Garden Houseplants 15 Plants That Will Transform Your Bedroom Into a Relaxing Oasis From fragrant varieties to statement pieces, these are the best plants for your bedroom. By Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano Madeline Buiano is the staff writer for MarthaStewart.com, sharing her knowledge on a range of topics—from gardening and cleaning to home and pets. She has five years of writing and editing experience in the digital publishing industry. Editorial Guidelines Published on March 24, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Your bedroom is likely where you spend most of your time—be it sleeping, working, or lounging around with a good book—so it's common to want the space to feel like a calming respite that's specifically designed for you. While you may accomplish this with artwork and bedding choices, another way to add personality to your room is through houseplants. The living greenery can do everything from help you sleep to elevate a drab corner of your room. Whether you have a green thumb or you're new to gardening, there are several plants for the bedroom that cater to a variety of personal needs and environments. 10 Plants That Will Help You Sleep Better OlgaMiltsova / GETTY IMAGES Ficus Lyrata Olga Peshkova / GETTY IMAGES Houseplants are a great way to add natural beauty to your bedroom, and certain ficus varieties are an excellent choice if aesthetics are your main focus. "If you have a good corner, try ficus lyrata tree as a statement," says Jeanne Ha, the owner of Park Florist. "Its large and sculptural leaves give a tropical and relaxed vibe to your bedroom." This houseplant can be difficult to keep, so it may be a better option for gardeners with a proven green thumb. Hoya daniilphotos / GETTY IMAGES If you're new to caring for houseplants and want a beginner-friendly option for your bedroom, consider hoya. The plant also works with a handful of design styles. "Hoya offers so many varieties for their leaf shapes and flowers," says Ha. "They have the hanging vine growth but you can use the small ones as small corner potted plants, too. It's very hard to kill them." Lavender gerenme / GETTY IMAGES Sleep soundly by keeping a vase of lavender near your bed. "The refreshing, clean fragrance of lavender has been known as a calming and relaxing scent for centuries," says Kelly Funk, of Jackson & Perkins and president of Park Seed. "The wonderfully fragrant plant is a popular choice for bedrooms since the fragrance helps to calm the nerves and create a relaxing environment." During the day, its calming scent will make you feel more at ease. English Ivy M. Ivkovic - bangphoto.co.uk / GETTY IMAGES Add a bit of whimsy to your bedroom with this evergreen perennial. "English Ivy works well in a bedroom because it is easy to grow and is very low-maintenance, making it ideal for amateur plant growers or anyone who is too busy to be caring for plants," says Funk. "I love it for the bedroom because it grows quickly, and looks great when draped over a plant, placed on a high shelf, or trailing from a hanging pot." Money Plants Polina Sergeyeva / GETTY IMAGES One of Martha's favorite plants, money trees are known to symbolize good fortune and their long, coin-like leaves will add stately beauty to your bedroom. "In addition to helping attract wealth and prosperous energy, they help lower anxiety and promote healthier sleep," says Funk. What's more, the plant variety is easy to care for and thrives in indirect, bright light. Jasmine Liudmila Chernetska / GETTY IMAGES Known for its sweet, pleasant smell, jasmine plants can be a great comfort when trying to fall asleep at night. The fragrance has a calming effect that can act as a natural sedative. "Jasmine can sit on a high shelf in your bedroom and cast a lovely wine over your headboard," says Ha. ZZ Plant Nataliia Tymofieieva / GETTY IMAGES Plants that thrive in low-light conditions are ideal for bedrooms, especially if you have few windows or keep your curtains closed for privacy. If that's the case, consider a ZZ plant, which thrives in low- to moderate-light environments. The tropical perennial grows quickly and requires little maintenance, making it a win-win as a decorative piece in your room. Boston Fern Marina Meshcherskaia / GETTY IMAGES Another plant that flourishes in low-light conditions is Boston fern, one of the easier-to-care-for varieties of the fern family. "Not only do they enjoy low-light conditions, but they also prefer cooler temperatures," says Funk. "Just make sure to mist it daily to keep the fronds from turning brown." Chinese Evergreen dropStock / GETTY IMAGES The stunning, oval-shaped leaves on this plant are reason enough to keep it in your bedroom. Available in a range of color varieties—from silver to pinkish red—the houseplant will add interest to any room of your home. However, it's especially ideal for the bedroom because of its tolerance for low-light conditions. Gardenia Inna Pankratieva / GETTY IMAGES If you want your room to smell fragrant at all times, gardenias are the plant for you. "Its perfume scent transforms your bedroom to a luxury resort bedroom," says Ha. "Also, because gardenia requires evenly warm temperatures and moisture in its soil, the bedroom—where you can give a little more attention—is quite ideal." Dracaena Limelight Zloyel / GETTY IMAGES You'll love watching this slow-growing houseplant thrive in your bedroom. Its eye-catching, yellow- and-green leaves transform into a lime green color over time, giving you something to look forward to as the plant matures. Dracaena limelight is ideal for those who prefer a hands off approach to gardening, as its quite easy to care for. Monstera TravelCouples / GETTY IMAGES Want to fill in a boring corner of your room or add intrique to a desk or dresser? Monstera, with its large, showy leaves is the plant to choose. Monstera can grow up to 15 feet tall, making it a true decorative piece when grown indoors. It prefers bright, indirect sunlight—perfect if you have a window with a sheer curtain that gently filters in the sun. Snake Plant Ashley-Belle Burns / GETTY IMAGES Snake plants, also known by the scientific name Sansevieria, are one of the most notoriously easy-to-care-for houseplants. "Sansevieria actually has many varieties that look interesting," says Ha. Some snake plants can grow up to 12 feet tall and have long, structural leaves that can successfully block out the bright afternoon sun. Pothos Firn / GETTY IMAGES Pothos is an ideal plant if you're looking for variety—it can be grown as a potted plant or in a hanging basket as a trailing vine. "The ultimate easy-care houseplant, pothos has features leaves that can range anywhere from solid medium green to variegated with cream stripes, depending on the light conditions," says Funk. Aloe Vera Tanya Paton / GETTY IMAGES Just the thought of keeping healing aloe vera in your bedroom will make you feel more at peace. "Not only is aloe vera beneficial for your skin, but it is a great plant for promoting sleep," Funk says. Its leaves are best kept in bedrooms that receive bright light, but luckily it has minimal watering requirements to scale back maintenance. "Forget to water it for a month, no worries," says Funk. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit