Pick of the houseplants that will thrive in your bathroom

Orchids in a bathroom (Image: Archant)

The bathroom is possibly the best room in the house to keep plants. Much like outdoors the temperature alters, the climate switches between high humidity and drier air, and it’s a source of water. It makes for an excellent environment for house plants, and a flourishing green bathroom looks fantastic. It’s also a great opportunity to introduce more climate-controlled tropical foliage into your home.

Here are the plant species that will thrive in a bathroom environment.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a natural choice for the bathroom given its use in many moisturising products. It gives a real sense of nature in a bathroom space, and comes in a variety of shapes and colours depending on its growth-stage. Try not to position it in direct sunlight or it could singe the leaves – it does enjoy a light room overall though. The best thing about it is that the humidity that your bathroom creates will provide enough of a water source to keep it flourishing healthily.

Aloe Vera (Image: Archant)

Ferns

Possibly the best plant to have in the bathroom is the Boston Fern, given that it loves humidity. Quite often these die quickly in other parts of the house, unless you mist them regularly. In the bathroom, they are misted whenever you have a shower (ideally daily). Maidenhair Ferns are a different species of this plant family, a little less straggly looking and very luscious.

Ferns are full plants, that stretch out and look luxuriant and copious when at their healthiest. They enjoy peat moss, not too much fertilizer and damp soil. What keeps their leaves green is the humidity they enjoy – so if they start to go a little yellow then your showers aren’t hot enough.

Begonias

Boston Fern (Image: Archant)

Begonias are flowering plants that thrive in a climate of high moisture. They don’t like to be water-logged and appreciate the humidity of bathroom air. These are a great choice for the bathroom should you wish to inject splashes of colour here and there around the room.

Ficus

For a floor-plant option, tall standing ficus plants – or rubber plants, as they are also known – add height to the space. Display in an interesting pot and place in the corner, by the shower or even as a way of disguising the laundry baskets. These produce large impressive leaves and enjoy the temperature of this part of the house. They look great in more spacious bathrooms and make for a focal point in the room.

Ivy

Ivy’s creeping and crawling nature means you can coax it to grow around a mirror, across the back of the basin area, down from a hanging basket or even around the bath or shower using the piping as a trellis. You’ll feel as though you’re showering in a jungle waterfall – if you like that sort of thing!

Dracaena

These are like miniature palm trees. Dracaena, or dragon plants, come in a few varieties, but all of them are at risk of brown and dry leaf tips in low-humidity households. It stands to reason then, that this plant of tropical origin is perfect for the bathroom. The natural humidity will keep it — and the room — looking fresh and

flawless.

Eucalyptus

Much like Aloe Vera, these produce essential oils that are often used as an antiseptic to treat wounds and are added to soaps and lotions. Often, at a spa or in a steam room, the air will be scented with eucalyptus plants – they are great for cleansing the sinuses – and featuring them in your own bathroom will provide a pleasant menthol aroma. Allow them decent light, water regularly, don’t flood and be aware that the indoor versions of eucalyptus don’t normally flower.

Orchids

Orchids are stunning, graceful and classic florals. They can prove tricky to care for given that their main appeal is the flower but they make striking additions to a bathroom and do well in this environment too. They need a lot of water, but the trick is to allow them to dry out between watering. They enjoy humidity and need fertilizing weekly or biweekly while they are producing new growth (decrease to monthly or bimonthly intervals once they mature and cease fertilization when they become dormant).