Best bathroom plants – 9 lush species that thrive in high humidity environments

The best bathroom plants will instantly give your bathroom a lift. Adding greenery to this space can create a zen environment to unwind in at the end of the day. Plus, these plants will thank you for placing them in the most humid spot of your home.

A well-lit bathroom provides a unique opportunity for indoor plants that love bright, moist conditions. With careful selection of the best bathroom plants, you can take advantage of these conditions to give this room a truly tropical and contemporary feel as part of your bathroom ideas.

For a real jungle ambience, there are even plants you can hang in the shower. Or, choose smaller plants to line your windowsills. Whatever spot you're seeking to fill, we promise there's something for every bathroom in our hand-picked selection.

9 humidity-loving plants for your bathroom

The horticultural mantra of ‘right plant, right place’ is just as relevant in the house as it is in the garden. Many of the best plants for the bathroom are those that thrive in warm, humid environments, for example tropical indoor plants native to rainforest habitats.

It’s also worth remembering primary bathrooms that are used regularly will be much more humid than, for example, guest bathrooms. For primary bathrooms these are the best bathroom plants – for rarely-used bathrooms that aren’t especially humid, consider one a houseplant for low humidity instead.

1. Boston fern

Native to the rainforests of tropical America, the Boston fern is the quintessential bathroom plant. While some indoor ferns have a reputation for being fussy, this is the easiest to look after of them all.

The Boston fern’s lush fronds are sure to transform any bathroom, whether nestled at the side of the sink or bath or displayed in a lovely hanging pot.

In its native high-humidity environment, the Boston fern grows on damp forest floors. Therefore, growing it in your bathroom is the most low-maintenance way to keep this plant happy, where it can soak up the higher moisture levels from a steamy shower or bath.

This easy fern has the added benefit of being an air cleaning indoor plant, removing toxins such as formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the air.

Find a Boston fern at The Sill.

2. Heartleaf philodendron

Heartleaf philodendron is another easy, low-maintenance choice for the bathroom, and it's great for beginners.

‘The heartleaf philodendron is one of the most forgiving plants as it can tolerate neglect of all sorts, including being an indoor low-light plant and inconsistent watering,’ says horticulturist Lindsay Pangborn.

‘It’s also a great hanging plant if you’re looking to add some visual height, due to its trailing heart-shaped houseplant leaves,’ Lindsay adds. ‘Its graceful trailing nature creates a serene environment that’s perfect for a space meant for self-care.’

As well as being a great bathroom plant, with their pretty heart-shaped leaves, these are great as bedroom plants or to decorate shelves as kitchen plants.

Shop for a heartleaf philodendron at The Sill.

Lindsay Pangborn

Lindsay Pangborn is a trained horticulturist. She received a horticulture degree from Ohio State University, and lives and gardens in central Ohio. With 15 years of green industry experience, she's keen to share her knowledge and make people more comfortable with plants and plant care. 

3. Calathea ‘Freddie’

The bold zebra stripes of this stunning Brazilian native make an eye-catching addition to any bathroom.

‘Thriving in bright light and high humidity, the Calathea ‘Freddie’ (from Walmart) is a great bathroom plant option if you’re looking to add a variegated indoor plant with unique decorative foliage,’ says Lindsay.

Calathea care can be tricky to master, so make sure to place it in a bright spot out of direct sunlight and water when the top third of the soil has dried out to ensure the root ball remains moist.

Watch out for common calathea mistakes, too, to ensure your plant remans happy in your home.

4. Trailing jade plant

The trailing jade plant is a fantastic choice if your bathroom has no window. It copes well under artificial light, or you could use grow lights for houseplant (like this grow light from Amazon).

Peperomia rotundifolia is native to the rainforests of Central and tropical South America, where it grows on trees as an epiphyte. To mimic its natural habitat, try hanging this cascading bathroom plant in the shower.

It will benefit from the extra moisture of a shower, too, but you should also ensure it gets a good watering when it dries out completely.

Find a trailing jade plant at Walmart.

5. Chinese money plant

Pilea peperomioides is the perfect addition as a bathroom shelf idea or for adding to a bathboard.

Chinese money plants thrive in a high humidity environment and moisture will help keep their round leaves a lush, dark green hue.

It has an easy-going and forgiving nature, tolerating a certain amount of neglect when it comes to watering. However, grow your Pilea in a bright spot without too much scorching sunlight, and water whenever the top of the compost has dried out.

If your plant does start to shrivel, follow our guide to reviving a Chinese money plant to return it to health.

You can find a Chinese money plant at Walmart.

6. Asparagus fern

Thriving in high humidity, the asparagus fern is another great plant for the bathroom. You can even grow it to be a cascading fern in a hanging basket.

This indoor fern boasts gently arching feathery fronds that are perfect for softening bathroom wall tiles.

Asparagus fern thrives in a bright spot out of direct sunlight, with regular watering to ensure the compost remains moist but not soggy. Too much sun, too dry soil, and a too-small container can turn an asparagus fern yellow.

Shop for an asparagus fern at Walmart.

7. Tradescantia fluminensis ‘Nanouk’

Tradescantia fluminensis ‘Nanouk’ (from Walmart) is a compact variety of this popular and fast-growing houseplant, and also one of the most eye-catching.

With a shimmering sheen, each leaf is a work of art: the green upper surfaces painted with pale pink stripes, and the undersides a bright violet. Young leaves also appear purple at first, before turning green.

Spiderwort looks beautiful in a hanging basket or container, where it will hang over the sides. It also loves humidity, so is ideal for bright bathrooms.

To care for a tradescantia in a bathroom, simply place in bright, indirect light, and water whenever the top layer of compost has dried out.

8. Moth orchid

Phalaenopsis orchids are epiphytes, meaning that in their natural habitat – the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia and Northeast Australia – they grow on trees, where they take in moisture from the air using their thick aerial roots. This makes them ideal for growing in humid bathrooms, where they will happily absorb moisture from the air.

Moth orchids some of the easiest orchids to grow, making them very popular as houseplants and gifts and it is easy to get to grips with orchid care. They also produce long-lasting flowers that will add a stately and luxurious feel to any bathroom.

Choose a white Phalaenopsis (from The Sill) for pure elegance, or bold pink blooms for a pop of color.

All they need to thrive is high humidity, a bright spot out of direct sunlight, and for water to be run over the whole plant every week or so. Keeping an orchid in a bathroom will also banish wrinkled orchid leaves.

9. Air plant

For something a little different and a little quirky in your bathroom, try a tillandsia. These fun, spiky plants are a unique and mess-free option, requiring no soil, and instead absorbing all the moisture they need from the air.

Sometimes air plants come mounted on a piece of driftwood or inside a sea urchin to give the appearance of a jellyfish – perfect for a beach bathroom feel – or you can place your tillandsia inside a glass bowl for a minimalist look.

Care for air plants is straightforward – all they require is a humid environment and bright, indirect light. Also, make sure you know how to water an air plant to keep it happy and healthy. If you find your air plant turning brown then check if you are watering it too little or too often, and its position.

They are perfect for hanging in the shower, or elsewhere in the bathroom, in which case they will enjoy being dunked in water for two to three hours each fortnight.

There are so many types of air plants, and this air plant selection from Walmart gives you a wide range to choose from for your bathroom.

FAQs

Are succulents good for bathrooms?

Succulents will generally not thrive in the high humidity of a regularly used bathroom. This is because they are adapted to dry, low-humidity habitats and are prone to rotting in damp conditions.

However, this isn't the case for all indoor succulents. String of hearts, for example, tends to appreciate the extra moisture of a bathroom. That's why it's best to always research the growing requirements of the specific succulents you have before deciding where to place them.

These plants thrive in the conditions typical of a bathroom, but they can equally grow happily elsewhere in the home. If you want to grow one of these houseplants in a drier spot of your house, try adopting methods to increase humidity for indoor plants. For example, you could use this plant mister from Amazon.