Top 6 Houseplants for the Bathroom

While installing one or more houseplants in the bathroom is a great idea the choice of plants that will thrive in this situation is somewhat tricky. The plants will have to be able to cope with periods of warm damp heat followed by longer cooler intervals probably with low light levels. This article by Georgia Madden which I found on the Houzz website describes six houseplants that will fill the bill.

Plants are a beautiful addition to bathrooms. They bring a touch of nature into the space and give anyone who enters an immediate sense of calm and well-being ? perfect for a room that?s all about cleansing and relaxation. Plus, they soften the lines of tiles and bathroom fixtures. Here, Richard Unsworth, garden designer and owner of the Sydney firm Garden Life, answers your questions about choosing a plant for your bathroom.

The Design Villa

What should I look for? The bathroom?s moist environment is generally good for plants. But you should choose ones that can cope with the room?s wide temperature fluctuations ? warm when someone is showering and cold when it?s left unused for several hours.
And since many bathrooms receive low levels of sunlight, plants should be able to cope with that too.

Alexandra Crafton

In fact, the most important thing is to pick plants that suit the level of natural light in your bathroom, Unsworth says. They should also suit the level of care you?re prepared to give them. Ferns, for example, require far more care to survive than succulents do.
What are the best plants? Unsworth offers his top picks for bathrooms below.

• Mother-in-law?s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata): This tough indoor succulent, pictured in foreground, has vertical sword-shaped leaves. It copes well in bathrooms, and it looks terrific. ?I have [one] in my own bathroom, and it?s such a good performer. It?s easy to care for too ? I simply run it under the shower every couple of weeks,? Unsworth says.
• Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior): This is another hardy, good-looking plant that thrives in moist spots such as bathrooms. It has relatively low water requirements ? simply put it under the shower every week in summer and even less in winter.