Do Spider Plants Do Well In Bathrooms?

If you’re considering getting a spider plant, or want to move one of your existing plants, bathrooms are usually one of the most recommended places – but do spider plants do well in bathrooms?

Bathrooms are usually a great option for spider plants. They have higher humidity than usual, which is ideal for spider plants, and tend to have less direct sunlight which is also suitable for this type of houseplant.

There are a few important things to consider before placing your spider plant in a bathroom, however.

Why Bathrooms Are (Usually) Good Places For Spider Plants

Most of the time moving your spider plant to a bathroom is a pretty good idea, let’s see why.

Humidity

Spider plants love humidity, with ideal levels between 50% and 70%. This is because spider plants are native to the tropical rainforests and coastal areas of South Africa where humidity levels are high.

Bathrooms have higher humidity than most other areas of the house for obvious reasons, which is ideal for spider plants.

Temperature

Temperatures between 70°F to 80°F (Around 15°C to 27°C) are ideal for spider plants, and bathrooms tend to have higher than average temperatures due to the hot water vapor that is produced from showering or going in the bathtub.

Bathrooms can fluctuate in temperature quite a bit though, which I’ll explore later in this article.

Things To Consider Before Placing Your Spider Plant In A Bathroom

Before you put your spider plant in your bathroom there’s a few things to think about to ensure it will grow properly.

Sunlight

Bathrooms tend to have less sunlight than most rooms, which can be a good or a bad thing.

Spider plants require plenty of indirect sunlight, so if your bathroom has this kind of light it will be well-suited for a spider plant. However, if your bathroom is too shaded and doesn’t receive a good amount of indirect sunlight throughout the day

Air Movement

Most bathrooms have exhaust fans that either can be switched on and off manually or come on for a period of time when the light switch is used.

Bathroom exhaust fans increase the circulation of air, which will make your spider plant transpire at a greater rate. Transpiration is a term used to describe the process of plants losing water vapor through their surfaces (primarily stomata), which is increased when the air flow around a plant increases.

The easiest way to explain this is to imagine if there was no air flow. As a plant transpires, the air around the plant becomes more humid from this additional water vapor. If this air is replaced (by increased air flow), the plant will transpire more readily due to the air having less moisture.

So, if you use your exhaust fan regularly your spider plant will transpire more and therefore lose more water. This shouldn’t be an issue if you shower or go in the bathtub every day and keep the humidity high, but if you use the bathroom less frequently you may need to water more often to combat the increased air flow.

Temperature Fluctuations

Bathrooms can fluctuate in temperature quite a bit, which isn’t ideal for a spider plant (or any houseplant). In most scenarios it wont have a massive impact, but if you use the bathtub multiple times a week and enjoy going in for long periods of time you may notice some detrimental effects.

A blue bathroom

Tips For Keeping A Spider Plant In Your Bathroom

I’ve kept spider plants for many years, and although I dont keep them in my bathroom currently I have done in the past.

Here’s a couple of tips to make sure your spider plants thrive in your bathroom.

Measure Humidity

It’s difficult to estimate humidity levels, so consider getting a hygrometer to get accurate readings for the humidity in your bathroom.

This is a great way to determine if the humidity is in the ideal range (between 50% and 70%) or not. If the humidity is too low you can consider using a pebble tray to boost the humidity into the ideal range.

Check The Soil Often

If your spider plant is transpiring at a greater rate in your bathroom it will need to be watered more often, and less often if the rate is lower.

The easiest way to know when to water a spider plant is when the top few inches of soil are dry, so check the soil once a week when you first introduce the plant to your bathroom to get an idea of how much water it will need.

Can A Spider Plant Live In A Bathroom Without Windows?

Spider plants still need some bright, indirect sunlight to grow even if only a minimal amount; so its very likely that a spider plant would eventually die if kept in a bathroom without windows.

If you don’t have any other option, you could use an indoor grow light to provide the light that your spider plant needs to survive, although this isn’t optimal its better than providing no light at all.

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About Me

Hi, I'm Joe! I'm the head of SEO and content management at Bloom and Bumble. I'm a huge plant lover and over the years my home has become more like an indoor rainforest. It has taken a lot of trial and error to keep my plants healthy and so I'm here to share my knowledge to the rest of the world.

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