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These are the best shower plants for your bathroom (and why you really need one)

Shower plants have design and health benefits: Here are the best ones

Veronica Sparks
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Keeping indoor plants has been a popular decorating method for years, but the nature-inspired design has gone to a whole new level in recent years. From green being the “it” color of the year to design styles adopting a friluftsliv appeal, designers and DIYers alike are finding new and interesting ways to incorporate nature design into the modern home.

What’s one of our favorite green design features? The shower plant. Whether you have a bathroom with a green palette or a super luxurious, modern design, keeping a plant inside your shower is a unique, fun design approach. It’s also incredibly beneficial for you. These are the benefits of a shower plant — and the best ones you can get.

Woman in a tub next to a plant

What are the benefits of shower plants?

There are many reasons shower plants are a great addition to your bathroom, including the fact that they:

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Absorb unwanted moisture

The bathroom tends to be a hot spot for mold growth. This is because the perpetual moisture in the air creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. While a shower plant can’t get rid of existing mold, it can help prevent it. Plants absorb water in the air around them, so there will be less moisture present when a plant is housed in your shower. Less moisture, of course, means less opportunity for mold to flourish.

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Purify the air

You might be shocked at the number of toxins that regularly float around the air in your home. Even if you’re a clean freak, those toxins still remain. Many studies show that the air in your home actually contains up to five times the amount of pollutants than outside air. This is especially the case since most heating and cooling systems recycle the air in your home and don’t expel toxins. Between your beauty products, cleaning products, and human waste in the bathroom, it’s hard to escape those harmful molecules.

The good news is, having a shower plant can actually reduce the number of toxins in the air. While plants pull carbon dioxide out of the air and replace it with oxygen, they also filter the air and rid it of harmful toxins. With a shower plant, you can breathe a bit easier (and cleaner).

Increase aesthetic appeal

An obvious but important benefit of having plants in your bathroom is that they look amazing. Indoor plants add immense aesthetic appeal to any area and create an extra dimension of style to the design of the room. Best of all, you can find a plant that matches any decorating scheme you can imagine. From a cozy farmhouse theme to chic and modern decor, a plant can only add to the feel you want for your bathroom.

Mental and emotional health benefits

It’s a common belief that having a living thing in every area of your home is good for the soul. In fact, studies show that indoor plants are actually incredibly beneficial to your mental and emotional health. Plants are therapeutic and help to reduce stress, increase productivity, and even boost your energy. People who spend extended amounts of time caring for plants tend to have higher levels of joy, healthier relationships, as well as better memory and concentration.

Benefit the plant itself

If you are among the many poor souls who can’t seem to keep indoor plants alive for very long, having a shower plant may be your ticket to success. Since plants need a lot of water, and many of them also love humidity, the bathroom is actually the perfect place to house them. You’ll find that your new indoor plants will love the moist, steamy air, and they’ll drink up the excess water around them. This environment will make your plant thrive, even when you forget to water it for an embarrassing amount of time.

Bathroom with plant and wall art
Ground Picture/Shutterstock

The best plants for your bathroom

For some ideas on which plants are best for purifying the air in your bathroom, here are a few that do well in moist, humid environments.

Eucalyptus plant in shower
New Africa/Shutterstock

Eucalyptus plant

A eucalyptus plant for shower environments is both gorgeous and easy to maintain. The moisture-loving eucalyptus has delicate, round leaves that thrive in the moist humidity of a shower and invigorate your bathroom’s aesthetic. If you’re in doubt about greenery for your shower, a eucalyptus shower plant is a great ‘starter’ plant that can be easily transported to another spot in the home if needed.

Snake plants by a window

Snake plant

The popularity of snake plants is on the rise due to the low maintenance qualities of these plants. A snake plant doesn’t need a ton of watering or sunlight to flourish, and it’s thought to be among the best at removing toxins from the air.

A Boston fern hanging

Boston fern

Boston ferns require a slightly cool room temperature with high levels of humidity. They also don’t prefer direct sunlight, so a dim bathroom is an ideal location. An added benefit to Boston ferns that makes them a natural choice for a shower plant is that they neutralize foul odors.

English ivy

English ivy

Not only is English ivy incredibly effective at removing airborne toxins, but it’s also ideal for smaller spaces with limited surface areas. The ideal placement for visual appeal is in a hanging basket or on a ledge that allows the vines to droop and hang beautifully.

While it’s certainly aesthetically pleasing to have plants in your bathroom, shower plants aren’t just for show — they’re on the job. Having plants in the shower is a growing trend, and for good reason. Not only will a shower plant up your decorating game and make you feel like you’re showering in the tropics, but you can also reap the many health benefits of a shower plant. From increasing your emotional well-being to helping you breathe cleaner air, a shower plant will work wonders for your wellness overall.

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Veronica Sparks
Veronica Sparks
Contributor
Veronica Sparks is a writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who loves writing about gardening, home décor, and DIY life. She’s…
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