14 Low Maintenance Plants for Bedroom Decor to Create a Relaxing Feel

Perfect Plants for Bedrooms

You might already have houseplants adding color and life to the rest of your home, but in a bedroom, indoor plants work, too. Scientific studies have shown that plants can reduce stress and increase productivity making your space the perfect environment to unwind after a long day. There's a wide selection of terrific low-maintenance plants for bedrooms.

Test Garden Tip: Avoid overwatering. More plants die from too much moisture than the other way around. Keep a plastic or ceramic plant saucer below the plant. This will keep moisture from damaging carpet or wood surfaces. Never let your houseplant sit in standing water.

Parlor Palm

The parlor palm is an ideal bedroom companion because it prefers indirect light and can grow with average home humidity (though it grows best with high humidity). Keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy and soaked. Let the soil go barely dry to the touch, then water thoroughly.

Growing Conditions: Bright, filtered light to low light and evenly moist soil

Size: Up to 8 feet tall

Buy It: Parlor Palm ($69, Bloomscape)

Snake Plant

The snake plant might have a less-than-attractive common name, but it's a winner in terms of maintenance. Silvery striations cover the green swordlike leaves, making it one of the perfect plants for a bedroom. The snake plant is technically a succulent and can thrive in low-moisture environments.

Growing Conditions: Bright to low light; let the soil dry out between waterings

Size: Up to 4 feet tall

Buy It: Snake Plant ($68, The Sill)

Moth Orchid

A blooming orchid exudes serenity, making it perfect for a bedroom. The moth orchid is the easiest orchid to grow. It's named for its petals resembling a moth's rounded wings. Because moth orchids originate in tropical regions, they prefer high humidity. So the best location for them is an east- or west-facing window or an open northern exposure with no obstructions.

Moth orchids bloom once a year, but you can expect them to stay in bloom for weeks or even months before the blossoms fall off the flower spike. Place the orchid in a saucer or cachepot to keep any excess moisture from damaging furniture or flooring.

Growing Conditions: Medium to low light; orchids planted in bark need watering less frequently than those in moss, so always feel the growing medium before watering

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Buy It: Phalaenopsis Orchid ($22, The Home Depot)

Pothos

Pothos is one of the easiest, most foolproof plants. The thick leaves store water, and its vining nature makes it easy to clip to keep at the size you like. Grow it in almost any light condition, and keep the soil on the dry side. Pothos grows with light yellow or white variegation. If you prefer solid color leaves, select its cousin, heartleaf philodendron, an equally low-maintenance plant for a bedroom.

Growing Conditions: Low to bright light; let the soil dry out slightly between waterings

Size: Up to 8 feet long

Dracaena

Easy to care for and easy on the eyes, dracaenas grow long, slender, strappy leaves that curve attractively from a central stem. Leaves are variegated in different colors, including pink, red, yellow, and cream, and hold the color even in low-light situations. One variety is called a corn plant because it resembles maize. Dracaenas grow best in bright, indirect light.

Note: Keep dracaenas away from pets and children; they're toxic if chewed.

Growing Conditions: Bright to medium light; water when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch

Size: Up to 10 feet tall

Buy It: Dracaena Marginata ($199, Bloomscape)

ZZ Plant

If you want a plant that performs like (and even resembles) an artificial one, check out the ZZ plant. Dark green, shiny leaves grow across each stalk. It gets its common name from the initials of its botanical name, Zamioculcas zamiifolia. Because it grows with an underground storage unit, the ZZ plant can store water for long periods. Add a ZZ plant to a container that complements your decor.

Growing Conditions: Bright to low light; let the soil dry out between waterings

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Buy It: ZZ Plant ($88-$194, The Sill)

Scented Geranium

Who needs dresser drawer sachets when you have a houseplant with a wonderful aroma? Relatives of the ordinary household geranium, the scented geranium flowers less frequently but makes up for it with its leaf fragrance, which comes in an astounding variety of scents: apricot, rose, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon, mint, pineapple, ginger, lime, coconut, chocolate, and more. Remove any faded flowers or leaves as you notice them. Pinching stems creates a bushier plant.

Growing Conditions: Bright, direct light; let the soil dry out between waterings

Size: Up to 2 feet tall

Rubber Tree

The only thing you need to do to keep this old-fashioned plant's leaves shiny is to carefully dust them every now and then. A rubber tree makes an attractive statement in a bright- to medium-light nook or corner of the bedroom, growing larger and fuller with the years. Keep it in check by pruning, but avoid contact with the milky sap that gives this plant its common name, as it can irritate the skin.

Growing Conditions: Bright to medium light; allow the soil to dry out between waterings

Size: Up to 8 feet tall

Peace Lily

For a serene bedroom setting, choose a peace lily. This easy-to-grow gem lends a tropical feel to the room and is a good choice for gardeners inclined to overwater plants as it can take wetter soil than most. Glossy green pointed leaves grow with little care. Groom by removing any browned leaves or leaf tips. Depending on the size of your plant, you can grow it as a floor plant or on a tabletop.

Growing Conditions: Bright to low light; keep the soil evenly moist

Size: Up to 4 feet tall

Buy It: Peace Lily Plant ($46, The Home Depot)

Arrowhead Vine

Almost as easy to grow as a pothos and twice as exciting in its leaf variegation, arrowhead vine flourishes in various light conditions. The dark green leaves are marked with white along the veins; some varieties show more white coloration. You can use it in a hanging basket, train it up a moss pole, or keep it clipped to the shape you like. Let the soft-looking leaves trail down the side of a shelf, dresser, or armoire for use as a bedroom indoor plant.

Growing Conditions: Medium to low light; keep the soil evenly moist

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Buy It: Arrowhead Vine Plant ($18, Etsy)

Cast-Iron Plant

The cast-iron plant almost thrives on neglect. So if you want greenery without thinking about it much, this is the plant for you. Its long, elegant green leaves are pretty enough to be a bedroom indoor plant, but suitable wherever you put it. Cast-iron lives up to its name by being tough, drought-tolerant, and tells you (when the leaves droop) if it's finally had enough neglect. The manageable size means you can set it on top of a dresser or place it on a pedestal for more prominence.

Growing Conditions: Low light; keep evenly moist in spring and summer (during active growth), and barely moist in fall and winter

Size: Up to 2 feet tall

Fiddle Leaf Fig

The shiny leaves of the fiddle leaf fig are shaped like small violins. This tropical tree provides height and a substantial presence in a large room. Keep it pruned to the size you want, or it might take over! Luckily, pruning is as easy as clipping branches and fertilizing. Dusting the glossy leaves is the only other care this low-maintenance plant for bedrooms needs other than watering.

Growing Conditions: Bright to low light; allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings

Size: Up to 12 feet tall in containers

Buy It: Fiddle Leaf Fig ($249, Bloomscape)

Lavender

Lavender is a common stress-relief scent and will help lull you into a deeper sleep. This makes it a perfect bedroom indoor plant, as long as you have a spot with plenty of sunlight. Make sure it's in a large enough pot; the roots should have plenty of space and shouldn't be circling around the inside of the pot. And don't let it get too soggy.

Growing Conditions: Bright light; allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings

Size: Up to 2 feet tall, depending on variety

Buy It: Lavender Plant ($13, The Home Depot)

Jasmine

Since the scent is sweet and relaxing, you'll often find jasmine in beauty products and fragrance diffusers. The blooms open at night, making this a perfect plant for bedrooms. In addition, Jasmine plants are known to be long-lasting in the home and add a dot of crisp white to decor.

Growing Conditions: Medium light; keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy

Size: Up to 2 feet tall