making them a great addition to smaller spaces. The dwarf fiddle leaf fig enjoys bright, indirect sunlight and thrives on humidity.
Spider Plant- Spider plants are highly adaptable to pretty much any environment and enjoy humidity. They’ll continue to grow in lower light conditions and produce spiderettes (baby plants) that you can leave as a trailing addition off the mother plant or repot for more spider plants! Their bright green leaves cascade like a waterfall making them look right at home in a bathroom setting.
Sansevieria- If you’re looking for a low maintenance plant, the Sansevieria, or Snake plant is a great choice. The tall, sword-like leaves of a Snake plant, can help bring height and interesting texture to narrow spaces. The Snake plant is drought and low light tolerant but will grow more quickly in bright indirect sunlight.
If you have your heart set on another plant that isn’t on our list, keep these rules in mind when choosing plants for your bathroom:
Make sure your bathroom receives natural light. Some plants can survive with little to no light for a short period of time, but it is not ideal for them in the long run. If your bathroom doesn’t have any windows or has very low light levels, try adding a grow light to help give your plants the light they need to thrive. Check out our blog to learn more about grow lights.
Choose a plant that loves humidity and can tolerate different levels of moisture. (You may want to skip out on the succulents in this setting.)
Keep plants out of the “splash zone”. If your plant is placed in an area that often gets wet during shower time, it likely will not have a chance to dry out and could potentially lead to root rot.
If you follow these tips, you can easily turn your bathroom into a green filled jungle!