AI OverviewTurn your home into a tropical paradise with plants that thrive in high humidity! This guide, written by Marina Remeslo, reveals the 12 best humidity-loving houseplants, including Calatheas, Ferns, and Monsteras. Learn why these plants crave moisture and discover simple tips to create the perfect humid environment, ensuring your green friends stay lush and vibrant.
🪴 In This Guide 🪴
🔬 Why Some Plants Crave Humidity
Many of our favorite houseplants originate from the floors of tropical rainforests. Down there, beneath the dense canopy of trees, the air is thick with moisture. These plants have adapted to absorb water not just through their roots, but also through their leaves.
When we bring them into our typically dry homes, especially in winter when the heating is on, the air lacks the moisture they need. This can lead to problems like 👉 brown, crispy leaf edges, stunted growth, or a general failure to thrive. By choosing plants that love humidity and giving them the environment they crave, you set them up for lush, vibrant success.
🌿 1. Calathea (Prayer Plant)
Why It Loves Humidity
Calatheas, often called Prayer Plants, are the undisputed drama queens of the plant world, and humidity is their number one demand. Hailing from the tropical floors of South America, they are accustomed to very moist air. Without it, their stunningly patterned leaves will quickly develop brown, crispy edges. High humidity keeps their foliage pristine and colorful.Star Player
The 👉 Calathea Orbifolia is a fan favorite for its large, round leaves with elegant silver stripes. It’s a true statement plant that will reward your efforts to provide high humidity with breathtaking foliage.🌿 2. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Why It Loves Humidity
If any plant was made for a bathroom, it’s the Boston Fern. These plants thrive in environments with humidity levels above 50%, and some experts recommend as high as 80%. Their delicate, feathery fronds lose moisture to the air very quickly, so a humid environment is essential to keep them looking green and full. They are nature’s own humidifiers and dehumidifiers, absorbing excess moisture and releasing it when the air is dry.Pro Tip
The 👉 Boston Fern is the perfect candidate for a hanging basket in a bright bathroom, where it can soak up all the shower steam and create a spa-like atmosphere.🌿 3. Monstera
Why It Loves Humidity
The iconic 👉 Monstera Deliciosa gets its lush, tropical look from its rainforest origins, where humidity is consistently high. Providing humidity levels of 60% or more encourages the growth of larger, more fenestrated (split) leaves. While they can tolerate average room humidity, boosting it will help them truly flourish and avoid brown tips.Did You Know?
Many vining Monsteras, like the popular 👉 Monstera Adansonii, also thrive in high humidity, which supports their climbing and fast-growing nature.🌿 4. Alocasia (Elephant Ear)
Why It Loves Humidity
Alocasia plants, with their stunning, often architectural leaves, are native to tropical and subtropical Asia. They are notorious for being susceptible to spider mites, and high humidity is the best defense against these pests. These plants thrive in humidity levels between 60% and 80%, which keeps their impressive leaves healthy and prevents them from drying out.Care Tip
While they love moist air, Alocasias do not like “wet feet.” Ensure they are in a well-draining soil mix to prevent root rot, creating a balance of a dry-ish soil and humid air.🌿 5. Maranta (Prayer Plant)
Why It Loves Humidity
Like its close relative the Calathea, the Maranta is a true tropical plant that uses humidity to keep its strikingly patterned leaves soft and flexible. Low humidity is a primary cause of brown, crispy leaf edges on these plants. They perform best with humidity levels between 50% and 60%, which also helps facilitate their fascinating “praying” leaf movements at night.Troubleshooting
If you notice the tips of new leaves turning brown, it’s a sure sign the air is too dry. Boost the humidity, and your Maranta will thank you with vibrant, healthy growth. For a complete deep-dive on how to care for this beautiful plant, see our 👉 Complete Prayer Plant Care Guide.🌿 6. Anthurium (Flamingo Flower)
Why It Loves Humidity
Anthuriums are famous for their bright, waxy, heart-shaped “flowers” (which are actually modified leaves called spathes). To produce these long-lasting blooms and maintain their glossy foliage, they require high humidity. Native to the tropics, they do best in humidity levels of 50% or more, making them a great choice for a bright bathroom or kitchen.Troubleshooting
If your Anthurium’s spathes look dull or the edges of its green leaves feel crispy, the air is too dry. For a deep dive into providing the perfect soil, light, and watering to support these incredible blooms, check out our 👉 Complete Anthurium Care Guide.🌿 7. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Why It Loves Humidity
The 👉 Peace Lily is an adaptable and popular houseplant that enjoys a good dose of humidity. While it can tolerate average conditions, placing it in a more humid environment will help it thrive and prevent the leaf tips from turning brown. They are excellent at absorbing airborne mold spores, making them a functional and beautiful addition to bathrooms or other damp areas.Care Tip
This plant is famous for its dramatic drooping when it’s thirsty. Give it a good drink, and it will perk right back up. Its tolerance for lower light and love for moisture make it a bathroom superstar.🌿 8. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Why It Loves Humidity
The resilient 👉 Spider Plant is a fantastic choice for any home and has a high transpiration rate, meaning it’s excellent at increasing the humidity in a room. While it’s quite tough and can handle drier air, it will look its best in a more humid setting, which helps prevent the dreaded brown tips on its arching leaves. It’s a forgiving plant that works with you to create a better environment.Beginner Friendly
Spider plants are incredibly easy to grow and propagate, making them a perfect starting point for new plant parents looking to create a more humid-loving collection.🌿 9. Philodendron
Why It Loves Humidity
Philodendrons are a huge and diverse family of tropical plants, and as a rule, they all appreciate humidity. Whether it’s a classic vining variety like the 👉 Philodendron Lemon Lime or an upright, colorful showstopper like the 👉 Philodendron Pink Princess, moisture in the air mimics their natural rainforest home. Humidity helps them grow faster and keeps their leaves looking lush and healthy.Did You Know?
Many Philodendrons have aerial roots that are designed to absorb moisture directly from the air, which is why they thrive in a steamy environment. This is true for popular variegated varieties like the 👉 Philodendron Birkin and the elegant 👉 Philodendron White Princess, both of which will reward you with more vibrant foliage in a humid setting.🌿 10. Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
Why It Loves Humidity
With its large, shiny leaves, the 👉 Rubber Plant is a striking and low-maintenance choice. These plants are native to the humid forests of Southeast Asia and thrive in steamy conditions. Higher humidity helps them maintain their famously glossy leaves and encourages robust growth. While they are quite adaptable, they will be much happier in a bathroom than in a dry, drafty spot.Care Tip
Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks. This not only keeps them looking shiny but also removes dust, allowing them to “breathe” and absorb moisture more effectively.🌿 11. Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Why It Loves Humidity
Often called Devil’s Ivy, the 👉 Golden Pothos is one of the most forgiving houseplants you can own. It’s highly adaptable but has a secret love for humidity. Placed in a humid spot, its growth will become more vigorous, and its variegated leaves will look even more vibrant. They are perfectly happy with humidity levels around 50% and thrive in the extra moisture of a kitchen or bathroom.Perfect for Beginners
Because it’s so resilient, the Golden Pothos is a great plant to experiment with. Try placing it in your bathroom and watch how it responds to the extra moisture in the air!🌿 12. Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)
Why It Loves Humidity
The magnificent 👉 Bird of Paradise creates a bold, tropical statement with its massive, paddle-shaped leaves. These huge leaves have a high rate of transpiration, releasing a significant amount of moisture into the air and acting as a natural humidifier. In turn, they appreciate a humid environment to prevent their leaves from splitting or getting brown edges.Keep it Happy
This plant loves bright light, so a spot near a bathroom window is ideal. Misting the leaves regularly will help replicate the humid conditions it loves and keep its grand foliage looking its best.💡 3 Easy Ways to Increase Humidity for Your Plants
Don’t have a naturally humid home? No problem! It’s easy to create the perfect microclimate for your green friends.
1. Group Your Plants Together
Plants naturally release moisture through a process called transpiration. By grouping several plants together, you create a small, humid microclimate where they all benefit from the collective moisture in the air.2. Use a Pebble Tray
This is a classic and effective method. Place a layer of pebbles in the plant’s saucer or a larger tray. Fill it with water until the pebbles are partially submerged, but ensure the bottom of the pot isn’t sitting directly in the water. As the water evaporates, it will create a steady stream of humidity right where your plant needs it.3. Mist Regularly
A simple spray bottle can be your best friend. Misting your plants every few days with room-temperature water provides a temporary but welcome boost of moisture, especially for foliage that loves to absorb water directly. For the most demanding plants, a small room humidifier is an excellent investment.❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What plant thrives the most in humidity?
Ferns, especially the Boston Fern, are champions of high-humidity environments. Their delicate fronds are perfectly adapted to absorb moisture from the air, which prevents them from drying out and turning crispy. They are the perfect plant for a steamy bathroom.Which plants are good for a bathroom with no windows?
For a low-light, high-humidity bathroom, the Snake Plant and ZZ Plant are excellent choices. While they don’t crave humidity, they tolerate it well and are very adaptable to low-light conditions, making them a hardy choice for windowless spaces.Do Monsteras like humidity?
Yes, Monsteras absolutely love humidity. Hailing from tropical rainforests, they thrive in moist air, which helps them develop their iconic large, fenestrated leaves. Aiming for 50-60% humidity will keep your Monstera very happy.How can I increase the humidity for my plants?
You can easily increase humidity by grouping your plants together, placing them on a pebble tray with water, or using a room humidifier. Regular misting also helps, and placing them in naturally humid rooms like bathrooms or kitchens is a great strategy.Are all tropical plants humidity-lovers?
While most tropical plants appreciate higher humidity, some are more adaptable than others. Plants like Calatheas and Alocasias are very demanding about humidity, whereas Snake Plants and ZZ Plants, also from tropical regions, are much more tolerant of dry air.🪴 See also 🪴
21 Best Air-Purifying Indoor Plants (NASA-Tested for Cleaner Air) 2025 edition
