An average residence has a humidity level of 30 percent or less. The majority of plants, including succulents and cacti, enjoy humidity levels of 40% or greater. The majority of tropical plants need at least 60% humidity. In our experience, a humidity level of at least 50% is ideal for both people and plants in a house.
Your plants will probably let you know if they need more or less humidity, so you don’t need to measure it precisely (hint: keep reading to the next sections). However, there are several affordable, trustworthy hygrometers accessible online if you are worried about getting the humidity precisely right. This is the one we employ.
House plants typically require less warm air and more wet air than you may imagine. Usually, leaves that are papery or thin, like those of a fern or air plant, require more humidity than leaves that are robust, like those of a fiddle-leaf fig. If you wish to cultivate plants other than succulents and cacti in your house, we advise using one of the following strategies to raise the humidity there. This will ensure that your plants are healthy and happy.
Do succulents suffer from humidity?
The growth of your plants can be impacted by humidity in a few different ways. We’ll examine a few now.
- Your leaves may become soggy if the humidity is high. Your plants’ leaves will become damp if there is too much water in the air around them, and they may even start to clump together.
- When there is a lot of humidity present, mold can begin to grow. Mold can begin to form on a plant if it receives too much moisture, which will harm the plant. If you notice mold on your plant, act quickly to cut off the damaged area and, if you can, relocate the plant to a dryer location.
- The young plants and leaves will die. Compared to mature plants, younger leaves and plants are more prone to injury. In order to prevent over-moisture exposure for a young plant, you will need to exercise extra caution. Additionally, if an older plant has a few young leaves that are dying, this is a clue that it need less humidity.
- When succulents are exposed to excessive air moisture, they may start to rot. Succulent leaves may decay if they are exposed to additional water outside of the leaf because they are already filled with water.
Despite the fact that too much humidity can harm your plant, there are typically warning signals before there is permanent damage. If you live in a region with high humidity levels, make sure to keep a constant eye on your plant. Move your succulent to a dryer spot as soon as you notice any mold, moisture droplets, dead baby leaves, or other early indications of rotting.
Does humidity matter for indoor succulents?
Understanding your plants’ needs for water and how they grow is important when choosing a humidity level.
Since their leaves can hold more moisture than those of other succulent species, most varieties of succulents thrive in low humidity conditions.
Although they do not enjoy humid environments, succulents can endure them for a little period of time.
For succulents, humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent are ideal. Rot and fungal diseases are more likely to occur when the relative humidity is higher than this threshold.
Succulents that receive too much moisture from high humidity levels may suffer root rot as a result of inadequate drainage and an excessive amount of stagnant water on top of their roots.
Additionally, increased atmospheric water content during the summer months may raise the risk for fungal disease due to higher ambient heat levels (higher temperatures).
Do succulents enjoy misting?
When I first learned about succulents, I was fascinated by the notion that they couldn’t die. They were frequently referred to as very low maintenance plants that adored being neglected. That sounds fairly simple, hmm.
To add to my bewilderment, I frequently heard the word “succulent” used in the same sentence as the word “cactus.” We won’t get into it here because there is a really fantastic essay on this site that explains the link between cacti and succulents, but a widespread misconception regarding cacti is that they never require water. Because I believed succulents required little to no water, I occasionally misted them rather than watering them. They love to be ignored, right? They require little upkeep, right? Well, I hate to ruin the surprise, but my succulents barely made it through this abuse.
The scoop about misting and watering is as follows:
*Water: After the dirt has dried, drown your succulents in water. Put them in water until the bottom of the pot is filled with water. If you have a catch pan, remove any water that has accumulated there. The best kind of pots are unglazed, porous ones with drainage holes (think terracotta pots). Your succulents will appreciate that they allow them to breathe.
*Low Maintenance: Succulents grow in nature with shallow roots that quickly absorb water and store it in their leaves, stems, and roots for periods of drought. Succulents are considered low maintenance because of this. They are designed to hold water for extended periods of time, so you don’t need to water them as frequently as some plants, like every other day. They won’t wither and die while you’re away, so you may travel with confidence. Just remember to give them a good drink when you do water them!
*Water Type: Rainwater or distilled water are the ideal water types to utilize. Numerous minerals in tap water can accumulate in the soil and even appear on plant leaves.
*Watering Frequency: A number of factors determine how frequently you water (climate, season, humidity, pot size, pot type, drainage etc). The best general rule is to wait until the soil has dried before watering it again. The roots may decay if the soil isn’t given a chance to dry up or if water is left in the catch pan. You can stick your finger into the ground and feel around to determine the amount of moisture in the soil, or you can use a moisture meter (commonly sold in gardening centers or online and relatively inexpensive).
Leave the misting to the babies, please! Actually, fully developed succulents dislike being misted. Because they prefer dry environments, misting them will alter the humidity in the area around the plant. Additionally, this might cause decay. To gently hydrate your propagation babies’ tiny, sensitive roots, spray them.
Do succulents enjoy the humidity in bathrooms?
Generally speaking, most succulents, especially cacti, cannot endure too long in a bathroom. This is due to the fact that succulents prefer a lot of sunlight, arid weather, and low humidity levels. However, some succulents can thrive in a bathroom with some indirect, filtered light since they like partial to full shade and moderate humidity.
However, despite the humid air and dim lighting, you can still display some succulents in your bathroom. Whether your bathroom has a window will also affect which succulents you may show off.
Follow these guidelines to ensure your succulents thrive in a bathroom:
- Never use cleaning spray on your plants, and always wipe the plant off after something spills on its leaves.
- Succulents won’t survive if they are kept too close to radiators in a bathroom.
- You can install fluorescent lights in your bathroom to provide your plants the growth spectrum light they need if it has very little natural light.
- Consider the greater humidity levels in most bathrooms before overwatering.
- To prevent leaf scorching, keep your succulent about 30–50 cm (1–1.6 feet) away from the window if it needs filtered light.
- Succulents need soil that drains well and pots with drainage holes.
Sansevieria, or a Snake Plant
A snake plant, often known as a Sansevieria, is a fantastic succulent for a bathroom. Snake plants can live in a bathroom, despite the fact that they favor dry, sunny areas both indoors and outside. A window in your bathroom is a huge plus.
Sansevieria gives a lot of height to a space, making it an excellent plant for a bathroom, particularly the bathroom floor. Snake plants, according to practitioners of Feng Shui, are energizing for restrooms. This is due to the fact that they have leaves that point upward, whereas bathrooms frequently flush water downward.
Sansevieria is also excellent at removing pollutants from bathrooms. There are many different medications, chemicals, and cleaning supplies kept in a common bathroom. Sansevieria are known for being quite hardy in general. They can therefore thrive rather well in bathrooms. Additionally, there are roughly 70 different Sansevieria species available for selection and purchase, including this Sansevieria Zeylanica.
Aloe Vera
Even if your bathroom doesn’t have any windows, aloe vera is one of the greatest plants for the space. That’s because aloe vera can grow in low light and does well in humid environments.
It can withstand harsh conditions well and will absorb moisture from its surroundings. Aloe Vera is resilient enough that even novices can keep it in their bathrooms. However, Aloe Vera requires soil that drains well; never let the roots become soggy. Before watering, allow the soil to dry fully. Discard any water that remains in a saucer right immediately.
Dracaena, or a Dragon plant
Another excellent option for your bathroom is a dragon plant. Plants like dracaena are robust and excellent for beginners. Dracaena belongs to the same Asparagaceae family as succulents and is closely linked to Sansevieria.
Dragon plants are sturdy and can endure the humid, low-light conditions found in bathrooms. However, much as with other succulents, be careful to use well-draining soil. When the soil is mostly dry, you can water the dragon plant to maintain a moist soil environment. But refrain from overwatering (yellowing leaves and a wilting plant are indicators you need to water less).
Your bathroom should ideally have windows because dragon Plats need some filtered light. Dracaena fragrans (corn plant) and Janet Craig plant are two Dracaena species that do well in low light environments (DracaenaDeremensis).
Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra)
Elephant Bush is a succulent that looks great inside and has brown woody stalks with crimson undertones. This succulent dislikes direct sunlight since it could easily burn its leaves. It does, however, require some sunlight and soil that drains properly.
Elephant bushes can reach heights of 6–18 feet (2–5.5 meters), making them ideal for large pots. Make sure you plant it in a pot with lots of drainage holes because it doesn’t tolerate high humidity levels or excess water. On a bathroom floor, succulent elephant bush plants will look fantastic.
Pilea peperomioides, or a Chinese Money Plant
An intriguing plant with rounded leaves is the Chinese money plant. Additionally, this plant requires little maintenance and is a potent air cleanser. If your bathroom doesn’t have any windows, you can decide to take it out occasionally to get some sunlight due to the low lighting in a bathroom. Filtered light is preferred by Chinese money plants.
It also prefers mild watering, but only when the soil is beginning to dry up should you water. During the growing season, fertilize once every two weeks or so.
Kalanchoe tomentosa, or Panda plant
The gorgeous, silvery, fuzz-covered leaves of the panda plant are extremely well known. These plants are diminutive to medium-sized succulents, frequently growing to a height of 18 inches (46 cm).
Despite needing some sunlight, panda plants may thrive in bathrooms with windows. Your Panda plant may begin to stretch if there are no windows in your bathroom because of the lack of light. However, you can prune your panda plant 1-3 times per year, by about 20–40%. It will stay neat and develop bushier as a result of this.
Rhipsalis
You can have lovely rhipsalis cacti in your bathroom. Because the majority of these succulents grow dangling or hanging stems, they look fantastic in larger pots or hanging baskets. Epiphytic jungle cactus are known as ripsalis (that naturally live on other plants, but are not parasites). They can give bathrooms life and color.
They are appropriate for bathrooms since they frequently enjoy partial shade in their natural habitat, where they are also known as mistletoe cactus. Mistletoe cactus should be placed in your bathroom in a location that, ideally, receives both partial and full sun throughout the day. Additionally, they tolerate moderate soil moisture and air humidity, which people frequently experience in their restrooms. Once the earth around your mistletoe cactus is mostly dry, water it.
Ox tongue (Gasteria)
A straightforward yet interesting succulent for a bathroom is the ox tongue, or Gasteria. The erect leaves of Gasteria have patterned, rough leaves. What is there not to love about this adorable succulent, especially because ox tongue also produces lovely tubular flowers? Gasteria is an appropriate succulent for a bathroom since it grows slowly and can withstand low lighting and partial shade.
However, be careful not to let any water fall and collect on the leaves as this could cause them to begin to decay. Ox tongue doesn’t require a lot of water, therefore it’s preferable to set it up on a windowsill with more light during the day. For rot prevention, there must be plenty of fresh air. You might decide against installing an Ox tongue in your bathroom if it lacks a window and is frequently steamy. When the earth is completely dry, only water this succulent.
Epiphyllum (Epicacactus, or Orchid cactus)
Cacti that grow on other plants as epiphytes but are not parasitic include orchid cacti. Because of their dangling stems, these lovely cacti, which are native to Central America, are also known as climbing cacti. Not only do orchid cactus have appealing thick stems, but they also produce enormous, exquisite flowers.
Large hanging baskets work well for epiphyllum, which also needs well-draining soil. Additionally, they need some filtered light during the day but prefer shade. Because they prefer mild humidity, bathroom conditions are ideal for them.
Lepismium
Another genus of cacti is Lepismium, with the majority of them likewise being epiphytic (living on other plants, without being parasites). About 12 different species of Lepismium cacti exist. The majority of the lengthy, succulent stems on Lepismium cacti are dangling and hanging. Some species’ stems have white bumps all over them (such as Lepismium cruciforme). The most well-known Lepismium species include paradoxum, cruciforme, and bolivianum.
Because Lepismium succulents prefer shaded environments and cannot live in direct sunlight, they are perfect for bathrooms. Their stems appear dry and droopy from too much sun. However, if you don’t want your Lepismium cactus to cease growing and stop producing flowers, some sunlight is necessary.
To prevent scorching, try to keep your plant a little bit away from the window. It ought to receive some early or afternoon sunlight. Filtered light is required since unfiltered light will burn the foliage. These succulents do well under moderate humidity and receive adequate hydration.
We appreciate you reading our article on the best succulents for bathrooms. Check out the following plant lists if you want to learn more: