Your bedroom is likely where you spend most of your time – sleeping, working or relaxing with your latest book – so it's only natural that you want it to feel like a soothing retreat designed especially for you. You can achieve this with your artwork and bedding choices, but another way to add personality to a room is with houseplants.
Live plants can do everything from helping you sleep better to brightening up a dull corner of a room. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, experts say these plants are best suited for your bedroom. Each has their own appeal, from their soothing scent to their beautiful flowers that can double as décor.
Jeanne Ha, floral design expert and owner of Park Florist, and Kelly Funk, president of Park Seed, the oldest and largest mail-order seed and plant company in the United States.
Fiddle Leaf Fig
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Houseplants are a great way to add natural beauty to your bedroom. If aesthetics are important to you, certain varieties of fig are an excellent choice. “If you have a nice corner, try a fig tree as a statement piece,” says Jeanne Ha, floral design expert and owner of Park Florist. “Its large, sculptural leaves give a tropical, relaxing feel to a bedroom.” Commonly known as fiddle-leaf figs, figs can be difficult to maintain, so they may be a better choice for established gardening enthusiasts.
Size: 2-10 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide Care Requirements: Bright light, well-drained soil
Wax Plant
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If you're new to caring for houseplants and want a beginner-friendly plant for your bedroom, consider the wax plant, which also suits several design styles. “Hoyas come in a wide variety of leaf shapes and flowers,” says Ha. “The vines hang down, but the smaller ones can also be used as tiny potted plants in corners. They're very hard to kill.”
Size: 2-4 feet tall x 2 feet wide Care Requirements: Low to bright light, well-drained soil
lavender
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Place a vase of lavender (Lavandula) near your bed to help you sleep better. “Lavender's fresh, clean scent has been known for centuries to be calming and relaxing,” says Kelly Funk, president of Park Seeds. “This wonderfully scented plant is a popular choice for bedrooms because it helps to soothe the nerves and create a relaxing environment.” During the day, its calming aroma will put your mind at ease.
Size: 2-3 feet tall x 2-4 feet wide Care Requirements: Bright light, well-drained soil
English Ivy
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Add a touch of fun to your bedroom with English ivy (Hedera helix), a climbing evergreen perennial. “English ivy is easy to grow and requires very little maintenance, making it a great choice for bedrooms. It's perfect for the amateur plant grower or someone who's too busy to take care of plants,” says Funk. “It's perfect for bedrooms because it grows quickly and looks great when draped over a plant, placed on a high shelf, or hanging from a hanging pot.”
Size: Varies by variety. Care requirements: Low to bright light, well-drained soil.
Money tree
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One of Martha's favorite plants, the money tree (Pachira aquatica) is known to symbolize good luck, and its long, coin-like leaves add a regal beauty to your bedroom. “Not only does the money tree attract the energies of wealth and prosperity, it also reduces anxiety and promotes healthier sleep,” says Funk. The plant is easy to care for and thrives in indirect, bright light.
Size: 6 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide Care Requirements: Medium indirect light, well-drained soil
ZZ Plant
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Plants that thrive in low light conditions are great for bedrooms, especially if you have few windows or keep the curtains closed for privacy. If that's the case, consider the ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), which thrives in low to medium light conditions. This tropical perennial grows quickly and requires little maintenance, making it a great addition to your room decor.
Size: 3-5 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide Care Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Chinese evergreen
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The beautiful oval leaves of the Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) are reason enough to have it in your bedroom. It comes in a wide variety of colors, from silver to pinkish red, and can add charm to any room in your home. But its tolerance for low light conditions makes it especially well suited to the bedroom.
Size: 4' tall x 4' wide Care Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil
Gardenia
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If you want your room to smell great all the time, gardenias are the perfect plant. “The fragrance of gardenias will transform your bedroom into that of a luxury resort,” says Ha. “And because gardenias need consistent temperature and moisture in the soil, they're ideal for bedrooms, where they can get more attention.”
Size: 4' tall x 3-4' wide Care Requirements: Medium to bright light, acidic soil
Swiss Cheese Plant
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Looking to fill a boring corner of your room or add interest to your desk or dresser? With its large, showy leaves, the Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera) is the plant to choose. It can grow up to 15 feet tall, making it a real decorative piece when grown indoors. This popular houseplant prefers bright, indirect sunlight. It's perfect if you have a window with thin curtains that let the sun in gently.
Size: 10-15 feet tall x 6 feet wide. Care: Bright indirect light, well-drained soil.
Sansevieria
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Sansevieria (Dracaena trifasciata) is one of the easiest houseplants to care for. “There are lots of interesting-looking varieties of sansevieria,” says Ha. Some sansevierias can grow up to 12 feet tall, and their long, structured leaves provide excellent protection from bright afternoon sun.
Size: 12-36″ tall x 6-36″ wide Care Requirements: Low to bright light, well-drained soil
Pothos
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Pothos (Epipremnum spp.) is an ideal plant for those looking for variety. It can be grown as a potted plant or as a climbing plant in a hanging basket. “One of the easiest houseplants to care for, pothos features leaves that range from solid green to cream-striped and variegated, depending on the light conditions,” says Funk.
Size: Up to 20 ft. long x 3-6 ft. wide. Care Requirements: Low to bright indirect light, well-drained soil.
aloe
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Keeping a soothing aloe vera plant in your bedroom can help soothe your mind. “Not only is it great for your skin, it's also a great plant for promoting sleep,” says Funk. Aloe vera leaves work best in bedrooms where they get lots of bright light, and the good news is that they're low-maintenance, with minimal watering required. “If you forget to water it for a month, it's not a big deal,” says Funk.
Size: 6-12″ H x 6-12″ W. Care Requirements: Bright light, succulent or cactus potting soil.
Peace Lily
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True to its name, the peace lily adds a serene touch to your bedroom. “This plant features broad, dark green leaves and attractive white flowers that bloom on long stalks above the leaves,” says Funk. “The peace lily blends well with most home décor and makes a great tabletop or floor plant.”
Size: 1-4 feet tall x 1-4 feet wide Care Requirements: Low to bright light, well-drained soil
Dracaena Limelight
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It'll be fun to watch this slow-growing houseplant thrive in your bedroom. Dracaena Limelight (Dracaena fragrans 'Limelight') features eye-catching yellow and green leaves that turn lime green over time, making it fun to watch your plant grow. Dracaena Limelight is very easy to care for, making it perfect for those who want a hassle-free gardening experience.
Size: 5' tall x 3' wide Care Requirements: Direct sunlight, well-drained soil
Boston Fern
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Another plant that thrives in low-light conditions is the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), one of the easier ferns to care for. “Not only does it like low light conditions, it also likes cool temperatures,” says Funk. “Mist it daily with water to keep the leaves from turning brown.”
Size: 1-3 feet tall x 2-3 feet wide Care Requirements: Bright indirect light, well-drained soil
jasmine
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Known for its sweet, soothing scent, the jasmine plant (Jasminum) can be super soothing as you sleep at night. “Placing jasmine on a high shelf in your bedroom will give you a lovely wine-like scent above your headboard,” says Ha.
Size: 4-15' tall x 7' wide Care Requirements: Bright light, moist, well-drained soil
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