Last updated on October 11, 2026
The best plants for bathroom spots with little light are pothos, snake plant, ZZ plant, Chinese evergreen and cast iron plant. University of Missouri Extension rates all of them as tolerating low light, and says plants in a room with no natural light need artificial light 16 to 18 hours a day.
Light decides which plant lives in a bathroom, more than steam does.
I spent years in a north-facing apartment, and I use grow lights for the darkest corners now, so I’d sort the best plants for bathroom use by window first and humidity second. Missouri Extension calls a lack of adequate light the most common thing limiting houseplant growth at home.
Best plants for bathroom, by how much light it gets
Find your bathroom in the first column. Light and humidity notes are from University of Missouri Extension unless another source is named.
| Your bathroom | Plant | Light and moisture notes |
|---|---|---|
| No window (lamp on a timer) | Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) | Tolerates light as low as 10 foot-candles |
| No window (lamp on a timer) | Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) | One of the best where only low light exists |
| No window or small window | Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) | Satisfactory in low and medium light |
| No window or small window | Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) | Tolerates poor light; avoid overwatering |
| Small window | ZZ plant | On University of Maryland Extension’s low-light list (25 to 100 foot-candles) |
| Small window | Heartleaf philodendron | Tolerates low light |
| Small window | Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) | Adapts to low light but needs medium light to flower; don’t let it dry out |
| Small or bright window | Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) | Tolerates low light, grows best in medium; keep well watered |
| Bright window | Boston fern | Tolerates low light but prefers medium; leaves brown at low humidity |
| Bright window | Aluminum plant (Pilea cadierei) | Tolerates low light but needs high humidity |
| Bright window | Begonias | Medium light; like high humidity and constantly moist soil |
A small frosted window over the tub usually counts as low light. University of Maryland Extension puts north-facing windows and rooms lit mostly by lamps in its low band of 25 to 100 foot-candles, and Missouri Extension adds that even low-light plants usually don’t get enough light more than 10 feet from an average window. Doing the bedroom next? The same light rules, with a pet-safety column, are in best plants for bedroom.
Pet owners should check the ASPCA list too, because several plants on this table, including snake plant and peace lily, are listed as toxic to cats. The spider plant is on the ASPCA’s non-toxic list, and what the ASPCA says about spider plants and cats has the details.
A bathroom with no window
A plant can live in a bathroom with no window only if you give it a light on a schedule. Missouri Extension says plants that receive no outdoor light should be lit 16 to 18 hours a day, with the light 6 to 12 inches from the tips of the plants.
The ceiling light you switch on for a few minutes in the morning doesn’t come close. A timer does the work, and Missouri Extension calls one a valuable asset because lights should go on and off consistently. Safety matters more in a bathroom than anywhere else in the house. The same publication says to use a three-prong cord or a grounded adapter because water around plants makes grounding important. For the plant itself, pick from the top of the table. Chinese evergreen, which Missouri Extension says tolerates as little as 10 foot-candles, and cast iron plant are the two I’d try first in a room that never sees daylight.
Signs a bathroom plant needs more light
Long gaps between leaves, smaller new leaves, pale stems and yellow lower leaves that drop are the signs Missouri Extension lists for a plant short on light. A pothos short on light that slowly fades on the back of a toilet is usually telling you this, not asking for more water.
Move it closer to the window, add a lamp, or swap it with a plant from a brighter room every few weeks. If nothing changes after more light, check the watering next, since Missouri Extension notes that no growth can come from other problems too.
Where humidity helps and where it doesn’t
Bathroom humidity helps plants that already have enough light, such as ferns, begonias and aluminum plant. Missouri Extension says ferns develop brown leaves at low humidity and that aluminum plant and begonias like high humidity.
That makes a bright bathroom a better home for them than a dry living room. It does nothing for cacti and most succulents, which Missouri Extension says need high light, and a dim, damp room is the opposite of what they want. Keep those in your brightest window instead.
Best plants for bathroom FAQ
Can you grow pothos in the shower?
Only if the shower gets light. Missouri Extension rates pothos as satisfactory for low and medium light, so it handles a shower near a window. In a windowless shower it needs a lamp like any other plant, and the fixture needs to be grounded, as Missouri Extension advises for any light near water.
Do ferns thrive in bathrooms?
Ferns do well in bright bathrooms. Missouri Extension says Boston ferns tolerate low light but prefer medium light, like cool, moist conditions and develop brown leaves when humidity is low. A dark bathroom gives them the moisture but not the light.
Will plants get rid of bathroom mold?
No plant replaces ventilation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the key to mold control is moisture control, and recommends running the bathroom fan or opening a window when you shower. You’ll see a claim online that one plant removes 78% of airborne mold; I couldn’t trace it to a source I trust, so the fan is still the fix.
Ellie Marsh
Houseplant grower who spent years in a north-facing apartment. Writes practical care guides for low light homes, checked against extension and botanical garden sources.
