24 Indoor Plants That Absorb Humidity
One of the best ways to reduce the humidity in our homes is will moisture-loving plants. These plants can easily absorb humidity and moisture from the air. Many plants that thrive in tropical and sub-tropical regions absorb the moisture in the air through their leaves. Therefore, they act as natural humidifiers and keep our homes nice and comfortable.
Here are 24 indoor plants that not only beautify our homes but also absorb humidity.
1. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
The peace lily is one of the most efficient plants to reduce the humidity in your home. The glossy, dark leaves love moisture and will draw this out of the air. This means that if you have a lot of humidity in your home, this plant will survive with only minimal watering from you.
Interestingly, the peace lily will also thrive in low-light conditions, so it’s ideal for keeping in the bathroom. However, if you place it near a window with indirect sunlight, you’ll be rewarded with lovely blooms as well.
As a plus, this lovely decorative plant also absorbs many pollutants from the air and will keep your home fresh and healthy.
2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are excellent for growing in hanging baskets as their lovely variegated foliage will spill down over the edge of the basket. It’s a very easy plant to grow and will thrive on neglect.
This plant can remove around 90% of the humidity from the air and will also remove many pollutants. Therefore, it’s one of the most popular houseplants around the world.
3. Boston Fern (Nephrolepsis exaltata)
The graceful arching fronds of the Boston fern make it an excellent plant for growing indoors to reduce humidity. This plant absolutely thrives in moist climates and even does well in low-light conditions. In fact, it should be kept out of direct sunlight to avoid damage to the fronds.
Although this plant only requires extra water when the soil feels dry, it does benefit from regular misting if the air inside your home is not humid enough. On the plus side, the Boston fern is ideal for growing in your bathroom as the steam from the shower will enhance its growth and vitality.
4. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English ivy can be quite invasive when grown outdoors in the garden. However, it’s the perfect plant to grow indoors in a lovely hanging basket. It’s very efficient in reducing humidity and will also absorb many common household toxins such as formaldehyde.
This plant requires minimal maintenance and will even do well in low-light conditions. Just make sure you give the plant some additional water whenever the soil feels dry to the touch.
5. Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
Birds nest ferns just love living in damp, humid bathrooms and kitchens. It’s a tropical plant that thrives in high humidity. Those lovely large fronds absorb plenty of moisture from the air.
Bear in mind that this plant does love plenty of moisture, so you should water it once a week to keep the soil constantly moist. Place your birds nest fern near a window where it will get some indirect morning sun, and it will grow happily.
6. Philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum)
Philodendrons love warm, humid conditions. Therefore, this plant is ideal for reducing the humidity in your home. It does like some bright indirect sunlight to grow best so place it near a south or east-facing window.
Make sure you keep the soil moist but not overly wet. It’s also a good idea to wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth every so often to remove any dust. This will ensure that your plant can continue to absorb the moisture from the air.
I described the details about care for Philodendron Burle Marx in that article.
7. Reed Palm (Chamaedorea spp.)
Reed palms originate from tropical climates. This makes them ideal for reducing the humidity in your home. Plus, they make a lovely statement with their tall-growing arching fronds. Reed palms can also be grown in low-light conditions but watch out for pests such as scale.
These plants will not only absorb moisture from the air, but they will also absorb many other contaminants that can be found in many homes.
8. Tillandsia (Tillandsia spp.)
Tillandsias are known as air plants and require no soil to grow. They absorb all their moisture and nutrients from the air. This makes them ideal plants for growing indoors in rooms that have a fair amount of humidity.
The only care that these plants need is to be soaked in water every couple of weeks for a few minutes. This makes Tillandsia a great plant for beginners.
9. Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
The lovely large dark green leaves of the cast iron plant are very effective in absorbing moisture from the air. Additionally, this plant does not need a lot of extra moisture unless the soil becomes very dry.
This plant also thrives in low-light conditions and can tolerate lower temperatures than many other tropical plants.
10. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos is a lovely trailing plant with dark, glossy leaves. It’s ideal for growing in bathrooms as it loves the extra humidity. This plant is super easy to care for and will even thrive on neglect as long as it gets plenty of moisture from the air.
The plant can handle low-light conditions and is fast-growing. You can drape the vines over your curtain rods in the bathroom to add some lovely green décor to the room.
11. Mother In-Laws Tongue or Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
The snake plant not only absorbs humidity but also removes many toxins from the air. This plant can also grow in low-light conditions and is ideal for growing in a bathroom.
This is also a very easy plant to grow and requires very little care other than the occasional water when the soil feels dry.
12. Cyclamen
Cyclamen are pretty indoor plants that not only absorb moisture from the air but will also reward you with lovely flowers in a variety of colors. Because this is a flowering plant, it will appreciate some bright, indirect light, especially in the morning.
It should be protected from the harsh afternoon sun as this will easily burn the leaves. You should water the plant when the soil feels dry and give it some liquid fertilizer once a week or so during the flowering season.
13. Begonia
Begonias have thick, fleshy leaves that are expert in absorbing moisture from the air. There are over 1,800 species to choose from. All of these will reward you with lovely, fragrant flowers as well.
These plants will also benefit from exposure to bright, indirect light in the morning. Especially if you want them to flower. During their flowering season, give them some liquid fertilizer to encourage plenty of blooms.
I described the details about care for Begonia Maculata in this article.
14. Zanzibar gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
This plant is almost indestructible and will thrive on neglect. It has many common names, including the Zuzu plant, eternity plant, emerald palm, or aroid palm. Its dark, glossy leaves are very adept at absorbing moisture from the air. So much so that you only need to water it around four times a year.
The plant will survive quite well in low-light conditions and is adept at surviving rapid temperature changes.
15. Calathea (Calathea spp.)
Calatheas come in a variety of colors, with some being variegated. They can add a splash of color to your interior décor. These plants are also very proficient in absorbing humidity from the air.
Grow these plants near an east or south-facing window so that they get some exposure to bright, indirect light in the morning.
I described how to care for Calathea Warscewiczii in this step-by-step guide.
16. Orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.)
Orchids are stunning flowering plants that absolutely love humid conditions. They do need a little more care to ensure that they receive enough water and should be fertilized to ensure that they produce their lovely blooms.
It’s also important to repot them regularly after they’ve finished flowering so that they don’t become too pot bound.
17. Dracaena (Dracaena fragrans)
Dracaenas love high humidity and will thrive in any room of your home that is warm and humid. This plant thrives best in bright to medium indirect light but will tolerate low-light conditions as well.
Also commonly called the corn plant, Dracaena fragrans has large shiny leaves that are often variegated. These leaves not only absorb moisture but also many toxins from the air as well.
18. Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
The baby’s tears plant is great for growing in a hanging basket so that the delicately-looking leaves can cascade over the edges. The plant may look delicate, but it’s not that difficult to grow.
Grow this plant near a south or east-facing window to ensure that it receives some bright, indirect light in the morning. Make sure that you water it when the soil feels slightly dry to the touch.
19. Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
The weeping fig has large, broad leaves that help to absorb moisture in areas of your home. It’s a tropical plant, so it likes plenty of warmth and humidity. The weeping fig is quite fast-growing and will need regular pruning to keep it to a manageable size.
This plant prefers bright, indirect light but needs shading from the hot afternoon sun. During summer, the fig will need regular watering, but it can be left to dry out a little in winter. It’s important not to let the plant sit in water as this will cause it to drop its leaves.
20. Croton (Codianeum variegatum)
Crotons are lovely, glossy tropical plants that have leaves of various colors. Most of these are variegated. The leaves not only absorb humidity but also keep the air inside your home nice and clean.
With a variety of different Crotons in your home, you can easily turn any space into a sub-tropical oasis. These plants do require plenty of light and a warm environment to grow happily in. Crotons are best grown in rooms that have some warmth and excellent humidity, such as the bathroom and kitchen.
21. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema spp.)
You can successfully grow Chinese evergreen in any room of your home because it can tolerate many different and varied growing conditions. However, the plant will do best when it gets some indirect light and a fair amount of humidity.
You should let the plant dry out in between watering. Otherwise, it can be prone to root rot. It’s also a good idea to fertilize your plant once or twice a year to encourage optimal growth.
22. Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia picta)
Dieffenbachia is a popular houseplant that many people like to grow. The large, glossy leaves are perfect at absorbing moisture from the air. This plant also benefits from bright, indirect sunlight in the morning to grow at its best.
The top quarter-inch of soil should be allowed to dry out before giving your plant additional water. This plant will grow all year, so it should be watered accordingly. However, you only need to apply some liquid fertilizer around once every two weeks during the warmer months and avoid feeding the plant during winter.
23. Fiddle-Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
Fiddle-leaf figs do like some exposure to bright, indirect light to flourish. However, their large leaves will absorb plenty of humidity from the air, especially if you keep the plant in the bathroom. Being of tropical origins, this plant really does need a lot of humidity to survive and grow well.
Interestingly, if you do have a fiddle-leaf fig that is doing really well but is getting too large, you can prune it down from the top. This will not damage the plant, and it will regrow. You can even use a piece of the stem that you’ve cut off to try and propagate a new plant.
24. Bromeliad
Although Bromeliads are epiphytic, they can be grown successfully as an indoor houseplant as long as they get plenty of warmth and humidity. The lovely thick foliage will absorb a lot of moisture.
Bromeliads should be given plenty of bright light but should be protected from the hot afternoon sun. To water the plant, you just fill up the cup at the base of the leaves. You should clean this out regularly, though, and also make sure that the roots are not allowed to sit in water.