22 Best Plants for Your Bathroom

Beautiful green ferns, towels and toothbrushes on countertop in bathroom — Credit:
Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images

Adding a plant to your bathroom is the ultimate way to infuse some personality into this sometimes sterile space. However, not all plants will thrive here, so it's important to seek out options that are best suited to conditions typical of many bathrooms.

Tropical plants are best for the bathroom, as the humidity from the shower and the often low or indirect light mimic the plant's native climate. But your options aren't just limited to the tropical variety when it comes to choosing bathroom plants.

Whether you're looking to liven up a small powder room or refresh the shared family bathroom with some greenery, there are a handful of plants that thrive in a bathroom setting. We asked plant experts for their recommendations on what those options are and for advice on keeping your plants happy and healthy in their new home.

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Succulents

You may be surprised to learn that some succulents do well in the bathroom. "Succulents, like aloe vera and elephant bush, are great for bathrooms because they require very little care and very little water, so you could leave them for long periods of time without really thinking about them and they will still flourish," says Fran Lauretta, owner of creations by Fran Flowers & More. This means they are especially good for less frequently used bathrooms, like your first-floor powder room.

Size: Up to 9 inches tall
Growing conditions: Full to partial sun, with dry, well-draining soil, watered weekly or when the soil is completely dried out

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Rabbit Foot Fern

rabbits foot fern — Credit: Yoyochow23 / Getty Images

Plants in the fern family make great additions to your bathroom because they like being near a water source. "You can keep a fancy mist bottle on your vanity to mist your fern plants whenever you brush your teeth," says Jeanne Ha, the owner of Park Florist.

Size: Up to 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide
Growing conditions: Partial sun with loamy, moist soil

03 of 22

Paphiopedilums Orchids

Orchild Paphiopedilums — Credit: Cclip / Getty Images

Bathrooms are often warm with indirect sunlight, making them the perfect place to grow orchids. "Orchids are great plants for bathrooms because they're low maintenance and only should be watered once a week with an ice cube or two, depending on how big the plant is," says Lauretta. The Paphiopedilums orchid is a particularly great option for those looking to add just a touch of color to their bathroom.

Size: Up to 2 feet tall
Growing conditions: Medium, indirect light with chunky, well-draining soil

04 of 22

Spider Plants

spider plant in bathroom — Credit: Helin Loik-Tomson / Getty Images

If you're looking for a low-fuss option, spider plants are a great choice. These green plants have long, skinny leaves that create a mounding effect and can produce "babies" that hang down past the leaves when the conditions are right. Spider plants require low to moderate amounts of light, but they will burn if there is too much direct sunlight. "They like humid environments, so bathrooms are a great location for them," says Lauretta.

Size: Up to 18 inches tall by 2 feet wide
Growing conditions: Dappled sun to full shade, with moist, well-draining soil

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Lemon Button Fern

lemon butter ferns — Credit: thodsaph / Getty Images

Another fern that is perfect for bathroom spaces (and pretty hard to kill) is the lemon button fern, says Ha. This long frond fern needs minimal light and moisture to thrive. As a bonus, it gives off a faint lemony scent.

Size: 1 foot tall by 1 foot wide
Growing conditions: Partial sun to full shade, loamy, well-draining soil

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Painted Nettle

If you want to add a pop of color to your bathroom but don't care for flowers, try the painted nettle. The small green and red leaves have rippled edges and grow on a tall stem, says Ryan Woltz, CEO and founder of ēdn. They're easygoing plants that will grow in your bathroom spaces regardless of the light and humidity.

Size: Up to 3 feet high and up to 3 feet wide
Growing conditions: Full sun to full shade, with well-draining soil

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Pothos

Pothos is one of the easiest plants to keep alive, which means it's a great option for anyone who needs a bit of help in the gardening department. "It's a vine, so it looks great hanging from a shower rod and can be trailed across mirrors and vanities," says Blythe Yost, CEO and co-founder of Tilly. These luscious green leaves can also get quite big, putting on a tropical show in your bathroom.

Size: 6 to 8 inches tall by 13 feet wide
Growing conditions: Full to partial shade, with loamy, occasionally dry, well-draining soil

08 of 22

Boston Fern

Boston ferns are common accent pieces in outdoor spaces, like covered porches and by front doors, but they can also feel right at home in your bathroom. These plants, like most ferns, will brighten up your bathroom. "Even though the fern plants might look very much like they're from a primitive jungle, they can be very fashionable and trendy when you style them in marble or gold-brushed pots, complemented to your bathroom interior," says Ha.

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide
Growing conditions: Dappled sun to full shade, with loamy, well-draining soil

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Walking Iris

Walking iris has fabulous mini-iris blooms that become new baby plants to give away to friends, says Yost. They can perk up your bathroom and are fairly easy to care for since they like moist soil and full shade.

Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide
Growing conditions: Partial to full shade, moist, well-draining soil

10 of 22

Bird Nest Ferns

Bird's nest fern in white planter — Credit: Getty / OlgaMiltsova

If your bathroom is humid and has low light, it's the perfect home for a bird nest fern. "Keep in mind, low light is different than no light," says Yost. "Think about how much sky they can 'see' from their location." They'll need at least a bit to thrive, which means they won't be a good fit for a windowless bathroom.

Size: 3 to 5 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide
Growing conditions: Dappled sun to partial shade, with loamy, moist, well-draining soil

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Foxtail Fern

Also known as an asparagus fern, the foxtail fern will thrive in your bathroom thanks to its love of shade and humidity. Unlike some of the other plants on our list, a happy foxtail fern will flower. The plant produces white buds when the fern is well cared for.

Size: Up to 18 inches tall by up to 18 inches wide
Growing conditions: Dappled sunlight to partial shade, with moist, well-draining soil

12 of 22

Phalaenopsis Orchids

Closeup Of Purple Phalaenopsis Orchid In On White Table — Credit: Natalie Board / EyeEm / Getty Images

Despite their reputation for being fussy, Phalaenopsis orchids are easy to care for and thrive on neglect. "Just dunk them in the sink every few weeks and allow the soil medium to totally dry out between waterings," Yost says.

Size: Flowers can grow between 3 and 6 inches wide
Growing conditions: Dappled sun to shade, water weekly

13 of 22

Tillandsia

air plants in pot — Credit: Natasha Breen / Getty Images

Tillandsia, or tillys for short, are similar to orchids in that they are epiphytes, meaning they use another plant for support and get their water and nutrients from the air. "Tillys are super easy to keep and just need to be dunked in your sink weekly for a quick dousing," says Yost. These "air plants" are easy to add to your bathroom in a variety of unique ways and don't need to rely on a traditional flowerpot.

Size: 3 inches tall by 1 to 2 inches wide
Growing conditions: Indirect or partial sun; regular misting or dunking in water weekly

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Majesty Palm

If your bathroom is open, airy, and gets a lot of light, a majesty palm can be a striking addition. "They thrive in humidity, so you can even stick them in the shower with you from time to time to give it a little boost," says Yost. Just remember, they will get tall and wide, which means they'll need plenty of room to stretch.

Size: Up to 10 feet tall by 6 to 20 feet wide
Growing conditions: Bright light, moist, well-draining soil

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Maidenhair Fern

close up of maidernhair fern — Credit: Lusyaya / Getty Images

The maidenhair fern is another excellent fern variety that will fit right into your bathroom spaces, Ha says. The delicate, lace-like leaves look perfect with many different décor options. They like indirect sunlight and plenty of moisture, so make sure you're keeping your thirsty fern hydrated.

Size: 1 to 2 feet tall by 1 to 2 feet wide
Growing conditions: Indirect, dappled light, with occasionally wet, well-draining soil

16 of 22

Purple Oxalis

A member of the shamrock family, this little houseplant is great when appreciated up close and can be a perfect addition to a vanity or next to a sink, Yost says. The leaves are dark in color and prefer the low light of the bathroom. If they get too much sun, the signature purple of their foliage can start to fade or look washed out.

Size: Up to 18 inches tall by 2 feet wide
Growing conditions: Partial shade, with dry to moist, well-draining soil

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Kangaroo Paw Fern

If your bathroom receives indirect light, you can add a kangaroo paw fern to the space. These ferns feature shiny, vibrant green leaves. While they like the humidity of the post-shower bathroom, they don't like wet soil, so make sure to avoid over-watering.

Size: 1 foot tall by 4 feet wide
Growing conditions: Bright to medium indirect light, well-draining soil

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Snake Plant

This plant is a bathroom favorite because it doesn't require too much attention or light. You can place your snake plant in both frequently used bathroom spaces and those that only see the occasional visitor. Water once every 10 to 14 days for best results.

Size: 1 to 3 feet tall by 6 to 36 inches wide
Growing conditions: Partial shade, well-draining soil

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Begonia

Begonias do well in humid conditions—they aren't a fan of dry air, making them perfect for the bathroom. You'll also want to keep them out of direct sunlight as well if you're looking for beautiful green foliage.

Size: 1 foot tall by 9 inches wide
Growing conditions: Shade to partial sunlight, with moist, well-draining soil

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Peace Lily

A low-maintenance houseplant, the peace lily thrives in warmer temperatures inside, with either lower light or bright filtered light. It can also tolerate humidity pretty well and would look lovely in the corner of a bathroom.

Size: 1 foot tall by 1 foot wide
Growing conditions: Shade or partial light, with moist, well-draining soil

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ZZ Plant

ZZ plants have sleek, waxy green leaves and thrive in low-light and higher humidity conditions. Best of all, they are drought-tolerant. The plant can sit in your bathroom corner and go without a drink for a long time since it stores water in its rhizomes. Another plus? The plant does not require frequent repotting and enjoys a little crowding in its container.

Size: 2 to 4 feet tall by 2 to 4 feet wide
Growing conditions: Bright, indirect light is best, but fine with low light, with moist, well-draining soil

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Heartleaf Philodendron

Philodendrons will enjoy a bathroom environment, but specifically, the heartleaf philodendron does better in high humidity and low light conditions. The trailing habit of this plant looks lovely up on a shelf to give the space some natural warmth and greenery. Wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth to clean the dust.