Bedroom Plants: Which Houseplants to Keep and Avoid

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Can you keep houseplants in the bedroom, and which help you rest? No myths here: which plants really make the air feel fresher and less dry, which scents calm, and which plants are better moved out because of heavy scent or pollen. Plus 10 easy options for the room where you sleep.

More on this topic: do houseplants purify the air, houseplants: names and care, snake plant.

Is it OK to keep plants in the bedroom

Yes. The common fear that plants 'steal oxygen' at night is unfounded: a few pots use a negligible amount compared with one person or pet.

The reverse is just as modest: snake plants, aloe and orchids do release oxygen at night (they use a special type of photosynthesis), but it barely changes the room's air. The honest view: do houseplants purify the air.

The real benefits are slightly moister air in the heating season, calming greenery and the habit of caring for something living.

10 plants for the bedroom

Snake plant: copes with shade and rare watering; see snake plant types.

Aloe: compact, for a bright sill; its gel is handy for minor burns.

Peace lily: releases lots of moisture and flowers in partial shade; see peace lily care.

Spider plant: easy and safe for cats.

Phalaenopsis orchid: flowers for months without scent; see orchid care at home.

Boston fern and calathea: love humid air and add moisture themselves.

Lavender: calming scent, but needs a sunny window and a cool winter.

ZZ plant and pothos: for a darker bedroom with little light. How to keep a fern from drying out: Boston fern care.

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Plants to keep out of the bedroom

Strongly scented plants such as lilies, indoor jasmine, gardenia, hyacinths and tuberose can cause headaches in a closed room.

Pollen-heavy flowering plants if you have allergies.

Toxic plants (dieffenbachia, oleander, euphorbia) if children or pets sleep in the room.

Very fragrant bouquets are also best moved away from the bed at night.

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Shade-tolerant plants for a dark bedroom

If your bedroom faces north or a tree shades the window, choose plants that cope with partial shade:

• ZZ plant — grows even 2–3 m from the window; water every 2–3 weeks.
• Snake plant — tolerates shade and forgetful owners.
• Aspidistra — the “cast-iron plant”, one of the most shade-tolerant.
• Pothos — a trailing vine for a shelf or wardrobe.
• Peace lily — even flowers in partial shade.
• Spider plant — fast-growing and safe for cats.

In a dark room water even less than usual: with little light plants drink less, and overwatering is the main cause of root rot.

Bedroom plants and feng shui

Feng shui is an Eastern tradition of arranging space rather than a science, but its advice often matches practical sense:

• choose plants with soft rounded leaves (ficus, jade plant, peace lily) rather than spiny cacti by the bed;
• do not crowd the room with pots — a bedroom should feel calm;
• remove dry or sick plants — they spoil the look of the room;
• flowering plants in soft shades (pink or white orchids) are seen as a symbol of harmony for couples.

Whatever rules you follow, what matters is that the plant gets enough light and that you like how it looks.

Placing plants in the bedroom

• 2–4 pots per room are plenty; too many damp pots raise the risk of mould in the soil.
• Keep plants off radiators and not right by the bed; put large pots on the floor near the window.
• Water in the morning so the surface dries by night and gnats don't move in; if they have, see fungus gnats in pots.

Bedroom plants: photos

How plants look in a bedroom:

[photo: a snake plant by the bed]

[photo: a peace lily on a bedside table]

[photo: a phalaenopsis orchid on the bedroom windowsill]

[photo: a ZZ plant in a dark corner]

[photo: a Boston fern on a stand]

[photo: lavender in a pot on a sunny window]

[photo: a spider plant on a shelf]

A living plant as a gift

Looking for a living gift that lasts for months? A potted orchid is a great choice for home or office.

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See houseplants and orchids.

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FAQ

Can I keep plants in the bedroom?

Yes. A few pots don't affect oxygen levels; just avoid strongly scented plants.

Which plants are best for a bedroom?

Snake plant, aloe, peace lily, spider plant, phalaenopsis orchid and Boston fern.

Which flowers shouldn't be in a bedroom?

Lilies, jasmine, gardenia and hyacinths because of their scent; toxic plants if children or pets are around.

Do plants use up oxygen at night?

Only a tiny amount, far less than one person.

Which plants suit a dark bedroom?

ZZ plant, snake plant, aspidistra, pothos, peace lily and spider plant — all tolerate partial shade.

Can I keep a cactus in the bedroom?

Yes if it is sunny, but soft-leaved plants are better by the bed, for the spines and for looks.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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