Skip to main content

Decorate your bathroom with these beautiful and hardy houseplants

Bathrooms aren’t often thought of as the first place to grow plants (or really decorate in any way). They can be small or cramped and aren’t our most lived-in room. But did you know they can actually be a perfect environment for a handful of plants? There’s a small variety of bathroom plants you can grow that will brighten up the space and help filter the air, too!

What makes bathroom plants difficult

Bathrooms often have low light and a lot of moisture, which isn’t an ideal environment for most houseplants. Growing a plant in your bathroom successfully isn’t as easy as just picking one out from a nursery and plopping it on the shelf or counter and calling it a day. For example, succulents prefer drier conditions and wouldn’t thrive. And on top of the low levels of sunlight and high levels of humidity, bathrooms are also notorious for intense temperature fluctuations (after all, you aren’t running the shower all day, every day).

Any plant you put in there needs to be able to tolerate a range of temperatures, high humidity levels, and low lighting. There are some that fit that criteria, though, and they make great bathroom plants with the proper care!

A bathroom full of plants and sun through a skylight
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Best plants to grow in your bathroom

This list isn’t all inclusive, but these are a few plants that are often regarded as making great bathroom plants. If you don’t have any natural lighting in your bathroom (or you think it’s too little for even a low light tolerant plant), you can always purchase small grow lights that will help supplement the plant’s growth.

Pothos (any variety)

Pothos plants are popular among indoor gardeners for their easy care as well as for their ability to tolerate a range of environments. Their green heart-shaped leaves (sometimes with yellow or white variegation, depending on the variety) bring simple beauty to any room—especially a bathroom. When grown in a hanging basket or on a shelf, the vines can get up to ten feet long. It might take a while in a bathroom environment, especially if yours doesn’t have as much lighting, but a pothos is a cascading beauty that will make your bathroom decor stand out.

Light needs: Bright indirect light but can tolerate low light
Water needs: Let soil dry out between waterings
Soil needs: Well-draining soil

Begonia (most varieties)

Not all varieties of begonias can be grown indoors, but the ones that can are often able to tolerate a bathroom environment. They love warm, humid environments and would look lovely on a shelf. The only caveat is that they prefer to have some early morning sunlight where possible. If you don’t think your bathroom has enough light, you can either purchase some grow lights or buy bulbs for your regular lights that help supplement the nutrients the begonia needs. Keep in mind that begonias grown in partial shade, although they can survive, likely won’t flower. But the leaves themselves are gorgeous and will still add a nice touch of greenery to the space.

Light needs: Bright indirect light but can thrive in partial shade
Water needs: Enjoys consistent moisture but doesn’t like to be soaked
Soil needs: Well-draining soil with some organic matter

An orchid in a pot on a stool in the bathroom next to towels
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ferns (Boston, maidenhair, bird’s nest, and button varieties)

Many varieties of ferns—like the Boston, maidenhair, bird’s nest, and button—are shade-loving in their natural habitats and able to tolerate some shade indoors, too. They can tolerate the temperature changes that happen from day to night and will appreciate the bathroom’s moisture and humidity. Sometimes, you’ll even see inspiration posts where people are growing ferns directly in the shower; however, this should only be done if the shower gets ample sunlight, since you won’t be able to place grow lights in there to help the plant. Most varieties of ferns have delicate, small leaves, which makes it a very gentle bathroom plant.

Light needs: Partial light, partial shade
Water needs: Enjoys consistent moisture and waterings every other day; never let the soil completely dry out
Soil needs: Well-draining soil with some moss or organic matter

It’s important to consider light, temperature, and humidity requirements when looking into whether or not a houseplant can be a bathroom plant. If you have an extra houseplant that needs a home, see if it can tolerate the environment! Otherwise, there are plenty of new plants you can get if you’re looking to bring some green into your bathroom.

Editors' Recommendations

Kiera Baron
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kiera Baron is a freelance writer and editor, as well as a budding digital artist, based in Upstate NY. She is currently one…
Incorporate these shower plants into your bathroom for a green infusion
These 7 plants help greenify your bathroom
Bathroom plant layout

As you turn your home into a jungle, transform your bathroom into paradise with the help of hanging shower plants. Adding extra greenery to your bathroom can switch up the ambiance for a lush vibe — it’ll be like taking a shower in the great outdoors while enjoying the comforts of your home. When picking out shower plants, keep humidity-loving species at the top of your list: Think ferns, figs, and more!

Curious about incorporating tropical vibes into this nook of your home? Read on to learn how to hang plants in the bathroom and which plants work best for this steamy environment.
Things to consider
Humidity and light
The bathroom is ideal for houseplants because of its humidity. However, keep in mind other requirements that your plants will need. Before you bring plants into your bathroom, consider factors such as light and temperature. If your bathroom doesn’t get a lot of light, invest in supplementary grow lights or pick plants that can thrive in low-light conditions. Also, take into account your bathroom temperature since some plants don't tolerate cold drafts.
How to hang the houseplants
Decide how you’ll hang your houseplants. Get creative with placement when building a plant paradise in the shower. Showerheads, caddies, shower rods, and curtain rods are great spots for hanging foliage, given that your planter isn’t too heavy. You can also take advantage of heavy-duty utility hooks that adhere to tiles.

Read more
Turn your pothos plant into a hydroponic oasis
How to propagate a golden pothos from cuttings
Hanging pothos plant

Golden pothos brighten up any home garden and they are one of the easiest plants to propagate in either water or soil. Pothos propagation can be done one of two ways -- either hydroponically or in soil. Try both options out to determine which one works best for your space. There are many different types of pothos plants, also known as pipremnum aureum or Devil's Ivy.

This guide for how to propagate pothos works for pretty much all of them. Golden pothos, one of the most common varieties, is characterized by its yellow undertones. It's important to note that leaves in a propagated golden pothos plant may contain less yellow spots than the parent plant. Though losing some color still leaves you with not one but two beautiful plants.
Why you might want to propagate a golden pothos
Whether it's a golden pothos or any other pothos variety, you'll soon find that these plants grow quickly. So even if you're not interested in creating more baby plants, cutting and pruning your pothos is vital to keeping it healthy and managing the amount of space it takes up. Your pothos might be hanging and reaching the floor, or it might be threatening to take over the wall you've been training it to vine over. Either way, cutting off a bit here and there will allow you to grow baby plants and will also encourage the plant to grow bushier and healthier vines.

Read more
From baby rubber plants to watermelon peperomia, add these peperomia varieties to your low-maintenance plant collection
Your guide to caring for the most striking and accessible peperomia varieties
Watermelon peperomia

Peperomias, or radiator plants, are one of those houseplant varieties that seem hidden in plain sight — their trailing and upright varieties are practically at every nursery, but not many plant parents talk about them. Affordable, low-maintenance, and pet-safe choices, these lovely indoor plants technically belong to the pepper (Piperaceae) family. Featuring over 1,000 plant species, the Peperomia genus is certainly a mixed bag, including both tropical and subtropical plants. You have everything from the eye-catching watermelon peperomia to the adorable peperomia hope.

The plants in this genus that we often see as houseplants are succulent or semi-succulent in nature and come with mesmerizing colors and patterns. As such, they’re quite easy to care for and include a bevy of attractive options for houseplant novices. Plus, they’re ridiculously easy to propagate, as you can use both stem and leaf cuttings to make more of them. If you’re thinking about picking up a peperomia plant, consider the following varieties for your collection.

Read more