8 Best Plants for Windowless Bathrooms

Best Plants for Bathrooms without Windows

Today, we are taking a look at some of the best plants for windowless bathrooms.

Many bathrooms, especially those in urban settings are designed and built without windows. The main reason for this is to provide privacy for those whose homes tend to be close together or whose home or apartment is close to busy streets or alleyways.

While privacy is a good thing, windowless bathrooms do tend to be dark and somewhat depressing.

The solution for windowless bathrooms is to add good lighting, paint the walls lighter colors, keep clutter to a minimum and add a bit of natural greenery (plants) to brighten the room and make it more cheerful and comfortable for the entire family.

While live plants can brighten any bathroom and can actually provide benefits for your family’s health in such environments you do need to know that every plant needs either direct or indirect sunlight to live and remain healthy.

Luckily, there are several plants that can thrive on minimal sunlight, making them perfect for bathrooms without windows. However, you will need to expose the plants to sun every few days or once a week.

Here are some plants that can survive in a bathroom with no windows as long as they get at least a minimum of sunlight periodically.

8 Best Plants for Windowless Bathrooms

#1. Chinese Water Bamboo (Lucky Bamboo)

Chinese Water Bamboo also called lucky bamboo is a good plant to grow in a bathroom with no windows.

The Chinese water bamboo prefers warmer temperatures growing best in temperatures from 55 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They also do well when grown in humid conditions making your bathroom a great place for this plant.

It is also one of the best plants to grow in water rather than soil. (Here are more plants you can grow without soil).

You do need to change this plants water a couple of times a week and it needs to be set in a room with bright indirect sunlight every few days.

#2. Spider Plant

Spider Plant is an extremely popular houseplant that is normally green or green and white striped. These plants grow well in hanging pots that allows the baby spider plants to grow on the end of long stems.

When grown in a windowless bathroom spider plants absorb smells, toxins and moisture, which helps your bathroom to smell fresher and reduces the chances of mold and mildew growth.

This plant does need occasional indirect sunlight.

Why not grow two of these easy to care for plants, one in the kitchen and one in your windowless bathroom and switch the two plants every 4 or 5 days to a week.

#3. Philodendron

There are hundreds of species of Philodendron. Some species are climbing and others are non-climbing. Most Philodendron plants have large, glossy green leaves that really add color and brightness to any bathroom especially those without windows.

This fast growing plant grows best in warm humid conditions, making your bathroom a great place for this plant. Philodendron is considered to be fast growing and is great for purifying the air.

This plant does need to have a day in which to bask in indirect sunlight every 4 or 5 days. When it gets the sunlight it needs the philodendron can grow well in windowless bathrooms.

#4. Aloe Vera

Every home should have one or two Aloe Vera plants growing in it as these plants are fairly easy to grow. And it is not only attractive, but it has some beneficial medicinal properties as well.

Aloe Vera plants are succulents whose juices can be used to treat cut, scrapes and minor burns (topically). This drought tolerant houseplant has short fleshy leaves that grow out from a very short center stem.

They are a great plant for bathrooms with no windows since they only need one day of sunlight every 7 to 10 days. And you can’t go wrong with Aloe Vera if you are looking for the best indoor succulents for low light.

#5. Boston Fern

The Boston Fern is a plant that grows extremely well in low and artificial light as long as they get a bit of indirect sunlight every few days. These plants originate in tropical areas making them perfect for growing in warm and humid bathrooms.

Boston ferns have lovely sword shaped blue/green leaves. When small the leaves grow erect, but as the leaves become larger the leaves or fronds tend to arch gently. Do keep in mind that this a slow growing plant.

#6. Snake Plant

The snake plant also known as Mother-in-laws tongue is an easy to grow plant known for its stiff upright leaves that look a bit like swords. The leaves can vary in colors although many have yellow-banded green leaves.

Snake plants do well in humid environments and can thrive well in low light and fluorescent light conditions.

The plant can grow 1 to 8 feet tall and grows slowly when kept in low light conditions. But placing snake plants in indirect sunlight every so often can speed up the growth.

Snake plants look great when placed on bathroom cabinetry or even the back of your commode or a shelf. It is also one of the best plants to grow on windowsill.

#7. Arrowhead Plant

While the Arrowhead plant does need to be placed where it can get indirect sunlight every few days the rest of the time it can thrive in windowless bathrooms.

These plants grow best in hanging baskets. The plant gets its name because the leaves start out arrowhead shaped when they are small and then change shape, as they get larger.

Arrowhead can be grown directly in water and loves warm temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit as well as humid conditions. Be sure to change the water on these plants two or three times a week to keep them healthy.

#8. Baby Rubber Plant

Native to tropical rain forests the bay rubber plant is pet friendly and does well in warm humid bathrooms. This plant is known for its spoon shaped glossy succulent like green or burgundy leaves.

The baby rubber plant thrives best in temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It can do well in low light conditions as long as it gets a bit of early morning sunlight each day. This plant can grow up to a foot tall.

Final Thoughts on Best Plants for a Bathroom with No Windows

While every plant does need some sunlight, the above plants can thrive in a windowless bathroom with the right care and a little sun exposure.