Top 10 Plants That Will Thrive in Your Bathroom—Even With Little Light

 If you're lucky enough to have a luxurious, bright bathroom that allows you to apply your skincare routine in amazing natural light, then that's great. However, many homes and city apartments feature small bathroom with tiny windows that barely let any light in—or no windows at all.

If you're dreaming of that spa bathroom feeling, but you have a bathroom with low light or even no light, does that mean you have to give up on your dream of a plant-filled shower? "No light is not an option for plants," The Houseplant Guru Lisa Eldred Steinkopf says.

At the end of the day, plants need water and light to live, so if you a windowless bathroom but really want it to house plants, you'll have to get creative.

Add Grow Lights

Plants need light to live, so if your bathroom is windowless or has extremely low light, consider adding grow lights to your space. These will help your plant thrive (not just survive) in your space.

Consider Faux Plants or Dried Flowers

If you have absolutely no light in your bathroom and don't want to add grow lights, you will want to add faux plants to your space. Faux plants look like real plants, don't require water or light, and are impossible to kill. Dried flowers or plants such as dried eucalyptus also do well in the bathroom to create a spa-like atmosphere without asking anything of you in return.

Switch Out Your Plants

If you don't have enough light in your bathroom for a plant to survive, you could also consider rotating a few low-light plants between your bathroom and another room that does receive light. This way, your plant is getting the light it needs to survive, and you're also getting to enjoy it in your windowless bathroom.

However, if you have a bathroom with a small window, you have a few more options. "When choosing a plant for a low light situation in a bathroom, make sure it likes high humidity," Steinkopf says.

Your bathroom will create a humid atmosphere, which some plants will love, while others...not so much. "Though there are plants that like high humidity, they may not like low light. Air plants are an example: they would love the high humidity but need a bright to high light to thrive," she adds.

Read on for 10 plants that would thrive in a low-light bathroom.

01 of 10

ZZ Plant

Abitare Studio

• Botanical name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
• Sun exposure: Low to partial, indirect light
• Soil type: Commercial potting soil
• Soil pH: 6.0–7.0

ZZ Plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), also known as aroid palms, are notoriously easy to care for, as they can tolerate low light and prefer to dry out in between waterings. These tropical perennials would be fine in any shady spot in your space, including your bathroom.

02 of 10

Pothos

Chicago Gardener

• Botanical name: Epipremnum aureum
• Sun exposure: Indirect light
• Soil type: Well-drained potting mix
• Soil pH: 6.1–6.5

Another easy-to-care-for houseplant, Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), also known as Devil's Ivy, can thrive in a variety of different environments, including low light spaces. Pothos love humidity, so a bathroom is a great place for them to showcase their long, cascading vines.

03 of 10

Heartleaf Philodendron

Black & Blooms

• Botanical Name: Philodendron hederaceum
• Sun Exposure: Low to bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Rich, loose potting mix
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.0

The heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) is sometimes confused with Pothos, but its truly heart-shaped leaves are the marker of this plant. This classic variety of Philodendron would love to hang from a ceiling or shelf in your bathroom, or really, in most parts of your home with low to medium light.

04 of 10

English Ivy

Bespoke Only

• Botanical Name: Hedera helix
• Sun Exposure: Low to bright light
• Soil Type: Standard potting soil
• Soil pH: 6.0-7.8

Any dark leaf ivy such as English Ivy (Hedera helix) would do well in a low-light bathroom because, in general, dark leaf ivy loves humidity and will grow and multiply in many different atmospheres, including full shade. So, your bathroom with a small window will still give enough light for English Ivy to grow.

05 of 10

Boston fern

Mocha Girl Place

• Botanical Name: Nephrolepis exaltata
• Sun Exposure: Indirect light
• Soil Type: Loamy, well-draining potting soil
• Soil pH: 5.0-5.5

Ferns love a good shady spot and thrive in humid atmospheres. Whether a shaded porch in the South or a humid, lowly lit bathroom, a Bosten fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) would be happy in either.

06 of 10

Aglaonema

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• Botanical Name: Aglaonema commutatum
• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Peat-based potting soil
• Soil pH: 5.6–6.5

Want something more than a green vining plant in your bathroom? Would you rather have a little color in your tiny spa? Try Aglaonema (Aglaonema commutatum), also known as the Chinese evergreen. This plant's bright colors and bold patterns will bring so much life to your space that you'll forget you only have a small window.

07 of 10

Dieffenbachia

Abitare Studio

• Botanical Name: Dieffenbachia
• Sun Exposure: Low to bright light
• Soil Type: Moist and well-drained
• Soil pH: 6.1–6.5

Dieffenbachia, known as Dumb Cane Plant, is toxic if ingested and can cause temporary speechlessness, which is how it got its name. But, as long as you don't ingest it, you can enjoy this lush, leafy plant that loves moist, steamy environments—like your bathroom.

08 of 10

Calathea

sarayut Thaneerat

• Botanical Name: Calathea
• Sun Exposure: Low to bright, indirect light
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining soil
• Soil pH: 6.5

Calatheas are a part of the Marantaceae family, also known as the Prayer Plant family. These plants got their nickname because their leaves turn up at night, as if in prayer, while they remain open during the day. Calatheas love humidity, so it will be more than happy in your bathroom.

09 of 10

Peace Lily

Black & Blooms

• Botanical Name: Spathiphyllum
• Sun Exposure: Low, indirect light
• Soil Type: Well-draining potting soil
• Soil pH: 5.0-6.5

The Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) is a common but beautiful air-purifying houseplant. What appears to be a white flower protruding from its voluptuous leaves is actually a thick spathe (a spike housing lots of tiny flowers) that aids in air purification.

10 of 10

Cast Iron Plant

Matthew Ward / Getty Images

• Botanical Name: Aspidistra elatior
• Sun Exposure: Low light
• Soil Type: All-purpose potting mix
• Soil pH: 5.5-6.5

The Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) is one of the most indestructible houseplants you can own. It can thrive in very, very low light and is drought tolerant, as well, so if your low light bathroom is causing a problem for your other plants, the Cast Iron Plant can withstand it.

If you have a bathroom with no light, remember to add grow lights or rotate your plants into another room that does receive natural light. But, if you have a bathroom with a small window or one that doesn't get a lot of natural light, don't fear—you still have many options for your low-light, high humidity space.