I keep seeing gorgeous bathrooms on Pinterest with plants tucked into every corner, and I wanted that look in my own bathroom.
The catch is that my only window is small and the shower curtain covers it, so the room gets very little light. I’ve been struggling to find plants that can actually handle those conditions, so I did the research and I’m sharing it here in case you’re in the same boat.
The short answer: there are nine easy-going, forgiving indoor plants can little to no light as well as your bathroom humidity.
The honest caveat is that no plant survives total darkness for good, so a truly windowless bathroom needs a grow bulb – or be sure to give them a weekend vacation in a well-lit room every month or so.
Below are nine plants for bathroom with no windows, plus the simple tricks that keep them alive.
Quick Picks for Low-Light Bathrooms
- Easiest to keep alive: ZZ plant or snake plant
- Best for a humid bathroom: peace lily or Chinese evergreen
- Best for hanging: pothos
- Safe for cats and dogs: spider plant or cast iron plant
The Best Bathroom Plants for Low Light / No Windows
All of these nine plants for your bathroom tolerate low light… and several can live in windowless rooms for weeks at a time. Of course, growth will be slower than in a bright room, and that’s normal. I just take mine for a little light-filled weekend vacation every month or so and let them in the kitchen window for the weekend.
Bathroom Plant #1: The Pothos
Pothos is the overachiever of the plant world. It trails, vines and looks lush even in low light and steamy air, though the variegation can fade a little in dim spots (think of it as a plant losing its tan). Let the top of the soil dry out between waterings, because yes, even a plant living in the dark still wants a drink. Toxic to pets, so hang it out of reach.
You may be able to find these easy to grow, very forgiving plants for slightly less at your local home improvement store, but I’ve been really impressed with the last two live plants I ordered online…
Live Indoor Plant, Trailing Vine, Air Purifying | Fast-growing trailing vine, one of the easiest to grow.
Snake Plant
If you’ve ever killed a plant by looking at it, meet your new best friend. Snake plant is practically indestructible and perfectly happy in very low light. Its only real weakness is too much love, so go easy on the watering in a humid bathroom. Toxic to pets if chewed.
ZZ Plant
ZZ plant is basically the camel of houseplants. It stores water in those thick stems, so forgotten waterings and dim corners barely faze it. It grows slowly in low light, but it keeps that glossy, polished look anyway. I have two of them in my house and am amazed that I’ve had them for many years and haven’t killed them – sometimes mine go a month or more without being watered. (eek!)
** Quick note: Make sure your fur babies don’t chew on the leaves, as they can be toxic.
Peace Lily
Peace lily is the drama queen of the bunch, and honestly, that’s helpful. It flops over dramatically when it’s thirsty, then perks right back up after a drink, so it basically texts you when it needs water. A steamy bathroom is its happy place. It may skip the white blooms in very low light, but the leaves stay lush.
**Please note that this one can also be toxic to pets.
Cast Iron Plant
Cast iron plant earned its name the hard way. Deep shade, irregular watering, a little neglect? It’ll live. Growth is slow, but the dark, arching leaves look elegant for years. A good pet-safe pick.
Looking for a low maintenance, drought-tolerant, low light plant for your home? This one checks ALL the boxes!
Chinese Evergreen
Chinese evergreen is the pick for pattern and color without the fuss. It does best in low to medium light and handles humidity like a champ. Pro tip: the darker-leaved varieties cope with the dimmest rooms best, so skip the super-pale ones. Toxic to pets.
Lucky Bamboo
Lucky bamboo grows in water, which means there’s no soil to overwater (hello, foolproof). Pop it in a pretty vase on a shelf or the back of the toilet, and change the water every week or two. Toxic to pets.
Spider Plant
Spider plant is easy, pet-safe and a total show-off once it starts dangling baby plants from a hanging planter. The stripes can fade in low light. And if you spot brown tips, don’t panic. It’s usually minerals in your tap water, not a dying plant.
Heartleaf Philodendron
Heartleaf philodendron brings the romance, with soft, heart-shaped leaves that tolerate low light and drape beautifully over a shelf. It’s pretty and hard to mess up, which is exactly what you want. Toxic to pets.
How to Keep Plants Alive in a Bathroom With No Window
Here’s the truth nobody puts on the plant tag: low light plants still need some light. These habits are the difference between a plant that merely survives and one that actually looks good.
- Add a grow bulb. A full-spectrum LED bulb in your existing bathroom fixture, or a small clip-on grow light, is the easiest fix. Run it on a timer for roughly 8 to 12 hours a day so you don’t have to remember.
- Send them on vacation. Every month or so, swap them into a brighter room for a week or two, then bring them back. They return looking like they just left a spa.
- Water, but don’t drown them. Plants in dim rooms use water slowly, and humid air keeps the soil damp even longer, so check with your finger first. (Yes, you still have to water plants that live in the dark. I know. It feels like a trick.)
- Dust the leaves. Dust blocks what little light there is, so a quick wipe with a damp cloth is basically a free light upgrade.
- Pick pots with drainage. Set them on a saucer so roots never sit in water. Soggy roots are a top plant killer.
Shower Plants and Hanging Plants: Styling Ideas
Now for the fun part. Plants that tolerate steamy air were practically made for bathrooms, and styling them is how you get that magazine look without hiring a designer.
- Hang a trailing plant. Pothos, spider plant or heartleaf philodendron look amazing from a ceiling hook or the shower rod. Just keep them out of the direct spray.
- Style a shelf. Group two or three small pots at different heights over the toilet or on a floating shelf. Odd numbers look intentional.
- Claim that awkward corner. A snake plant or ZZ plant fills an empty corner and takes up almost no floor space.
- Try a vase. Lucky bamboo in a glass or ceramic vase looks spa-like on a counter or tub ledge, and you can’t overwater it.
- Match your pots. Matching planters in one color or material keep a small bathroom looking calm instead of cluttered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can plants live in a bathroom with no window?
Not for long without a little help. The plants above tolerate very low light, but they still need some, so add a grow bulb on a timer or send them on a weekend vacation to a brighter room now and then. Think of it as a spa break.
Do bathroom plants absorb moisture?
Not in any way that dries out your bathroom, sorry. They tolerate humidity beautifully, which is why they love this room, but they won’t act as a dehumidifier.
Which bathroom plants are safe for cats and dogs?
Spider plant and cast iron plant are generally listed as non-toxic to pets. The rest (pothos, snake plant, ZZ plant, peace lily, Chinese evergreen, lucky bamboo and philodendron) are not, so keep them out of reach and check the ASPCA plant list if you have curious pets.
What’s the easiest plant for a dark bathroom?
ZZ plant and snake plant. Both shrug off low light and forgetful watering, which makes them perfect if you’re nervous about killing plants. (No judgment here.)
Bring the Green Into Your Bathroom
A dim bathroom doesn’t have to stay plant-free. Pick one or two of these, add a grow bulb if you need it, and build from there. And remember: even in the dark, they still need water!
These hardy little plants work well in lower light rooms, including your bathroom!
