If you have a window in your bathroom, you know you’ve hit the plant parenting jackpot, and bonus points if that window has a ledge. This is great because many houseplants hail from the tropics and are the happiest in warm and humid environments. Sadly, their natural habitat usually has humidity levels that are difficult to achieve naturally in many homes.

To put this into perspective, most homes have an average humidity of 30-40 percent. All the while, tropical plants prefer a minimum of 50 percent. That's why bathrooms are often their favorite locations.

Why Tropical Plants Love the Bathroom

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Some houseplants prefer humidity levels of 60 percent or higher. To get to this point, you could try running your humidifier on overtime or misting your plants several times a day. However, to save time and energy, place them in the bathroom where a shower is present, so they can enjoy the higher-than-normal humidity levels they like.

That’s where that highly-coveted window comes into play, where plants can be treated to a light and consistent humidity. 

However, not every plant that needs high humidity is suitable for the bathroom, as windows tend to be smaller for privacy reasons. For this reason, bathrooms are likely to only host plants that can thrive in low to medium light. 

Read on to get to know the four best plants for your bathroom and the ideal temperature and humidity levels they need.

What if Your Bathroom Has No Window?

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Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a window in their bathroom.

If that is the case, you won’t be able to keep plants in that room, as every plant needs light to survive. If you must have plants in the bathroom, consider bringing in a grow light.

However, here’s what to do if you’re committed to keeping your humidity-loving plants happy. 

Every time someone takes a shower, bring in all the houseplants that crave high humidity. Allow them to bask in the humid atmosphere of their steam bath for as long as possible. Think of it as a trip to the spa for your houseplants, and they’ll thank you for it. 

The Best Plants For Your Shower

Triostar Stromanthe

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One of the most elegant and vibrant of all houseplants, the triostar stromanthe has feather-like leaves with green, pink, and white variegation.

A lover of high humidity, the Triostar thrives in environments with 60 to 80 percent humidity and temperatures between 65 to 70 Fahrenheit.

As for light, the Triostar prefers gentle morning light and shade in the afternoon, so it will thrive well in medium to bright light. If you have a ledge next to your bathroom window, your triostar will do very well there.

Prayer Plant

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The prayer plant is a beautiful houseplant, sporting stunning patterns on its leaves, such as red lines and dark green blotches.

Similar to the Triostar, it also loves humidity. It does well in environments with temperatures between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As for humidity levels, it prefers over 60 percent as well. Luckily, the prayer plant can thrive in medium to low light, as it is commonly used as ground cover in interiorscapes.

For those unfamiliar, ground cover plants are usually comfortable with the dappled light that filters through taller plants with large leaves. It makes the prayer plant perfectly suited to lower light conditions in the bathroom.

Staghorn Fern

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The staghorn fern has fronds that look similar to male deer or elk antlers, hence its name. For this reason, it’s commonly featured in trendy home decor plant projects where the plant is mounted onto a wooden plank. 

Like other ferns, the staghorn fern is a big lover of humidity. In its natural habitat, it is surrounded by humid air of 70 to 80 percent. While that’s difficult to achieve in almost all homes, the bathroom will be able to mimic the humid environment it craves. 

The staghorn fern needs bright, indirect light to be happy, so it would also do well on the bathroom window ledge.

Pothos

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The always popular pothos is another great contender for the bathroom, as a lover of warmth and high humidity. As a low-maintenance plant, the pothos can survive the hand of neglectful parenting quite well. Think of low light conditions and infrequent watering. As well as the increasingly dry air in the wintertime thanks to heating vents and fireplaces. 

Although it can survive in less-than-ideal environments, the pothos will thrive in temperatures between 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. As for humidity, it’ll be happy with anywhere between 50 to 70 percent but can survive in lower percentages. 

Aesthetically, the pothos is also an excellent choice for the bathroom as it is a fast-growing, trailing houseplant. It usually comes in a hanging basket from the garden center, so hang it on your shower rod and create an instant indoor jungle.

It's Bath Time!

Tropical plants are lovers of humidity, but the houseplants featured in the above list are happiest in higher-than-usual humidity levels ranging from 50 to 80 percent. As this level of humidity is difficult to achieve in most homes, it makes the bathroom an ideal home for humidity-loving plants.

Can you think of more plants that are perfect for the bathroom? Share them in the comments below.