Collection
Bedroom Plants
Low-maintenance, no strong scent, happy with a dimmer room.
The best bedroom plants are low-maintenance foliage plants that tolerate the medium or low light most bedrooms get and have no strong scent: snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, philodendron, peace lily, parlor palm, Chinese evergreen and peperomia. Claims that plants purify bedroom air or release oxygen at night to improve sleep are not supported at realistic plant numbers, but a healthy plant makes the room calmer to be in.
What these plants have in common
- Tolerates medium to low light
- Needs infrequent watering
- No strong fragrance or messy leaf drop
- Compact enough for a nightstand, dresser or corner
Boston fern
Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis'- Medium-bright indirect; east window or filtered south/west light
- Keep evenly moist; water when the surface just begins to dry
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA)
Calathea
Goeppertia spp. (formerly Calathea)- Bright indirect light; 3–6 ft from a south/west window or at a north/east window; no direct sun
- Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1/2–1 inch is dry (about every 5–7 days in summer, 7–12 in winter); filtered or rain water
- Non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA, Calathea spp.)
Chinese money plant
Pilea peperomioides- Bright indirect light; 2-4 hours of gentle morning or late-afternoon sun is fine. East or west window
- When the top quarter of the soil is dry, roughly every 7-14 days; never leave it standing in a saucer
- Not on ASPCA's list by name; NC State Extension lists it as safe for pets and children (related Pilea cadierei is non-toxic per ASPCA)
Lucky bamboo
Dracaena sanderiana- Bright indirect; east or north window; no direct sun
- In a vase: roots plus about 1 in. of stalk covered, changed weekly. In soil: water when the top 1/2 in. is dry
- Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA, Dracaena spp.: saponins)
Parlor palm
Chamaedorea elegans- Medium to low indirect light: 6–12 ft from a south window or at a north window; no direct midday sun
- When the top 1 in is dry: about every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 days in winter; soft water
- Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA)
Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum spp.- Bright indirect light for blooms; tolerates low light (no direct midday sun)
- When the top 1 inch is dry or leaves begin to sag; every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 in winter
- Toxic to dogs and cats per ASPCA (insoluble calcium oxalates)
Peperomia
Peperomia obtusifolia (and other Peperomia species)- Bright indirect; tolerates a large north window
- When the top half of the mix is dry; roughly every 7-14 days
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA, baby rubber plant)
Prayer plant
Maranta leuconeura- Medium to bright indirect; north or east window, or 5–8 ft from a south window; no direct sun
- Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1 in. is dry, about every 3–4 days in summer, every 7–10 days in winter
- Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA)
Snake plant
Dracaena trifasciata (syn. Sansevieria trifasciata)- Low to bright indirect; tolerates some direct sun
- When soil is fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–8 weeks winter
- Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA): saponins
Spider plant
Chlorophytum comosum- Bright indirect; tolerates medium light
- When top 1 inch is dry: ~weekly summer, every 10–14 days winter
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA)
ZZ plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia- Low to bright indirect; no hot direct sun
- When fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–6 weeks winter
- Toxic if eaten (calcium oxalates); not pet-safe
Comparison: which one fits your conditions
| Plant | Light | Water | Difficulty | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston fern | Medium-bright indirect; east window or filtered south/west light | Keep evenly moist; water when the surface just begins to dry | Moderate | Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA) |
| Calathea | Bright indirect light; 3–6 ft from a south/west window or at a north/east window; no direct sun | Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1/2–1 inch is dry (about every 5–7 days in summer, 7–12 in winter); filtered or rain water | Moderate | Non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA, Calathea spp.) |
| Chinese money plant | Bright indirect light; 2-4 hours of gentle morning or late-afternoon sun is fine. East or west window | When the top quarter of the soil is dry, roughly every 7-14 days; never leave it standing in a saucer | Easy | Not on ASPCA's list by name; NC State Extension lists it as safe for pets and children (related Pilea cadierei is non-toxic per ASPCA) |
| Lucky bamboo | Bright indirect; east or north window; no direct sun | In a vase: roots plus about 1 in. of stalk covered, changed weekly. In soil: water when the top 1/2 in. is dry | Easy | Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA, Dracaena spp.: saponins) |
| Parlor palm | Medium to low indirect light: 6–12 ft from a south window or at a north window; no direct midday sun | When the top 1 in is dry: about every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 days in winter; soft water | Easy | Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA) |
| Peace Lily | Bright indirect light for blooms; tolerates low light (no direct midday sun) | When the top 1 inch is dry or leaves begin to sag; every 5–7 days in summer, 10–14 in winter | Easy | Toxic to dogs and cats per ASPCA (insoluble calcium oxalates) |
| Peperomia | Bright indirect; tolerates a large north window | When the top half of the mix is dry; roughly every 7-14 days | Easy | Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA, baby rubber plant) |
| Prayer plant | Medium to bright indirect; north or east window, or 5–8 ft from a south window; no direct sun | Keep lightly moist: water when the top 1 in. is dry, about every 3–4 days in summer, every 7–10 days in winter | Moderate | Non-toxic to dogs and cats (ASPCA) |
| Snake plant | Low to bright indirect; tolerates some direct sun | When soil is fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–8 weeks winter | Easy | Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA): saponins |
| Spider plant | Bright indirect; tolerates medium light | When top 1 inch is dry: ~weekly summer, every 10–14 days winter | Easy | Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA) |
| ZZ plant | Low to bright indirect; no hot direct sun | When fully dry: every 2–3 weeks summer, 4–6 weeks winter | Easy | Toxic if eaten (calcium oxalates); not pet-safe |
Bedrooms are usually furnished for sleep, not plants: curtains are often drawn, the window may face north, and the plant sits several feet back on a dresser. The plants here are the ones that put up with that.
What a bedroom plant needs to handle
Iowa State University Extension notes that window coverings can greatly reduce light and that light falls off quickly with distance from the window. If your curtains stay closed most of the day, pick from the toughest low-light plants or open them during the day.
Best bedroom plants
- Snake plant: upright, slim and almost care-free.
- ZZ plant: glossy leaves, tolerates dim rooms and missed waterings.
- Pothos and philodendron: trail from a shelf or dresser.
- Peace lily: white blooms in modest light; droops visibly when thirsty, then recovers.
- Parlor palm: soft, pet-safe palm for a corner.
- Chinese evergreen: patterned leaves in medium light.
- Peperomia and spider plant: small and pet-safe, for a brighter bedroom.
About air and sleep claims
Many lists promise that bedroom plants purify air and help you sleep. The evidence does not support it at real-world scale: a review by Cummings and Waring (2019) concluded that potted plants remove indoor air pollutants far more slowly than normal ventilation does. Our air-purifying plants page explains why. Plants still make a room feel calmer and greener, and that is a perfectly good reason to keep one by the bed.
Care tips for the bedroom
- Put the plant as close to the window as the room allows, and open the curtains during the day.
- Water less than you would in a bright room; the soil dries slowly in low light.
- Use a saucer or cachepot so watering doesn't damage furniture, and empty it after watering.
- Wipe dust off the leaves once a month.
Pets
Several bedroom favorites are toxic. Per the ASPCA plant list, snake plant, pothos, philodendron, peace lily and Chinese evergreen are toxic to cats and dogs, while parlor palm, peperomia and spider plant are not. See pet-safe plants and low-light plants.
Often mislabeled: plants that don't belong here
| Plant | Why it doesn't really fit |
|---|---|
| Jasmine and gardenia | Beautiful, but their strong night fragrance bothers some sleepers, and they need bright light. |
| Succulents in a dim bedroom | They stretch and rot away from a sunny window. |
| Lavender indoors | Popular for sleep, but it needs full sun and does poorly as a houseplant; ASPCA also lists it as toxic to pets. |
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to sleep with plants in your bedroom?
Yes. A few houseplants use a negligible amount of oxygen at night compared with the air in a room; the idea that they are harmful while you sleep is a myth.
Do snake plants release oxygen at night?
Snake plant uses CAM photosynthesis and takes in carbon dioxide at night, but a single plant's effect on the air in a room is too small to matter for sleep.
What is the best plant for a dark bedroom?
ZZ plant, snake plant and cast iron plant handle the least light. Pothos and philodendron also do well a few feet from a window.
Are bedroom plants safe for cats?
Parlor palm, peperomia, spider plant and calathea are non-toxic per ASPCA. Snake plant, pothos, philodendron, peace lily and Chinese evergreen are toxic to cats and dogs.
Can plants in the bedroom cause mold?
Overwatered potting mix can grow surface mold and attract fungus gnats. Let the soil dry between waterings and use pots with drainage.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these publications. Links open in a new tab.
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List www.aspca.org
- Iowa State University Extension yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
- Nature Portfolio www.nature.com