Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Ensuite Ideas

How to make plants work in your bathroom

All you need to know. - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
  • 18 Sep 2019
How to make plants work in your bathroom
Getty

One of the easiest - and most cost-effective - ways to give your bathroom an instant lift is with an indoor plant. Greenery not only breaks up an expanse of tiles, it also adds texture, colour and interest to a bathroom. 

But what kind of plants work best in a bathroom? 

We get the low-down from BHG's horticulturalist Jenny Dillon. 

What do plants need to survive in a bathroom?

Many people think bathroom plants need to survive heat and moisture. That’s because the longest time they usually spend in a bathroom is when they’re having a shower and so they associate the bathroom with heat and steam.

sfgirlbybay View Profile
4,698 likes - View Post on Instagram
will miss tub time here. will just have to bathe in the sea!

But that shower may only last for about 5 to 15 minutes and, for the rest of the day, the bathroom is at your normal room temperature and dry.

The exception may be if you have a household that includes five teenagers and you have only one bathroom, in which case any understory plant from steamy tropical areas is ideal.

apartmenttherapy View Profile
11.3k likes - View Post on Instagram
This home in Australia has a way with words. We can't get enough of all the plant-filled details throughout the space. Click the link in our bio for the full tour! (Home: @hallocameo, Image: @nataliejeffcott).

What about light?

The biggest consideration, and one so often overlooked, is the light. Bathroom windows are either covered with blinds or shutters or the glass is frosted to maintain privacy.

So while the room may seem ‘light’, it is usually not light enough for most plants to thrive. In which case, you need a shade-tolerant plant.

andthentheywentwild View Profile
1,667 likes - View Post on Instagram
Well its been a bonkers but lovely few days on Instagram with lots of new followers and messages that came via @hygge_for_home and also @gold_is_a_neutral as well as some fab shout outs by others so thank you so much - a real corker of a way to start the year. Anyway all that got me excited and so I thought I would host my first giveaway tomorrow in celebration 🥳 - and it is related to this bathroom here ☝️ - our ensuite. So keep your eyes peeled tomorrow folks to be in with a chance of winning the mystery prize. . . . #andthentheywentwild#bathrooms_of_insta#roomporn#bathroomdesign#bathroomgoals#bathroomdecor#bathroominspo#dreambathroom#apartmenttherapy#bathroomremodel#interior_delux#interiormilk#interior4all#interiorinspo#cornerofmyhome#giveaway#ihavethisthingwithpink#dspink#bathroom#bathroomsofinstagram#bathroomdecor#flashesofdelight#interior_and_living#inspiringinteriors#bathroominspiration#interiordesigner#styleithappy#myhomevibe#elledecor

What are the top 5 plants for the bathroom?

  1. Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra Elatior)
  2. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp)
  3. Ferns, such as maidenhair (Adiantum sp) or Boston (Nephrolepis exaltata)
  4. Smaller varieties of bromeliads
  5. Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
hygge_for_home View Profile
5,270 likes - View Post on Instagram
Holiday nights with little ones is the same at home, laptop out & @pinterestuk at the ready! 😂 I need your help!! What bath shall I go for?! A dark painted roll top or swipe right for a white bath & something a little more modern?! I never thought in a million years I would be drawn to a more modern bath but then I didn't think I would ever buy a bungalow! How times have changed! 😂 . Hope everyone back home in the UK is enjoying the sunshine! ☀️☀️☀️ . Picture credit: @pinterestuk please let me know if you know who owns these dream bathrooms! . . . #bathroomdesign #mybathroom #dreambathroom #inspiremyinstagram #rolltopbath #freestandingbath #bathroomsofinsta #bathroomsofinstagram #bathroomdesign #bathroomideas #renovation #myhyggehome #whiteinterior #bankholidayweekend #renovationlife #renovationideas #renovationmaison #bungalow #bungalowrenovation

What plants don’t work in bathrooms?

Most flowering plants don’t thrive because they need lots of light to produce energy, much of which is spent on producing flowers and fruit.

Most succulents because they thrive in hot, dry, very sunny conditions.

margaret.wright View Profile
661 likes - View Post on Instagram
Real life is a plant in the sink getting watered and toilet paper that I didn't scoot far enough out of the shot and a planter that I really need to move up a size... but this is still my favorite view in the house. Sponsored by @villalagoontile with those gorgeous trippy floor tiles that I can never get enough of.

How should you care for your bathroom plant?

Place it as close as possible to natural light

Maintain soil moisture according to the plant’s needs (which is on the plant’s tag when you buy it).

When watering, water the soil, not the leaves.

Change the potting mix every couple of years. The plant’s roots draw nutrients from the mix, and this nutrient supply is finite. Also, over time, the mix becomes compacted, so oxygen can’t get to the roots.

You might also like:

Transform a rental bathroom on a budget

Five fuss-free plants

How to grow and care for a monstera deliciosa or Swiss cheese plant

  • Decorating
  • Bathroom Renovations
  • Ensuite Ideas
  • Shower Ideas
  • Indoor Plants
Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
Rebecca is the Digital Managing Editor of Better Homes and Gardens.

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

“Toilet with a view”: the bathroom trend quickly gaining in popularity

“Toilet with a view”: the bathroom trend quickly gaining in popularity

How to care for your indoor plants in winter

How to care for your indoor plants in winter

7 ways to winter proof your bathroom

7 ways to winter proof your bathroom

10 of the best large indoor pots to elevate your plant game

10 of the best large indoor pots to elevate your plant game

{headline}

{headline}

Bath towels vs bath sheets

Bath towels vs bath sheets

Best 10 indoor plants at Bunnings

Best 10 indoor plants at Bunnings

The new way to treat your plants that has experts divided

The new way to treat your plants that has experts divided

{headline}

{headline}

Aldi has announced a huge plant sale with everything under $20

Aldi has announced a huge plant sale with everything under $20

Where to buy plants online: 9 stores that deliver plants to your door

Where to buy plants online: 9 stores that deliver plants to your door

3 of the best ways to get rid of gnats in indoor plants

3 of the best ways to get rid of gnats in indoor plants

7 of the best plants that will survive on your office desk

7 of the best plants that will survive on your office desk

The music you play at home can affect how your plants grow

The music you play at home can affect how your plants grow

5 reasons why your terrarium is dying

5 reasons why your terrarium is dying

This pot will tell you when your plant needs sun or water

This pot will tell you when your plant needs sun or water

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • 7mate
  • 7NEWS
  • 7Sport
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Shop This Offer
Treat yourself to a subscription