A List of Plants You Can Keep in Your Shower
If you didn’t think you could grow houseplants in the shower, prepare for a revelation. Not only do plants add a dash of natural beauty to your shower, but some actually thrive in the moist, humid conditions it offers. Choose your plant wisely, and you’ll even see improvements in your bathroom’s air quality, moisture levels, and bacteria count. If you’re ready to transform your shower from a boring old fixture into an oasis of tranquility with the help of a few green beauties, here are 20 shower plants to check out.
1. Golden Pothos
As Tree Hugger says, the Golden Pothos is a forgiving plant that can make even a novice gardener feel like a seasoned caregiver. It loves high humidity, so is perfect for a bathroom, and looks great hanging inside a shower with its heart-shaped leaves trailing to the ground. It’s incredibly easy-going, with a preference for bright, indirect light but a tolerance for shade or even artificial lightening. In terms of maintenance, an occasional drop of water when the first inch of soil starts to feel dry along with monthly fertilizing is all that’s needed. If you’re looking for an attractive plant that’s almost impossible to kill, this is the one for you.
2. Staghorn Fern
Staghorn Fern is a type of epiphyte that grows naturally on the side of the trees. They prefer indirect, medium to bright light and as much humidity as you can throw their way, making them ideally suited to the bathroom. They look lovely growing on a plaque on the shower wall – look for a plant that’s already been mounted for wall hanging if you want to make things easy for yourself, or make your own creation with a cedar board and some wiring. Once it’s in place, the only thing you’ll need to do is make sure it stays moist.
3. English Ivy
As Hunker notes, NASA named English Ivy as one of the best air purifying plants, making it a great choice of shower plant. It’s also gorgeously romantic – hang it in a pot and let the sunlight filter through its leaves to add an instant hit of glamour to your bathroom. As they love to climb, you could even try training it up a pipe or post in the shower for a rainforest-like showering experience. To keep it happy, make sure the soil stays evenly moist and give it a dose of fertilizer once a month.
4. Dragon Tree
If you tend to kill a plant as soon as look at it, you might want to consider the Dragon Tree. It’s pretty indestructible, regardless of how carelessly it gets treated, making it the ideal houseplant for plant owners with an abundance of good intentions but an absence of green fingers. Although it’s naturally resistant to drought, it doesn’t mind high humidity and will live happily enough in a corner of your shower. Dragon Tree’s prefer low to medium indirect light and rich, well-draining soil. Just be aware that some indoor varieties can reach almost six feet in height, so choose your placement well.
5. Dracaena
If you like variety, check out the Dracaena. There are around 120 different varieties in total, all with their own distinctive looks. The one thing that they all have in common is that they’re low maintenance and tend to thrive in the moist, humid conditions found in showers. They prefer bright light, but will tolerate low light too. Providing you let them dry out between waterings, you’ll find them a great, no-fuss addition to your bathroom.
6. Boston Ferns
Once beloved by Victorians, the Boston Fern has shaken off its fusty image and re-emerged as one of the trendiest houseplants around. Their long, delicate leaves look beautiful on a high ledge or in a hanging basket. The filtered light and humidity of the shower suit them down to the ground. They love water, so be sure to give them a good splash whenever you’re showering. As they soak up moisture and humidity, they’re an excellent (and very attractive) way of keeping your bathroom mold and mildew free.
7. Air Plant
Air Plants might well be the easiest shower plants on the scene. As epiphytes, they don’t need any soil and can simply soak up any water their need from the air (providing the air is moist, which, considering we’re talking about showers, shouldn’t present a problem). As they’re so light and don’t require any pots, you can let your imagination go wild with where and how you place them. It’s worth being mindful that some species are at risk due to overcollection, so make sure that the ones you buy have been grown in a nursery rather than foraged.
8. Lucky Bamboo
With its distinctive stalks and minimalist aesthetic, the Lucky Bambo is a great way to add some natural decoration to your shower. If you feel like getting fancy, you can train the stalks into spirals or lattices as it grows. They can be grown either in rich, well-draining soil or in water- if you choose the latter, just be sure to change the water every couple of weeks to keep the plant healthy. They prefer indirect light, and tolerate low light better than they do full sun.
9. Tropical Pitcher Plant
If you want something slightly different from the norm, take the advice of showerjungle.com and opt for a Tropical Pitcher Plant. Their bell-shaped flowers are wonderfully distinctive and come in a wide variety of hues. They look lovely as a hanging plant, on a shower shelf, or simply popped on the shower floor. They love moist soil and high humidity, making them perfect for the shower. As an added advantage, they’re carnivorous, and while they’re unlikely to do you any harm if you brush up against them, the same can’t be said for any pesky flies (although be aware that if they don’t come by them naturally, you’ll need to supplement their diet with the occasional, insect, freeze-dried bloodworms, cricket, or a pinch of flake fish food).
10. Spider Plant
As Country Living notes, Spider Plants are easy to grow and perfect for hanging baskets. They’re pretty tough, which makes them ideal as a shower plant for newbie plant owners. Their strappy, arching leaves soak up moisture, so make sure to give them plenty of water. They prefer light if possible, but won’t throw a tantrum even in poorly lit conditions. They’re exceptionally easy to propagate too – simply snip off the tiny plantlets before dividing and replanting.
11. Snake Plant
The Snake Plant is an easy-growing plant that requires minimal attention to thrive. It can tolerate low light and high humidity, so is perfect for showers. Its sharp, upright leaves look a little like green swords, giving them a very distinctive look that’s sure to add some pizzazz to your bathroom. You might occasionally be blessed with a profusion of small, white flowers, although as they only bloom very occasionally, don’t hold your breath. To keep them in good health, plant them in a well-draining potting mix and allow the soil to dry out between drinks.
12. Moth Orchid
If you want to add a touch of tropical flair to your bathroom, look no further than the Moth Orchid. With their stunning curve of blossom and glossy foliage, they’re a showstopper. As rainforest epiphytes, there designed to grow in tree bark, but will fare very nicely in damp, warm shower conditions providing they have access to bright, filtered light. Although orchids have a reputation for being demanding, Moth Orchids are surprisingly low maintenance, blooming often and requiring very little maintenance – just make sure to let the soil dry out between waterings.
13. Peperomia
Peperomias are small, pretty, and incredibly low maintenance. They don’t need much water, so keep them on a shelf to avoid them getting soaked. They love humidity and will do a great job of soaking up any excess moisture in the air. They prefer low, indirect light, so be wary if your shower is in front of a window.
14. Heartleaf Philodendron
As their name implies, the Heartleaf Philodendron is a stunner, with large, heart-shaped leaves that are guaranteed to add some flair to your bathroom. They thrive in low light and high humidity, which, coupled with their appreciation for a good drink, makes them ideal for showers. Maintenance is minimal, although you might want to try pinching back the growing tips to keep the plant looking full and bushy. If you’d rather the leaves drape over the side of the pot, leave the tips to grow out. Keep an eye on the soil to make sure it doesn’t become too parched, but be sure to let it dry out adequately between waterings.
15. Peace Lily
If you want something beautiful, undemanding, and guaranteed to add some zen to your bathroom, look no further than the Peace Lily. With their bright green leave and elegant ivory flowers, few plants can match them in the beauty stakes. They’re also hard workers – if you want to purify your air without spending a fortune on a machine, one or two of these in your shower will do the job just as well. Their care needs are minimal, and unless you tend to go for several months between showers, they’re unlikely to need any watering at all thanks to the humidity. If they start to sag, take it as a sign that they need a drink. Otherwise, a bi-annual dose of fertilizer will be all that’s needed to keep them in tip-top shape.
16. Eternity Plant
The Eternity Plant is, if not eternal, than robust enough to survive almost indefinitely with next to no attention. It needs a drop of water now and again (in most cases, once a month will suffice), some well-draining potting soil, and that’s it. It prefers indirect bright light but will tolerate both low light and direct light.
17. Earth Star
As The Spruce notes, up until recently, bromeliads like the Earth Star were considered advanced or expert houseplants, more fit for a greenhouse than a normal home. But finally, the tide is turning, with increasing numbers of people realizing just how easily bromeliads can be adapted to regular home environments. Earth Stars make a particularly attractive addition to a shower, boasting uniquely patterned foliage that’s sure to catch an eye or two. They live naturally on tropical forest floors, so are well suited to the high humidity and low light of the bathroom. Their needs are minimal – simply make sure they have a little water collected in the cups at the base of the leaves, and that’s it.
18. Chinese Evergreen
If you struggle to keep plants alive, the Chinese Evergreen might be the one for you. A slow-growing foliage plant with long, strappy leaves with a silvery hue, it’s almost impossible to kill. Providing the soil is kept lightly moist, it’ll make few demands other than requesting the occasional splash of fertilizer. Just bear in mind that it comes in various varieties, some of which need more light than others. As a rule of thumb, the paler the leaves, the more light it needs. If your shower is in a shaded spot, opt for the forest-green species plant. If it benefits from bright, indirect sun, one of the pale variegated varieties will be ideal.
19. Calathea
Calatheas adore low light and high humidity. Providing they get both, you’ll find them an extremely low-maintenance, colorful addition to your shower. If they’re already established, they’ll do best on the floor. if they’re still small and young, they’ll look lovely parked on a shelf.
20. Prayer Plant
The Prayer Plant doesn’t get much publicity, but these underrated beauties make great houseplants, boasting distinctive, red-veined leaves that curl up as though in prayer when it’s dark. They aren’t fussy, but prefer moderate light and moist soil. They’re small enough to be grown on a shelf when they’re young but may need to be repotted and placed on the floor once they hit maturity.