Bathroom Plants That Purify, Beautify, and Deodorize

Want to turn your bathroom into a mini jungle oasis? Some plants thrive on humidity and dim lighting, and these make the best indoor plants for bathroom spaces. Even a small bathroom can benefit from some green plants. They brighten the space, add oxygen and cleanse the air, and they just look nice.

You may worry that your plants won’t live in the bathroom unless you have a window to let sunlight in. While having a bathroom window gives you more options for plant choices, you don’t need to completely rule out plants due to a lack of windows.

Many plants can and do thrive in bathroom spaces, even when they don’t have windows. These are usually plants that do not require any type of direct sunlight, plants that can do well under artificial lighting, and those that do well in humid conditions (so many tropical varieties). Let’s take a look at some good choices for bathroom plants.

Best Indoor Plants for the Bathroom

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Plants that do well in the bathroom are those that are forgiving when it comes to lighting. If a plant requires full sun, it’s not going to do well in your bathroom unless you have skylights or big windows that let a lot of natural light in.

It’s also important to choose plants that do well with high humidity, especially if there is a shower in the bathroom. If it’s just a half bath with a toilet and sink, you can skip this recommendation. Humidity levels won’t be particularly high in a bathroom unless there is a shower or bath.

If you’d like to learn more about which plants will do best in your bathroom, start with the list below, all of which are known for doing well in humid areas like the bathroom, as well as in low lighting. 

1. Orchids (Orchidaceae)

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Orchids are beautiful flowering plants, and while they can be a bit difficult to care for, there are some species that are easier to care for than others.

Orchids thrive in the humid environments of bathrooms, and they are potted in mulch, not in actual soil, because they hate to be overwatered. Avoid placing one near a shower or too close to a sink that gets splashed. Otherwise, orchids can be a great choice for your bathroom.

2. Neon Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

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The neon pothos is a beautiful vining plant that has a neon green color. All pothos are very easy to care for, and they do well in a variety of lighting and watering conditions. The neon pothos doesn’t need a window and can do well in the bathroom humidity as well.

Keep it in a draining pot, and to water it, you can soak the soil once per week, or less frequently in the winter.

3. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

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The golden pothos is another popular pothos that is great for bathrooms. It’s a darker green than the neon pothos and has light green or white variegation in it. The “golden” colors of this variety will come out better in more light, but either way, this is still a good choice for bathroom spaces.

4. Spider Plant (Chlorophytumcomosum)

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Spider plants are one you will find on many lists (like this list of plants for the bedroom) because they’re just not fussy plants at all. They are forgiving of different lighting options, can do well in low light, and will not shrivel immediately if you forget to water.

Spider plants like humidity, so the bathroom can be a good place for them. You can use it in a hanging plant basket and watch when the “pups” or babies begin to sprout from them, too. You can easily propagate these for more spider plants.

5. Bromeliad (Bromeliaceae)

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Bromeliad is a flowering tropical plant that loves humid areas. You can choose several different varieties, but one thing they all have in common is that they like bright, filtered light and a moist environment. This makes bromeliad another great bathroom plant choice if you have at least a window in it.

6. Peperomia (Peperomia argyreia)

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This plant is small but easy to care for, and very nice to look at. It comes in a variety of colors and leaf shapes, all of which are small and great for small spaces, like in bathrooms.

This plant does well in humid environments. You only need to water it when the top layers of soil feel dry. It will look great in your bathroom, and you don’t have to worry about doing much to take care of it.

7. Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes)

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This unique tropical plant is sometimes called “monkey cups” and does well in warm, humid spaces. While they can do okay in low humidity, they will really thrive in a human bathroom.

They do become a vining plant and many people enjoy hanging them, so this full effect is highlighted.

8. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)

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Here’s a plant that ends up on every list. That’s just how versatile it is. This West African native is a popular houseplant choice because it does well in almost all living conditions. It will adapt to different lighting degrees, and it also doesn’t need to be watered a lot.

If you keep it in a humid bathroom, you may not need to water it at all. It will get what it needs from the air in the room.

9. Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)

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Here’s another great bathroom plant, but it’s not actually bamboo. While it looks like bamboo, it’s actually a type of Dracaena. They can be any shade from pale green to dark green and varying shades in between. They do best in several hours of sunlight a day, but they can also adapt to low lighting: they just won’t grow as fast. I’ve had one in a corner of a bathroom with no window for two years now, and it’s doing just fine.

10. Cast-Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)

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The cast-iron plant has its name because it is hard to kill. This is good news if you’re looking for another plant to add to your bathroom. These tropical plants can grow to about two or three feet tall. You may start with it on a counter or shelf, but move it to the floor as it grows. It’s totally up to you. It doesn’t require high humidity, so you can use it in a guest bath or a half bath.

11. Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)

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This sometimes finicky plant comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, but all do fairly well in bathrooms. Crotons usually grow slowly but they can mature to as much as 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

They need bright, indirect light and lots of moisture, but be cautious about overwatering. They will start dropping leaves fast if sitting in wet soil. Be sure it is placed in a well-draining pot.

12. Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia)

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Dumb cane is a pretty green plant with a tropical feel that is very easy to care for. They only need to be watered when the soil feels dry for a couple of inches down. Overwatering can cause issues and even result in root rot or plant death. They do okay in low light but thrive in more light.

You should rotate the plant regularly, so it gets an even amount of light. Dumb cane is poisonous when consumed (which is how it got its common name) so be careful with this one if you have pets or little ones.

13. Philodendron (Philodendron spp.)

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For many of the same reasons as pothos is on this list, philodendron, a similar plant, is here as well. They do very well in different lighting settings, including low light. They are a beautiful vining plant, so you can also run them up a trellis or around a wall. They like a moist environment, but they don’t need a lot of watering, especially when in a humid space like a bathroom.

How to Care for Your Bathroom Plants

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If you have bathroom plants, what do you need to know most about caring for them? First, learn all that you can about the type of plant you plan to put in your bathroom. Make sure it is suited to the space and the type of climate it will have.

In general, the plants should not come in direct contact with a water source. For example, don’t place them in your shower. You also don’t want soapy water or any kind of chemicals to come in direct contact with your plants, either.

 Make sure you use the right planters and that they all have drain holes in them. When you are in doubt about watering a plant, consider bottom watering, a technique where you place the plant in its pot in a tray of water and allow it to “drink” what it needs.

Choosing the Best Indoor Plants for Your Bathroom

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Now that you know which plants will do well in your bathroom, you can begin shopping or maybe even moving some that you have already in other rooms of your home. Keep in mind that some plants just don’t like the humidity that is found in the bathroom. Succulents, for example, need drier conditions and can rot when kept in bathrooms that get them too moist.