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Often an isolated and sterile room in your house, adding plants is a fantastic way to add a touch of class and personality to an otherwise drab bathroom. There’s only one problem: with little to no sunlight, extreme temperature and humidity changes, and a periodic influx of cleaning chemicals, bathrooms are a terrible place for growing plants.
That is, of course, unless you use one of the plants listed in this article. It turns out there are quite a few that can not only survive, but thrive tucked deep into the recesses of your home with only bare bones maintenance.
And minimal maintenance is indeed going to be a key factor if you are going to get the most out of your bathroom’s plants. To be easy to care for, a plant needs to:
- Get by without too much attention (think when you go on vacation).
- Tolerate some abuse and occasional lack of watering without giving up the ghost abruptly.
- Do well in the high humidity, varying temperature and low light conditions that most bathrooms will inevitably experience.
In return for the little that they ask for in care, indoor plants can have some surprising benefits to offer their hosts. In a 1989 study by NASA, it was found that a number of common indoor houseplants have the ability to purify the air of carcinogens and pollutants, leaving a fresher and healthier environment. In fact, one researcher concluded that your house ought to have one or two plants for every one hundred square feet in order to get the most from their air-freshening capabilities.
The best choices for your situation will depend on the size and styling of your bathroom, with different plants lending themselves to varying positions in your bathroom to do their best work. For a bathroom with minimal available surface space, think hanging plants like English Ivy or Boston Ferns. If you’d like to add a touch of color and sophistication to an otherwise empty spot, you can opt for the compact and vertically-inclined Snake plant. More spacious bathrooms could be better filled out with a luxuriously complex specimen of Lucky Bamboo.
To decide what’s best for you, take a look at the complete list of bathroom-friendly indoor plants and what it takes to keep them growing:
Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena braunii)
Lucky Bamboo is an incredibly hearty plant with a beautiful, zen-like appearance. The plant needs very little light to thrive and is actually best kept away from direct sunlight. Lucky bamboo can even grow without soil, and is often placed in a container of pebbles (for support) with an inch or so of water. Consider finding a transparent plastic container and picking out some nice looking rounded pebbles to create a minimalist look that is perfect for modern styling or professional environments.
If you opt for this approach, just remember to change out the water every now and then before it stagnates. Also, Lucky Bamboo doesn’t like to drink too much chlorine (consider that its only weakness). Use filtered water and it should be just fine.
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Chinese Evergreen grows in medium to low light or indirect sunlight. The plant likes the warm temperatures and humid conditions which naturally come with being in proximity to a shower. B*ut that’s not to say it can’t tolerate a dryer environment when necessary. The plant’s flexibility is one of its greatest strengths.
Chinese Evergreen doesn’t need to be watered frequently. Once every couple of weeks or so should do. Just periodically check the soil and water once it has gotten dry. Don’t add water before then. Not allowing the roots a chance to dry out is actually one of the few ways you can damage the plant.
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English Ivy was rated by NASA’s indoor air study as one of the most effective plants for filtering toxins from the air. And with its reputation for heartiness and plenty of luscious leaves, it’s no wonder. English Ivy is especially well-suited for any room where has been or is potential for water damage as it can lower the quantity of mold spores by filtering them out of the air.
In a bathroom where space is at a premium, the plant can be placed in a hanging basket where the leaves will trail down elegantly.
Keep your English Ivy in a brighter area of your bathroom. For obvious reasons, most bathrooms offer little in the way of direct sunlight. But even keeping your Ivy close to a frosted or shaded window should allow it enough indirect light to do well.
Ivy enjoys high humidity conditions, which makes it perfect for a bathroom you regularly shower in.
To water the Ivy, first check the soil. If the top inch of the soil is dry, it is an indication that the plant needs to be watered. Add lukewarm water to the surface of the soil but don’t let it become soggy. If spider mites start latching onto the plant, misting it regularly can keep them away.
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Boston Fern is a low maintenance plant and another great candidate for hanging. The plant does well in every kind of pot, whether it’s a suspended basket or a large pot stand. Boston is perfect for the humid conditions of your bathroom as it loves misting and needs little care.
During fall and winter, the plant benefits from plenty of indirect sunlight. Choose a location where your Boston Fern gets a couple hours of indirect sunlight each day. In spring and summer when sunlight can be more intense, the plant prefers a bit more shade.
Ferns need to be watered consistently. But like most low-maintenance plants, avoid overwatering as it can cause root rot. If the fronds become yellow or wilt, you’ll know that you’ve added too much. If your Boston Fern is in a bathroom that doesn’t get much humidity from the shower (maybe you just prefer to take baths), it may benefit from some occasional misting.
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos is known for it’s easy maintenance. This plant does well in the harshest of indoor conditions and is a great first choice for those new to indoor plants.
Pothos should be kept out of the direct sunlight and is able to tolerate relatively low light exposure.
Water your pothos until the soil is reasonably moist. After a few months, you may find your Pothos plant’s roots have expanded enough to block the drainage holes at the bottom of its pot. At this point you’ll want to upgrade the square-inchage of its home or else it may deteriorate from a lack of drainage.
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
The snake plant is one of the most popular plants for bathrooms. The plant is very difficult to kill and is a great choice for someone who wants to deal with the absolute least maintenance. Snake plant does great in the varying humidity conditions of bathrooms, can grow in low light environments and even does well under fluorescent light.
The reason snake plant is so easy-going when it comes to watering is that is able to store water. In fact, you should water the plant only when the soil completely dries out.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has convinced you that the value plants can add to your residence isn’t limited to just the outside of your property. Now that you’ve found some great indoor plant choices, it’s time to go purchase a few and start trying them out for your own bathrooms!
