TURN YOUR BATHROOM INTO AN OASIS PARADISE

For many, a lush oasis of greenery in our bathroom would be a dream come true. Imagine a tamed jungle where the human world blends seamlessly with nature. We’re thinking of a couple of hanging indoor plant pots over the shower, a few small vases adorning the window, and a big leafy centerpiece to bring the whole room together. Doesn’t that sound idyllic?

In reality, a bathroom oasis can be a little trickier than expected to achieve: limited natural light and considerable moisture can combine with inappropriate plant choice and improper care to turn even the best intentions into a droopy nightmare.

That’s why we’re here to let you in on some of the best specimens for a bathroom environment as well as the key factors you need to take into consideration.

The first factor to consider is the level of natural light your bathroom experiences throughout the day. Unfortunately, many bathrooms - particularly those in smaller apartments - are limited in the amount of quality natural light they receive. Fear not, many tropical plants thrive in low-light, high-moisture environments. 

While these plants do well in restricted lighting, none can exist without any light at all. That means you may be out of luck if you don’t have at least a small window in your bathroom (unless you’re looking to invest in an artificial lighting source).

With lighting considered, the next step is to find plants that love moisture. Bathrooms can be pretty steamy places, perfect for some plants, much less so for others. As you’ll recall if you perused our tips on cacti & succulent care, such plants prefer occasional misting over constant humidity and would therefore be a poor choice for a bathroom. On the other side of the coin, below is a list of plants that will literally THANK you for placing them in the wettest room in the house. 

Remember, whatever plant you go for, it is also important to choose planters and pots with drainage to make sure they don’t become over-saturated.

Here are our favorite bathroom plants:

• The Pilea Peperomoides finds its home in tropical environments and absolutely thrives under humid conditions. However, it does require bright indirect light so if your bathroom is particularly starved of light keep reading for more suitable alternatives. This plant is featured below potted in our subtle Banjo Terrazzo Planter in salt tones.

• The Fiddle Fig Leaf is a large leafy plant ideally suited as a focal point for open spaces. They demand humid environments as well as warmer climates so make sure to consider the continual temperature in your bathroom. One of our larger planters with a drainage tray in-built would be the perfect accompaniment to this green beauty.

• For more moderately humid rooms (larger bathrooms, for example) the Calathea Lancifolia may be the one for you. Nicknamed the rattlesnake plant for its distinct slender, pale green leaves, this plant has a striking profile and prefers medium indirect light to grow.

• The Alocasia is one for people who prefer a bit of a gardening challenge over low-maintenance plants. They thrive in humid environments and love being well misted from time to time but hate to sit in wet soil for any length of time. Pictured below in our Archie Terrazzo Planter in terracotta is a perfect example of how breathtaking this unique plant can be with attentive care.

• The humble Spider Plant looks picture perfect in a well-proportioned hanging planter that allows its considerable foliage to hang naturally. The spider plant is versatile and does well in bright indirect sunlight but can also thrive in low-light environments.

• The Watermelon Peperomia - named so for its watermelon-esque rounded leaves - is a fan of regular misting and humid rooms. Medium-bright indirect sunlight is most suited to get the most out of this striking plant native to South China.

• Last, but by no means least, we have the ZZ plant. This is one of the hardiest and most low-maintenance plants, renowned for its ability to tolerate a wide range of light and moisture environments. 

It can be easier to forget about plants in the bathroom as you don’t see them as often and it is sometimes wrongly assumed they can be left to live purely on the moisture in the room. These plants need to be cared for just as much as plants in any other room. Make sure to choose a planter with drainage and rotate regularly to prevent leaning toward, what is often, the only source of light in the room.

Now go forth and create your own slice of jungle paradise. Trust us, showering will have never felt so exotic! We can’t wait to see what you do with our favorite tropical plants.

Xx - The Capra Design Team