Humidity and moisture are not only annoying but can also cause your house to retain strange smells. That is not something you want anywhere in your home, and especially not in your bathroom. Thankfully, plants can help!
The primary consideration when choosing an air purifying plant for your bathroom is light. Make sure you take how much light your bathroom has into account. Many bathrooms are only suited for plants with low light needs.
Humidity can also be a factor, but not a big one. Many tropical plants that love the humidity are a great fit for your bathroom because they love the steam. If your bathroom is not very humid but you still want a plant that loves the moisture, consider misting it with water from time to time. That will keep your humidity-loving plants growing happily.
With that covered, let us take a look at 14 plants that are great for absorbing moisture and reducing humidity in your bathroom!
1. Peace Lily
Peace lilies, Spathiphyllum, are a great low-maintenance choice for your bathroom. They are tolerant of low light but prefer partial shade and may not bloom without enough light. It starts to droop and the leaves lose some luster when it is low on water, so it is easy to care for.
Be aware that they are poisonous to animals, including cats, so make sure they are out of reach of your pets.
2. English Ivy
English ivy, Hedera helix, is probably what you think of as a "traditional" style ivy. It is great in hanging pots because of its beautiful cascading vines that can range from bright green to nearly white.
Despite being a non-tropical plant, this ivy happily withstands the humidity and low light conditions. In fact, it is so hardy that is prone to becoming an invasive plant in many areas. So, try to plant it in pots or otherwise contained areas rather than directly in the ground.
3. Parlor Palm
Chamaedorea elegans, commonly known as parlor palms, is a popular small palm. Originally from the rainforests, parlor palms love the humidity that many bathrooms offer.
Parlor palms are a great beginner palm tree as they are fairly hardy and easy to care for. They actually most often die from overwatering, so if you often forget to water your plants, this may be a perfect fit for you. They are also low light plants and only need around 6 hours of sunlight.
For more information on different palms and guidance on which is right for you, check out Areca Palm Vs Majesty Palm: Which Is Right For You?
4. Boston Fern
Boston ferns, Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis', also known as sword ferns, are lush ferns with small deep green leaves. In their natural habitat, they tend to grow very large. However, domesticated Boston ferns can vary greatly in size. Like other true ferns, Boston ferns are not toxic to animals.
Boston ferns prefer indirect light, so try not to put it directly into a windowsill. This plant loves its humidity, so it is perfect for in the bathroom. However, if you decide to keep it elsewhere, try misting it occasionally. If you notice some of its leaves are turning yellow, it is likely due to a lack of humidity.
For more on picking a good container for your fern, check out this informative article Do Ferns Need Drainage? [And How Much You Should Water Them].
5. Tillandsia
Tillandsia is the genus we have come to know and love as air plants. These pale green plants likey gained their popularity due to their ease of care and trendy appearance. They are especially common as air-purifying decorations.
Because air plants get their moisture and nutrients from the air, they love the humidity. Most varieties do not mind low light conditions either, making them a perfect fit for a bathroom plant.
6. Orchid
Orchids, of the Orchidaceae family, are probably some of the most finicky plants on this list. However, if you take good care of them, they can have a long life and add a beautiful pop of color to your bathroom or house decor.
What orchids need depends on the variety you have but there are a few commonalities. Nearly all orchids love the humidity and are adapted to receive moisture from the air, similar to air plants. For this reason, they are happy to thrive and clean the air in humid bathrooms. Otherwise, they need to be misted with water fairly often.
7. Spider Plant
Spider plants, or Chlorophytum comosum, are great for people who do not have much of a green thumb. They are definitely a great pick for people who are new to gardening or want something low maintenance.
While they enjoy having more light, they can grow in partial shade. However, they usually will not produce flowers in low light conditions. They also have low water requirements and only need to be watered around once a week, depending on the drainage.
Spider plants are especially good hanging plants for bathrooms. For other hanging plants that are great for bathroom check out 7 Hanging Plants That Can Grow Well In The Bathroom.
8. Cactus
A massive array of unique plants are considered to be cacti. While not all succulents are technically cacti, succulents are what many people think of when cacti are mentioned.
While many cacti prefer drier conditions, they do not mind a bit of humidity. Cacti will usually grow better in larger bathrooms that do not get overly humid. However, they are not too finicky and require minimal care. Plus, they are definitely very trendy for decorating.
9. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is not only great for cleaning the air, but it is also useful. Aloe has long been considered to help ease burns, so having it on hand is always a good idea. Aloe comes in an array of varieties too, so they can add an extra pop of green, red or even purple to the room. Varieties like spiral aloe and tiger tooth aloe also come in fun eye-catching shapes.
Because Aloe originated in tropic, semi-tropic, and arid areas, it does not mind the humidity. Aloe prefers a good amount of light, so try to place it in or near the window. Ideally, aloe needs around 6 hours of sunlight. So a bathroom windowsill is great to give your aloe the light and humidity it loves.
If you notice your aloe's leaves are turning pale green, almost white, it may be due to a lack of sunlight or unfavorable temperatures. Aloe prefers room temperature or warmer.
10. Asparagus Fern
Asparagus setaceus, commonly known as asparagus fern, is an evergreen vine that occasionally produces vibrant white flowers. Those flowers are part of what makes them evergreens rather than ferns, as true ferns typically produce through spores.
Similar to most ferns and fern-like plants, the asparagus fern loves humidity and is happy to grow in bathrooms and other humid spots. Asparagus ferns are great beginner plants because most varieties are extremely hardy.
11. Cyclamen
Cyclamens have a unique appearance that makes them very fun to grow.
Like most flowering plants, cyclamens enjoy their fair share of sunlight but do not need as much of it as many others. Just a few hours of indirect sunlight each day is usually enough for them. Since they are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, they also enjoy cool, humid envoirnments.
Cyclamens have unique watering needs because they go into a dormant phase. When you notice your plant is not producing as many blooms, slow down your watering. As it goes into its dormancy it does not need as much water and too much water can easily rot the roots. As long as the container has sufficient drainage, you should keep the soil slightly damp by watering it once a week or so. Once the plant starts to produce flowers, it has emerged from its dormancy and you can water it normally.
12. Bromeliads
Bromeliads are such intriguing and eye-catching plants. They come in such vibrant colors and complex patterns that you might think they are very difficult to grow. But, in actuality, they are fairly easy to grow and probably fairly easy to find at your local nursery.
The main consideration with bromeliads is their life cycle. Because they flower right before they die, do not think you are a bad gardener when they start to die back. It is not you, it is just their natural life cycle. These plants reproduce by growing pups around their base, so keep an eye out for those, especially when your plant starts flowering.
13. Mosses
Mosses are a great option for reducing humidity in your bathroom because of the array of uses it has. It can be used in decor or even be shaped into practical items, like a bathroom mat.
The needs of moss vary depending on how humid the room is. However, it is generally going to be very low maintenance. Another perk of moss is that it does not need a large amount of light, so it will likely thrive even if your bathroom does not have any windows.
Most mosses are hardy and can take some abuse, which is part of the reason they work well in practical items. Likewise, mosses are typically not poisonous to animals so they work as wall hangings or floor decorations.
For green walls and practical decorations that you can make with moss and other plants, check out these 22 Bathroom Green Walls That Will Inspire You.
14. Reed Palm
The reed palm, Chamaedorea seifrizii, is clumps of palm fronds that resemble reeds. Because it is a clumping palm and has jointed stems, it may be mistaken for a bamboo rather than a palm, hence its common nickname of bamboo palm.
As a palm, it has similar needs to the parlor palm despite its different appearance. The two are so similar that sometimes the reed palm is called the clustered parlor palm. But make no mistake, they are technically different plants. The reed palm is a good, hardy, and common palm that enjoys the humidity and tropical-like conditions.
The most common mistake made when growing reed palms is not letting them get enough light. Doing so could cause the palm to grow slowly and the fronds to become discolored. If you suspect your reed palm is not getting enough light, consider moving it outside for a few hours. As long as it is not at or below freezing, most reed palms are hardy enough to deal with the temperature change in order to soak up some extra sun.
In Closing
These 14 plants are perfect for the bathroom and you're sure to enjoy the many benefits from adding at least one to the space.