19 Best Houseplants for Your Bathroom

Humidity-Loving Plants for Low Light and Full Sun

Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Houseplants can make bathrooms more pleasant by adding a touch of greenery, including small plants or hanging plants, to the decor and improving air quality. A bathroom is typically a warm, humid room that provides the perfect backdrop for some houseplants to absorb moisture, and water to irrigate the plants is always close at hand.

When choosing bathroom plants, consider three factors: light exposure, high humidity, and temperature swings. If your bathroom has no window with light streaming throughout the room, opt for a low-light species that can survive with less than four hours of light daily. Plants that require indirect light can thrive near a window. This includes ferns, air plants, and a number of tropical and semi-tropical plants.

Here are suggestions for bathroom plants that will do well in average bathroom conditions.

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Asparagus Fern

Airy, lacy asparagus fern loves the humidity of a bathroom. It does well in either moderate or bright light, so a spot by a window is best. Asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus) looks soft to the touch, but the stems have thorns, so beware. It can grow to two feet tall with branches that can sprawl laterally as much as six feet. This plant is highly toxic—keep it away from small children and pets.

• Color Varieties: Pale green foliage

• Sun Exposure: Bright artificial light or window sunlight

• Soil Needs: Well-drained potting soil

Bamboo

Growing bamboo (Bambusa spp.) in containers controls its size because it's well-known as an invasive spreader when planted in the garden. But even when confined to containers, bamboo plants can become large, requiring repotting every year or so. The clumping varieties will need repotting less often than those that spread through runners. During the growing season, feed bamboo weekly with a diluted fertilizer high in nitrogen, cutting back to monthly in the winter.

• Color Varieties: Pale to dark green foliage; variegated forms available

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil Needs: Prefers sandy potting mixes but tolerates most potting soil mixes

Begonia

Many types of begonias grow well in containers, and they enjoy the warmth and humidity of a bathroom shelf. In particular, rex begonias (Begonia x rex), with their showy foliage, grow well indoors. Begonias like humid conditions but not water-logged soil, which can cause root rot. Begonias prized for their flowers need a bright spot in the bathroom with some direct early morning sunlight. Begonias grown for their foliage need a bright location away from direct sunlight.

• Color Varieties: Light-green, dark-green, bronze, or variegated foliage. Some varieties are grown for beautiful blooms while others are grown for their distinctive and unusual foliage.

• Sun Exposure: To encourage flowering, provide some direct sunlight; for varieties grown for their foliage, provide bright filtered light.

• Soil Needs: Begonias do best in general-purpose, soilless potting mix.

Bromeliads

Bromeliads are unusual specimens; they readily produce long-lasting blooms in locations where most houseplants do not blossom at all. Bromeliads flower with yellow, pink, or red blossoms in winter, and the blooms last for several weeks. Bromeliads include several different plant genera and dozens of species, many of which are epiphytic (drawing moisture from the air rather than from soil). These are ideally suited to bask in the humidity of a bathroom, but they also need good air circulation, which can be provided by running the bathroom exhaust fan or setting up a small portable fan to run for a few hours each day. Feed them with an orchid fertilizer. (While they're not orchids, they require the same nutrients as orchids.)

• Color Varieties: Dark green foliage and pink or red flowers

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light is best. They will tolerate a few hours of direct sunlight each day, but don't place them in hot afternoon sun because it can burn the leaves.

• Soil Needs: Soil depends on genus and species; those requiring soil do well in a succulent potting mix.

Cast-Iron Plant

Aspidistra elatior is an excellent low-maintenance houseplant; it earned its common name, the cast-iron plant, because it is so hard to kill. A tropical plant growing two to three feet tall, this is one of the rare houseplants that will tolerate almost full shade. Variegated varieties need more light than solid-green specimens. It also does not require high humidity, making it good for guest bathrooms that aren't used often.

• Color Varieties: Medium-green foliage; rarely flowers when grown as a houseplant

• Sun Exposure: Low, indirect light; tolerates full shade

• Soil Needs: Well-drained, peaty potting mix

Chinese Evergreen

Few plants are as forgiving and adaptable as the Chinese evergreen, comprising about 20 species within the Aglaonema genus. These large-leaved, tropical perennials will thrive even if you forget to water and feed them. While they love humidity, they will also tolerate dry air, provided you keep them out of cold drafts, which can damage the leaves. They grow from ten inches to four feet tall, depending on the variety; some cultivars (such as 'Silver Queen') have gray-green and even pink variegation.

• Color Varieties: Dark green; some varieties are variegated

• Sun Exposure: Low, indirect light; no direct sun

• Soil Needs: Rich, well-drained potting mix

Croton

You will find croton plants in an assortment of brightly colored foliage, and the pictum variety has multicolored leaves. These tropical broadleaf evergreens grow slowly, but they can grow up to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide, so be sure you give it enough room to spread out.

Croton plants (Codiaeum variegatum) need bright, but indirect light, and lots of humidity and moisture, although they do not like to sit in wet soil. Wait until the top two inches of soil are dry before watering. Reduce watering in late fall and winter.

• Color Varieties: Green, or combinations of yellow, pink, orange, red, bronze, purple, and green

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-drained, humusy potting mix

Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia do best with minimal care. Water them when the soil feels dry (feel just a few inches below the surface). This plant requires more light during the short days of winter and dappled light in the summer. Rotate your dieffenbachia plant every month so it grows evenly on all sides. These plants can reach several feet tall.

Dieffenbachia is highly toxic to humans, dogs, and cats, so keep these plants out of reach of children and pets.

• Color Varieties: Combinations of green and yellow/white foliage

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Loose, fast-draining potting mix

Ferns

Ferns are a unique family of shade-loving plants that reproduce through spores rather than flowers and seeds. Many ferns make great houseplants and can handle the temperature fluctuations and humidity in a bathroom environment. Some can even be grown right in a shower stall where they are regularly soaked. Some recommended ferns for the bathroom include Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), maidenhair fern (Adiantum spp.), bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus), and button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia).

• Color Varieties: Light to dark green, depending on species

• Sun Exposure: Depends on the species

• Soil Needs: Depends on species; most thrive in moist, well-drained potting mix

Gardenia

The gardenias most often grown as indoor plants are G. jasminoides, also known as cape jasmine. These tropical broadleaf evergreens are not particularly easy to grow indoors because they respond poorly to cold drafts or sudden blasts of heat. However, they can grow well in the humid conditions of a bathroom, provided they receive enough bright light. Gardenias can be large plants, growing to 6 feet tall, but they may be kept smaller with frequent pruning. Feed with an acidic fertilizer.

• Color Varieties: Dark green leaves; white flowers

• Sun Exposure: Needs 6 to 8 hours of sunlight for flowering

• Soil Needs: Well-drained, acidic potting mix rich with peat moss

Orchids

Orchids comprise hundreds of species in dozens of genera in the Orchidaceae family of plants. Many orchids are ideal for growing in bathrooms so long as do not get too cold. Some species are planted in soil, while others are epiphytes (air plants) that absorb moisture from the air. Orchids can bloom for weeks, and because some varieties are smallish plants, you can cluster several together for quite a show. Some prefer moderate light; others need bright light.

• Color Varieties: Pink, red, purple, white, depending on the variety

• Sun Exposure: Depends on variety but needs light for blooms

• Soil Needs: Depends on type, but generally requires a bark mix designed for orchids

Peace Lily

Peace lilies are elegant plants that require minimal care. They do best with regular watering and appreciate the humidity in the bathroom. Do not allow the soil to remain dry for extended periods of time. Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) do well in limited light; however, if your plant is not flowering, it might need a slightly brighter location. When feeding, use a very diluted fertilizer mix.

• Color Varieties: Glossy green foliage; white flowers

• Sun Exposure: Bright, filtered light

• Soil Needs: Well-drained potting mix

Philodendron

Philodendrons are tropical plants that thrive in bathroom conditions. Some varieties produce vines as long as 20 feet, while other varieties grow upright. Both types are relatively easy to grow. If you water this plant too much or too little, the plant will drop its leaves. However, it prefers consistently moist soil. Philodendrons need bright, indirect light; too much shade creates spindly stems.

• Color Varieties: Dark-green foliage; some cultivars have variegated leaves

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Soil-based potting mix

Pothos

Closely resembling the heart-leaved variety of Philodendron (P. hederaceum), pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is an almost indestructible plant. As indoor plants, it is common to see pothos specimens grow vines 6 to 10 feet or longer. However, if you regularly prune stems back to just above a leaf, the plant will become fuller and bushy. Water whenever the soil feels dry. Pothos will thrive in low light or bright, indirect light. Note that all parts of the pothos plant are toxic.

• Color Varieties: Green to marbled yellow foliage

• Sun Exposure: Bright light to near-full shade

• Soil Needs: General potting mix rich in peat moss

Snake Plant

Snake plant is the common name for a variety of different species, but we're talking about Dracaena trifasciata. They are low maintenance plants and their vertical growth habit provides a nice contrast to trailing and vining plants. Depending on the variety, mature plants can range from 8 inches to 4 feet tall. If the leaves start to flop, hold them together with twine to keep them growing upright.

Snake plants prefer bright light but can handle less than ideal conditions. Variegated varieties need more light, or they can revert to all-green foliage. Potted plants are often moved to shady outdoor locations in the summer. Water when the top 2 inches of soil is dry.

• Color Varieties: Deep green leaves with gray-green or golden yellow stripes

• Sun Exposure: Bright, warm light; avoid direct sunlight

• Soil Needs: Soil-based potting mix

Spider Plant

Spider plants like growing in tight quarters, so do not plant them in a container that is much larger than the root ball. Mature plants regularly send out long stems that bear small, star-shaped flowers. Once the flowers fall off, tiny plantlets form in their place. These plantlets ultimately grow their own roots and can be removed and repotted to grow more spider plants. These low-maintenance plants tolerate bright light, but the leaves will scorch in full sun. They prefer relatively cool (but not cold) temperatures. The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) typically grows 2 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet long in containers.

• Color Varieties: Green foliage, sometimes striped with white

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect sunlight

• Soil Needs: Loose, fast-draining potting mix

Weeping Fig

If you have the space for a small tree, weeping fig can dress up a bathroom. However, it does not like sudden temperature changes. Cold drafts can cause it to drop its leaves, but it should recover. Although it likes humidity, a weeping fig does not like being overwatered or sitting in wet soil. Wait to water until the top inch or two of soil feels dry. Weeping figs (Ficus benjamina) prefer bright, indirect light and need more light indoors than when grown outdoors.

• Color Varieties: Glossy green leaves; some varieties are variegated

• Sun Exposure: Bright light; likes some sunlight when grown indoors

• Soil Needs: Rich, fast-draining potting mix

Dragon Tree

Several types of dracaena (Dracaena spp.) or dragon trees make great bathroom plants as well. This plant thrives in high humidity. They also tolerate low light but prefer medium to bright, indirect light. This plant also performs well in normal room temperatures between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Color Varieties: Green, red, yellow

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Rich, slightly acidic, well-draining

Anthurium (Anthurium spp.)

Anthuriums have unique-looking waxy, heart-shaped flowers. Anthuriums love humidity but require a lot of light to thrive. Give this plant a bright, indirect light location. Watch this plant's leaves to judge if your plant is getting a healthy amount of moisture. If leaf tips turn yellow, it's getting too much water or humidity. Brown leaf tips mean the plant needs more humidity.

• Color Varieties: Flowers range from pink, orange, red, green, purple, black, yellow, salmon, brown, and blue

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Coarse, well-draining potting mix

Majesty Palm

These graceful palms are indeed majestic, and if your bathroom has high ceilings, they make a lovely accent plant. Ravenea rivularis, the majesty palm likes indirect light and tolerates humidity well. In its natural habitat, it can grow very large, but as a potted houseplant it usually tops out at 10 to 12 feet. They can be somewhat temperamental, so they're a good choice for experienced indoor plant mavens.

• Color Varieties: Medium to dark green glossy leaves

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Coarse, well-draining potting mix
  

Parlor Palm

These attractive small palms, native to the rainforests of South and Central America, perform very well as houseplants. The Chamaedorea elegans is also known as a neanthe bella palm. It likes an acidic soil, so a peat-based potting mix works well, or, if you prefer not to use peat moss, some used coffee grounds or crushed pine needles can be mixed into the soil. They can tolerate bright sunlight but can also adapt very well to indirect light situations.

• Color Varieties: Most are bright green but there are some harder to find cultivars with dark green leaves

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining, acidic to neutral potting mix
  

Algerian Ivy

Although often grown as a ground cover, Algerian ivy (Hedera algeriensis) also makes an attractive and easily-maintained houseplant. It has waxy dark green leaves with lovely creamy variegation. It's sometimes called Canary Island ivy or Madeira ivy, after its native locations. It is a fast grower so it may need repotting about once a year. It will also benefit from regular trimming to keep it looking neat.

• Color Varieties: Dark green leaves with light green and cream variegated markings; the 'Variegata' cultivar has deeper-green leaves

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining, neutral to slightly acidic potting mix

Spiderwort

Tradescantia, commonly called spiderwort, refers to a large number of plants, some varieties of which can become invasive in the garden. Tradescantia zebrina is a popular houseplant that thrives in high humidity conditions, making it a great choice for a bathroom plant. Its pale and dark green striped leaves have purple undersides. These plants put out trailing vines, making them good for either hanging baskets or containers. They're easy to care for, needing only some occasional deadheading to keep the leaves looking neat. They like to be kept moist, but you can reduce watering a bit in the dormant winter season.

• Color Varieties: Light green, dark green, purple, pink

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining potting mix

Kentia Palm

The Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) makes a great bathroom plant, if you have some space. In its native habitats this palm tree (also known as a thatch palm or a sentry palm) can grow up to 40 feet tall, but as a houseplant it can be kept under 6 feet. It likes sandy, loamy soil and needs plenty of drainage holes in its container. Choose a good-sized pot it can grow into, as this palm has sensitive roots and doesn't like being repotted too often. Water it regularly to keep the soil slightly moist, but be careful not to overwater.

• Color Varieties: Bright or dark green, white flowers

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining, loamy potting soil with some sand added

Jade Plant

Jade plants (Crassula ovata) are long-lived, very adaptable succulents that are commonly grown as houseplants. They work well in the bathroom, as they prefer bright, indirect light; 4 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight is perfect. These plants are drought-tolerant, although they need a bit more watering in their active growing season (spring through late summer).

• Color Varieties: Light to dark green foliage, some with variegated edges

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining potting soil suitable for succulents

Air Plants

Air plants (Tillandsia) are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants and do not need soil. Air plants are often found in warm, humid regions (they're common in Florida) and so they do well in bathrooms as long as they're not near a drafty window. They can be placed in pots or on plates, on wire holders, or simply placed on a windowsill or other surface.

• Color Varieties: Pale green, blue green, silver, pink, yellow

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: No soil is needed

String of Pearls

The string of pearls plant (Curio rowleyanus) is a trailing succulent with tiny bead-like leaves on long vines. It makes a great hanging plant for the bathroom as it loves bright but indirect light. These plants tend to live its best life for about five years, but can be easily propagated from cuttings to keep them going.

• Color Varieties: Light green, some variegated or striped varieties are available

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well draining potting soil suitable for succulents

Purple Shamrock

The purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) is an attractive, easy-care plant with vivid coloring. Its dark purple leaves have magenta purple markings. It can be grown outside as a ground cover or indoors as a house plant. It enjoys moderate humidity and indirect light, making it a good fit for the bathroom. The unusual coloring also allows for using it as a decor accent. It puts out small pink or white flowers several time a year.

• Color Varieties: Dark purple leaves, pink or white flowers

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well draining potting soil, slightly acidic

Staghorn Fern

The staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum) is an unusual, showy plant classified as an ephiphyte, so it doesn't need soil. Native to Java and New Guinea, it thrives in high humidity. It gets fairly large and so can be a focal point of your bathroom decor, and can be placed in a hanging basket or displayed on the wall. It's a bit of a hobby plant in that some growers like to find unusual ways to display it, such as with driftwood or moss. The staghorn fern (also known as elkhorn fern) has two very different shapes of leaves, giving it a unique appearance.

• Color Varieties: Deep green glossy leaves

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: No soil needed; can use moss as a growing medium

Calathea

These colorful plants have glossy oval or elongated leaves, and depending on the cultivar, that have dramatic stripes or markings (earning them common names such as peacock plant or zebra plant). Being native to jungle regions, calathea thrive in high humidity and indirect light that mimics the dappled forest canopy. These plants like to be kept moist but should not be overwatered.

• Color Varieties: Dark green, light green, pink, white, red

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: A peat-rich potting soil or one made for African violets

Polka Dot Plant

With its cheery colorful leaves in shades of pink, the polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is a great choice to liven up the bathroom space. It is ideal for the bathroom, as it prefers indirect light and likes high humidity environments. Its variegated leaves are usually light pink with dark green markings, although some cultivars have dark pink or white leaves.

• Color Varieties: Green, pink, white

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining potting soil with perlite added
  

Alocasia

Alocasia (sometimes confused with elephant ears) are tropical plants with large glossy leaves. Depending on the variety, the foliage colors range from light to dark olive green, with dramatic veining and variegation. They thrive in humid conditions and prefer bright, indirect light. They are sometimes grown as garden plants, with their rhizomes being lifted and stored for winter, or grown in pots outdoors then brought indoors for the winter.

Because they can get quite large, you'll want to give them a fair bit of space. They need excellent drainage to avoid tuber rot.

• Color Varieties: Light or dark green, some variegation in cultivars

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light

• Soil Needs: Well-draining, slightly acidic potting soil with perlite added

Tips

You still need to choose plants wisely because bathroom conditions are not always ideal for some plants, for example:

• Although a bathroom provides plenty of warm, humid air during shower time, the room becomes cooler and less humid when not in use, especially at night. These wide temperature fluctuations are not ideal for many plants.

• Not all plants enjoy high humidity: succulents prefer drier conditions and will rot if kept constantly moist; some houseplants might develop powdery mildew in high humidity.

• Many bathrooms receive very low levels of sunlight, if they have windows at all. Do not give up if that is the case with your bathroom. Fluorescent bulbs provide plenty of light in wavelengths that plants can use.

Consider the Type of Bathroom

Plants for a bathroom are often chosen with the assumption that they need to tolerate humid conditions. Yet constant humidity is really present only in primary bathrooms or family bathrooms, where the shower or bathtub is used frequently.

In a guest bathroom or powder room, the conditions may actually be relatively dry most of the time, as well as being darker than in a family bathroom. Plants for a guest bath need to have a good tolerance for drier, darker conditions.

About This Term: Primary Bathroom

Many real estate associations, including the National Association of Home Builders, have classified the term "Master Bedroom" (or "Master Bathroom") as discriminatory. "Primary Bedroom" is the name now widely used among the real estate community and better reflects the purpose of the room.

Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion Pledge to make The Spruce a site where all feel welcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people put plants in the bathroom?

Reasons people put plants in bathrooms include aesthetics, some plants thrive in humidity and low light situations, and other perceived benefits like uplifting the mood in a room and purifying the air.

Should I put my plants in the bathroom while I shower?

Plants that thrive in watery environments are perfect for a shower. You don't need to go out of your way to water the plant; they add a tropical feeling to a bathroom.

Are there plants that can survive in a bathroom without windows?

Several plants that survive in low light can make good plants for a windowless bathroom, such as ferns, ZZ plants, and snake plants.

Do bathroom plants prevent mold?

Plants may help alleviate mold growth in the bathroom since plant leaves will naturally absorb excess moisture. Excessive moisture is the primary cause of mold.

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