Greenery can go a long way in achieving a sense of serenity in your bedroom. Some plants can even improve the air quality or infuse your sanctuary with sleep-inducing fragrances.
From small flowers to indoor trees, you also don’t have to stress over killing any of the houseplants on this list. These mood boosters are easy to look after.
Is It Safe To Have Houseplants In The Bedroom?
If you’ve paid any attention to biology lessons in school, chances are you know that plants produce oxygen during the day and release carbon dioxide during the night (the same gas humans and animals breathe out).
As mammals, we need oxygen whereas high levels of carbon dioxide in a room are often responsible for headaches, fatigue, and – in extreme cases – respiratory failure, seizures, and coma.
However, there is absolutely no chance that your houseplants can release so much carbon dioxide to harm you, your kids, or your pets. Keeping houseplants in the bedroom is perfectly safe.
Not only that, but it is often beneficial.
Some houseplants can help filter and purify the air, removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and mold spores. Others act as anxiety relievers and sedatives.
Whether you like green leaves or blooming blossoms, there are numerous plants that can thrive in bedrooms.
26 Bedroom Plants That Promote Good Sleep
Blooming Plants For Bedroom
1. Jasmine
Scientific Name: Jasminum
Known for their sweet smell, jasmine flowers are often used in aromatherapy as a natural sleep remedy.
Researchers at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany even found that jasmine scent is the most effective at delivering a good night’s sleep compared to other fragrant plants.
Bedroom Benefit: Jasmine induces uninterrupted sleep and reduces anxiety.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Place it on a sunny windowsill to ensure it gets plenty of light during the day.
- Soil should remain moist year-round, but not soggy.
2. Roman Chamomile
Scientific Name: Matricaria recutita
Typically used as a medicinal herb, chamomile has long been known for its calming properties. Its bright flowers and foliage can instill a good mood with just their looks.
Chamomile can thrive indoors in any type of container, as long as it has good drainage. Like jasmine, it loves sunshine and is best suited for bedrooms with a south-facing window.
Bedroom Benefit: Reduces stress, anxiety, and helps fight insomnia.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Pay attention to which chamomile variety you buy before sowing it in a pot. Roman chamomile can thrive indoors, but German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) needs plenty of open space and isn’t suited for containers.
- Keep the pot near a sunny window and water once per week.
GardenTroop Tip: Leaves can be harvested for tea after about 90 days from sprouting.
3. Valerian
Scientific Name: Valeriana officinalis
Another blooming plant with a healthy and graceful impact in the bedroom is the valerian.
Many studies on the calming properties of this plant showed that natural valerian fragrance can help fall asleep quicker. The plant’s scent also improves sleep quality and is especially useful for restless sleepers.
Care-wise, valerian isn’t a fussy plant and it tolerates most soils.
Bedroom Benefit: Calms rattled nerves and helps cure insomnia.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Plant your valerian in a large pot filled with well-drained loam.
- Keep it by a very sunny window and water regularly.
4. Gardenia
Scientific Name: Gardenia jasminoides
Indoor potted gardenias prefer bright but indirect light and slightly cooler temperatures, so this might not be the perfect bedroom plant if you live in a tropical climate.
Otherwise, a potted gardenia can reward you with glossy green leaves and aromatic flowers.
Like other aromatic plants, gardenia promotes uninterrupted sleep. Some studies even recommend it as a natural alternative to valium.
The creamy white blossoms also pair beautifully with all interior designs, bringing a touch of elegance into your bedroom.
Bedroom Benefit: Sleep-inducing aroma. Promotes uninterrupted sleep.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Choose the plant’s spot before bringing it home, as potted gardenias don’t like being moved around.
- Gardenias thrive in morning sun and afternoon shade.
5. Lavender
Scientific Name: Lavandula
Lavender-scented beauty products are highly appreciated for their calming properties, so why not keep the real deal next to your bed?
Like most flowering plants, it needs plenty of sunlight. Keep it on a windowsill during the day and pay attention to the pot size to make sure it blooms.
This is how you can reap the aromatherapeutic benefits when bedtime comes.
Bedroom Benefit: Lowers stress levels and promotes restful sleep. Ideal for fussy babies.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Mix a tablespoon of lime into the potting soil. Lavender loves lean soils with an alkaline edge.
- Choose a pot only one or two inches larger than the lavender’s rootball to prevent root rot.
GardenTroop Tip: Fresh lavender buds can be used for tea, or you can dry them and use in aromatherapy sachets.
6. Orchid
Scientific Name: Orchidaceae
Orchids’ tropical allure can easily enhance a space visually. They are often placed in living rooms and home offices, but their role in the bedroom can be both aesthetical and beneficial.
According to a NASA study, orchids can purify the air by filtering formaldehydes, xylene, and toluene from the air.
They also release more oxygen in the evening compared to other potted plants, improving the air quality.
Flowers like orchids also can give you a way of coping with stress, reducing anxiety.
Bedroom Benefits: Improved air quality. Increase the oxygen level in the bedroom.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Provide your orchid with a warm and somewhat humid environment away from direct sunlight.
- Avoid overwatering. Orchids need very little water.
7. Peace Lily
Scientific Name: Spathiphyllum
Like orchids, the peace lily is one of the blooming plants that can purify the air in your bedroom and reduce stress levels with its beautiful flowers.
It doesn’t need lots of sunshine either, making it a perfect choice for an east- or north-facing bedroom, or to keep on the nightstand.
The peace lily is very easy to care for and increases the moisture level in the room. It is an ideal choice to reduce sinus trouble.
Bedroom Benefits: Filters formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia from the air. Naturally increases air humidity.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Place plants in bright, indirect light and keep soil moist but not soggy to prevent root fungus.
- Repot the plant every few years in spring. Peace lilies appreciate refreshed soil.
GardenTroop Advice: Peace lilies are poisonous if ingested. Keep the plant out of the reach of children and pets.
8. Wandering Jew
Scientific Name: Tradescantia pallida
Also called the purple heart plant, the wandering Jew is known for its bright purple leaves and small flowers that can be either purple or pink.
The flashy foliage can capture lots of attention, whereas the blooms infuse the air with a delicate fragrance.
This hardy plant also adapts to most conditions. Keep it in small pots or hanging baskets, on a windowsill, or away from direct sunlight. Whatever you throw at it, it will likely thrive.
Bedroom Benefits: Increases air quality and filters toxic airborne particles.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Wandering Jew can grow but it rarely blooms in dark spots. The more indirect light you can provide, the more flowers it will produce.
- Use a water-soluble fertilizer at least twice a month during the growing season.
GardenTroop Tip: Wandering Jew is easy to propagate from leaves, so you can grow more than one plant and place them in different rooms throughout your house.
Air-Purifying Plants For Bedroom
9. Aloe Vera
Scientific Name: Aloe vera
Amazing as shelf décor, aloe vera is a succulent capable of filtering benzene and formaldehyde from the air. It also releases oxygen at night, and the flesh of its leaves has numerous additional health benefits.
This plant can help reduce insomnia and is listed by NASA as one of the top air-improving plants.
Keep it on a windowsill next to your jasmine or chamomile pot, since aloe vera likes plenty of sunlight.
Bedroom Benefits: Improved air quality.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Place it on a windowsill with plenty of sunlight in the morning or afternoon.
- Only water when the leaves feel slightly pliable when squeezing them. Otherwise, avoid watering even if the soil is dry.
10. Areca Palm
Scientific Name: Dypsis lutescens
Aiming for a trendy, tropical-style bedroom? An areca palm can undeniably bring that rainforest feel into your interior.
More than that, it can take care of air quality by filtering formaldehyde and prevent dry air issues without the need of plugging in that air humidifier – hence, helping you save on the electricity bill.
Like most tropical plants, it needs plenty of water but it can thrive in partial shade or indirect sunlight.
Bedroom Benefits: Removes VOCs from the air, especially formaldehyde. Increases air moisture.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Plant the areca palm in a well-draining, acidic soil that doesn’t clump.
- Spray the foliage with water daily if the air is dry and avoid shaping it too much, or it could stop growing.
11. Chinese Evergreen
Scientific Name: Aglaonema
A stunning tabletop décor, Chinese evergreen is the perfect bedroom plant for busy plant owners who can’t give it too much attention.
It won’t take it too hard that you don’t have time to tend to it, greeting you with vivid leaves and purified air every night.
Bedroom Benefits: Increases oxygen levels during the night and filters benzene and formaldehyde from the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Aglaonemas can grow in dry environments, but it prefers humidity. Spray the foliage daily if the air is dry.
- Let the soil dry out completely between watering.
12. Lady Palm
Scientific Name: Rhapis excelsa
Named for its glossy, finger-like leaflets, the lady palm acts as a natural air cleaner and fits in incredibly small spaces. It is a good choice for a tiny bedroom decorated in a contemporary or tropical theme.
It doesn’t like too much moisture, so you only have to water it when the soil is fully dry. Overall maintenance is a breeze, too, and you can even place it in indirect light.
Bedroom Benefits: Removes air toxins and VOCs, including formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, and ammonia.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Place it in a bright spot in a corner of the room, making sure it only gets filtered sunlight.
- Avoid removing fronds that are only a little brown, as the plant can still use the nutrients from them. Only prune them off when completely dead.
GardenTroop Tip: Mix and match various lady palm varieties in a bigger pot for a unique tropical effect.
13. Golden Pothos
Scientific Name: Epipremnum aureum
Golden pothos, devil’s ivy, or the money plant. No matter what you call it, this hardy indoor foliage plant can easily conquer even the toughest hearts.
It doesn’t produce flowers, but its heart-shaped golden-green leaves can fill a room with lively vibes.
In the bedroom, it also purifies the air and absorbs carbon monoxide. It needs minimal care and looks stunning in hanging baskets or cascading from tall shelves.
Bedroom Benefits: Increases oxygen levels. Absorbs VOCs and carbon monoxide from the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Water golden pothos once every one to two weeks, when the soil is completely dry.
- Train the plant to climb up a trellis or moss pole if you don’t want to hang a basket or install a tall shelf in the bedroom.
14. Parlor Palm
Scientific Name: Chamaedorea elegans
Native to Guatemala, the parlor palm is a compact plant that thrives in partial to full shade. It is often spotted in offices and shopping malls, but it can bring its tropical allure into the bedroom too.
Keep it alone or pair it with arecas and lady palms to achieve lush greenery vibes.
The plant is stellar at clearing out benzene and trichloroethylene, so perfect to place near new – or newly painted – furniture.
Bedroom Benefits: Filters out volatile organic compounds.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Spray a mist of water around the plant daily if the air inside your house is dry. This helps keep parasites off the foliage.
- Prevent placing the pot in direct sunlight. Parlor palm leaves get burnt easily.
15. Purple Waffle Plant
Scientific Name: Hemigraphis alternata
A super ornamental plant capable of removing toxins from the air, the purple waffle plant impresses with its gorgeous foliage.
The curly leaves combine dark green and purple shades, while the bushy appearance makes it perfect for a glazed ceramic pot.
Bedroom Benefits: Removes VOCs from the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Keep the plant in a ceramic pot away from direct sunlight.
- Ideally, keep the soil moist but not soggy at all times and mist it when the air is very dry.
GardenTroop Tip: This plant is minimal maintenance, and it lets you know when it’s thirsty. Just add water when you find it limp and wilted, and it’ll perk back up in no time.
Unique Bedroom Plants
16. Passion Flower
Scientific Name: Passiflora
This unique-looking flower can easily brighten your spirits with its bold purple shade and improve your mood with its soothing scent.
Growing it indoors is as easy as finding a big pot and a sunny window. It is perfect for a south-facing bedroom, but it could also do with the afternoon sun in a west-oriented one.
Passion flower is a climbing plant that does well on a trellis but it can be shaped to look bush-like if you want to keep it on a shelf.
Bedroom Benefits: Relieves stress and combats insomnia.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Plant the vine in a rich indoor potting soil and keep it uniformly moist throughout the year.
- This rampant grower benefits from frequent grooming. Pruning can stimulate flowering during the growing season.
17. Lacy-Tree Philodendron
Scientific Name: Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum
Spectacular yet easy to manage, lacy-tree philodendron can be pruned and grown as a compact bush or shaped like a stunning indoor tree.
No matter your choice, rest assured it’ll give your bedroom a unique touch with its curly leaves.
The plant also purifies the air, removing toxins and volatile organic compounds.
It isn’t too fussy of a plant, but it does need a bit of space. It can grow up to three feet wide and four feet tall.
Bedroom Benefits: Removes toxins and VOCs from the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Root rot is likely to develop if the soil is kept too cold and moist, so you should only water when the soil is dry.
- A hydroculture setup offers an easy-care alternative to planting in potting soil.
18. Rosemary
Scientific Name: Salvia rosmarinus
Rosemary is one of those plants you’d think to grow in the kitchen rather than your sleeping quarters.
Beyond its herb use, though, rosemary is perfect for regulating your mood, reducing stress, and improving the air quality in your bedroom.
The only thing to keep in mind is that rosemary is a Mediterranean plant only moderately tolerant of shade.
If you want to see it thrive, place the pot on a sunny windowsill next to other aromatic plants. Not only can it improve your sleep, but it’ll also keep mosquitoes away.
Bedroom Benefits: Reduces stress, relieves anxiety, and improves air quality.
Bedroom Care Tips
- If you want to grow rosemary in a darker bedroom, supplement the lack of sunlight with full-spectrum LED lighting.
- Only water rosemary when the top of the soil is completely dry. Too much water and excessive air humidity can kill the plant.
GardenTroop Tip: Once the plant is established, you can clip small rosemary sprigs off your plant and use them in the kitchen or to prepare a soothing good-night tea.
19. Fiddle Leaf Fig
Scientific Name: Ficus lyrata
Fiddle leaf or banjo fig is native to Africa and can grow over 100 feet tall in its native habitat. In pots, it grows tall but not too tall and is perfect for decorating a corner in your bedroom.
This trendy house plant thrives in indirect sunlight and is among the best natural air purifiers to keep in your house.
It also has a high decorative value and can become a focal point in a sparsely furnished room.
Bedroom Benefits: Removes formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia from the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Place the tree next to a window where it can get enough indirect sunlight. Use curtains to filter light if the window is facing south.
- Place a tray with pebbles under the pot and fill it with water to ensure enough humidity near the tree.
GardenTroop Advice: Rotate the tree once a month to ensure a straight, uniform growth. Otherwise, the fig may lean on one side and its leaves on the shaded side may remain underdeveloped.
20. Air Plant
Scientific Name: Tillandsia
Air plants – plural, there are around 650 types to choose from – are native to the forests and mountains of South America, where they grow on stone walls or on tree trunks, out of the soil.
They grow in the same conditions indoors, too. All you need is a dish, glass terrarium, or support to place the air plant onto.
Care is minimal, the wow effect is guaranteed, and you’ll even end up with cleaner air in the bedroom.
Bedroom Benefits: Air plants get most of their nutrients from airborne particulates, cleaning the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Soak the air plant in a tub of water once a week and hang it upside down on a rack until dry. Alternatively, mist it daily.
- Place the plant near a south- or west-facing window, or a foot or two from an artificial light source.
21. Eucalyptus
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus
A true crowd-pleaser, eucalyptus can clear upper airway congestion and help fight off colds, especially in the winter months. Its balmy scent can also help soothe you or the kids before bedtime.
Growing eucalyptus as a houseplant is somewhat trickier than other options, but incredibly rewarding.
The secret to keeping it alive is choosing the right pot size and the right eucalyptus species. Eucalyptus gunnii Azura is one of your safest bets.
Bedroom Benefits: Reduces stress and helps relax. Reduces nasal congestion and cleans sinuses.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Eucalyptus tolerates all soils as long as they provide good drainage. Avoid overwatering.
- Settle your plant near a bright window where it can receive at least six hours of direct sunlight.
Low-Maintenance Plants For Bedroom
22. English Ivy
Scientific Name: Hedera helix
Whether you suffer from allergies or struggle to keep mold at bay, English ivy might be the perfect plant for your bedroom.
This beautiful plant typically adorns Victorian mansions, but it has excellent air-purifying qualities that help get rid of mold spores.
Bedroom Benefits: Filters airborne mold spores and other contaminants. Alleviates allergy or asthma symptoms.
Bedroom Care Tips
- English ivy prefers to be slightly on the drier side, so always check the soil before watering.
- Settle the pot in a bright window. Ivy doesn’t need direct sunlight, but it can become leggy when kept in a darker spot.
GardenTroop Advice: English ivy is a poisonous plant that should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.
23. Snake Plant
Scientific Name: Sansevieria trifasciata
Another one of those plants included in the NASA study, the snake plant filters volatile organic compounds and adds more oxygen into the air at night.
It is also good-looking and easy to care for. Whether you keep it on a bedside table, shelf, or windowsill, it’s hard to go wrong with it.
Bedroom Benefits: Filters benzene and trichloroethylene and increases oxygen levels.
Bedroom Care Tips
- This hardy plant can grow in all light options, but it truly thrives in bright, indirect sunlight.
- Use draining potting soil and don’t water too much. Snake plants can rot easily if overwatered.
24. Rubber Plant
Scientific Name: Ficus elastica
This low-maintenance beauty impresses with thick leaves that can vary from a lush dark green to variegated.
The variegated variety is undeniably the most photogenic. Its leaves look like they were splashed with paint, creating a striking focal point in the bedroom.
Looks aside, this tree also removes chemicals from the air, improving your sleep quality.
Bedroom Benefits: Filter general airborne contaminants and chemicals.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Keep it in moderate to low light and water occasionally.
- Turn the pot at least once a month to ensure uniform growth.
25. Dumb Canes
Scientific Name: Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia, or dumb canes, is another plant with flashy leaves that’s perfect to keep in the bedroom.
It needs minimal care and purifies the air from chemicals and other airborne contaminants. Care-wise, it only requires plenty of indirect sunlight and occasional watering.
One of the best choices to keep indoors is the Compacta variety which grows to a stunning dwarf bush.
Bedroom Benefits: Removes chemicals and other contaminants from the air.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Keep the soil moist by watering it with tepid rainwater or soft water.
- Mist the leaves often to avoid drafts and feed with liquid fertilizer during the growth season.
26. ZZ Plant
Scientific Name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
Shiny leaves and a bold, upright form make this plant the ultimate choice for your nightstand or dresser.
It also tolerates low light and irregular watering, so it’s perfect for busy people and a small bedroom with a north-facing window.
Moreover, this is another one of those fancy plants featured in the NASA study.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, it can remove formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, and carbon dioxide from the air.
Bedroom Benefits: Purify the air by removing chemicals and other airborne contaminants.
Bedroom Care Tips
- Settle the plant away from intense direct sun. The ZZ plant rather prefers low than too bright light.
- Water your plant once every two to three weeks, when the soil is completely dry.
To End
Whether you need an aromatic plant that can soothe your nerves and air-cure insomnia or one that can purify the air in your house, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Pick your favorite from this list, or even more than one, to give your bedroom a lush, green vibe.
