Small houseplants that love bathroom humidity

Pothos plant just misted. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

I have been refreshing the decor in my master bathroom and decided to add some greenery to the mix. Adding plants in a bathroom is a win-win for everybody. The plant gets plenty of humidity (which many tropical plants love), and we get a sense of healing and calm. If you’re using your shower regularly (which I hope you are!), your plants will benefit from the humidity in the air. If you have a window for natural light, that’s even better. Typically, tropical plants are the best for bathrooms or areas with high humidity.

So, while redecorating my bathroom, I explored options for houseplants in that space. This is a small space that cannot accommodate large plants. The goal was to find two or three “smallish” plants that could sit on a small windowsill and possibly on the counter. I wanted one of those plants to be a vine. This bathroom gets some light but nothing direct. It is on a northeast axis, so the brightest light is in the morning hours.

Snake plant in my bathroom. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Do your homework before incorporating plants into your space. Take the time to learn what type of plants will thrive in the intended environment. A happy, healthy plant should occupy a space that is more or less suited to the environment they might find in their native environment. This means you will need to learn a thing or two about plant care to help your plant babies thrive!

Below are 15 humidity-loving plants I considered for use in my bathroom, and I’ll tell you at the end which ones I chose…

Air Plant (Tillandsia, aka Tilly)—This plant is an epiphyte, or air plant, that pulls its moisture from the air (they don’t need soil). These little plants need to be soaked in water once a week so they don’t dry out. This plant likes bright indirect light.

Air plant on coffee table. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Aloe Vera—Aloe is a type of succulent that thrives in bright light. It may even flower if in direct light. This plant does not need a lot of water. It tolerates a little neglect but will appreciate the humidity just the same. As a bonus, the extract from leaves heals sunburn and other skin issues!

Aloe vera plant on my windowsill. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Bromeliad—This very tropical-looking plant is related to pineapples and likes medium to bright indirect light. It’s perfect for the bathroom because it likes humidity, so don’t let it dry out. It’s not a plant that needs a lot of care or watering. To water it, fill the cups formed at the leaf base. (The soil does not need water, as the plant is an air plant and does not need soil to survive.)

Bromeliad bloom in vivid fuchsia. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Calathea—This leafy plant needs a lot of humidity and likes moderate indirect light, making it a good option for most bathrooms.

Image by Christina Dahl on Pixabay.

English Ivy—Ivy is such a dangly, viny plant! It is a resilient plant that can grow in many environments but prefers medium light and humidity.

Image by veera on Adobe Stock.

Eternity Plant (aka ZZ Plant)—This plant is easy to care for and can tolerate a little neglect. It is ok in low light, prefers bright indirect light, but leaves curl if it gets too much light. Don’t overwater, just water when the soil dries out. Be aware this plant is toxic for pets.

Image by fabrizio on Adobe Stock.

Fern—Ferns love humidity and indirect light. They are an easy plant to care for and will thrive in many environments. Mist them and keep them in moist loamy soil. They are also nontoxic to cats.

Image by Bruchex Benoit on Adobe Stock.

Haworthia—Like the aloe, this is a type of succulent. It needs bright light and can tolerate humidity in the bathroom.

Top down view of my Haworthia plant. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Lucky Bamboo—This plant is not bamboo but a type of dracaena. It can grow in soil or water and is a very low-maintenance plant. It can grow in low light, but like any plant, it will do better in medium to bright indirect light (although not direct sunlight). This plant does like a little humidity, and the leaves will brown when not consistently watered. Lucky Bamboo is toxic to pets and children. (Ferns N Petals has an interesting article on the symbolism and history of this tall leafy plant.)

Leaves on the Lucky Bamboo plant sitting on my coffee table. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2021.

Peace Lily—This leafy dark green plant flowers when healthy (about two times a year) and has good bright indirect light. It is a tropical evergreen plant that likes humidity and being in moist—but not soaked—soil. This plant will tell you when it wants water—its leaves droop when the soil is too dry. Just give it a deep watering, then let the soil dry out before watering again. Peace lilies like shade and indirect light, and the leaves curl when exposed to too much direct light. This is another plant that is toxic to pets and children.

Image by Belight on Adobe Stock.

Peperomia—This is a tropical plant that likes bright to indirect light. The humidity in the bathroom will appeal to it for sure.

Image by ChrWeiss on Adobe Stock.

Philodendron—This vine plant is easy to care for, likes humidity, and will tolerate neglect and sporadic watering.

Image by hartono subagio on Pixabay.

Pothos (aka Devil’s Ivy)—Another vine plant, this green tropical baby is easy to care for and does well in low to bright indirect sunlight. It needs humidity to keep the tips of its leaves from drying out, so a bathroom is a good home for it. Just water when the plant dries out (when the plant leaves droop). This one is also toxic to pets and children.

Pothos plant on my coffee table. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Snake Plant (aka mother-in-law’s tongue)—A succulent that stores water in its leaves. It is a very hardy plant and easy to care for, good in most environments, and will thrive in a bathroom with humidity. Water once every couple of weeks when the plant dries out.  Snake plants like low to bright indirect light and will flower if the conditions are right. Toxic to pets and children.

My new snake plant at home in my bathroom. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Spider Plant—These fun plants can grow in low light but thrive more in bright light, although they burn in direct light. Spider plants are versatile and can grow in any environment but will thrive with humidity. This plant will put out babies—or spiderettes. Water well when dry. Spider plants are also non-toxic to pets.

Image by AHatmaker on Adobe Stock.

So, which ones did I choose for my project? 

I wanted to use as many plants already in my possession as possible for this project to save money. I already had a Bromeliad, a Tillandsia, peace lilies, Lucky Bamboo, a Haworthia plant, and an aloe plant. I decided the Peace Lilies and Lucky Bamboo were too big for the space and were not a good option for my bathroom needs. I did have a Bromeliad plant with four “pups” to be propagated, so I decided one of those pups would go in the bathroom. And the little Tillandsia plant—which struggles in my living room—will love sitting with its plant buddies on my windowsill, soaking up the humidity!

Top down view of bromeliad plant that has lost its bloom. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

I found a snake plant at my local garden store that perfectly fit my windowsill. And while I was there, I discovered my vine plant—a pothos. I’ve heard pothos are easy for even the blackest thumb, but this plant is supposed to love the humid conditions in bathrooms, so it checked off two boxes for me. And that’s my bathroom redecorating project done!

Snake plant, pothos, and bromeliad sitting on my bathroom windowsill. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Are you thinking of incorporating plants into your bathroom decor? Or do you already enjoy plants in that space? Leave a comment below and let me know…

Related blogs you may want to read:
How to propagate bromeliad pups
A spring decor makeover for my small rental bathroom
Eight health benefits of decorating with plants
Six herbs I planted indoors
Let’s talk about houseplants
Biophilia in interior design

This article may contain a few items or commercial mentions, but I only used them for demonstration purposes only. I am not endorsing any particular product or receiving any monetary gain for this blog.