The Best Plants for Baby's Nursery

There are so many great ways to decorate your baby’s room and using a fresh, natural plant is one of the best!

Plants can help clean the air in your nursery by turning all the carbon dioxide we exhale into oxygen.

There are also so many cool and unique looking indoor plants that can add to the style of your nursery decor, depending on your theme.

For a cactus themed nursery try adding a succulent!

A dark green nursery is also another perfect choice that looks great with lush plants.

But how do you know which plants are best for baby’s nursery?

Two major things you want to consider are if the plant can thrive in a low light or indirect light setting and if it is non-toxic in case your baby gives it a munch! (oops!).

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The Best Plants for Baby’s Nursery

All the plants on this list are nontoxic to humans but with that being said they are still best kept out of reach so your baby does not try to eat them.

Being non-toxic, plants are just one extra added layer of protection in case it somehow ends up in their mouth.

A plant that can do well in low light or indirect light is a good choice for your little boy’s or little girl’s room.

Hopefully your baby is having a lot of sweet dreams in a nice dark nursery room, so a plant that needs a lot of sunlight won’t be the best choice for this room in your home.

I’ve compiled a list of some of the best plants that are non-toxic and can grow in low light for you to consider.

I’ve also included the latin name (proper botanical name) for each type of plant because sometimes they are called by a different name than you may see listed here but the botanical name will never change.

Ponytail Palm (latin name: Beaucarnea recurva)

The ponytail palm has a thick trunk and a spray of thin palm-like leaves sprouting from the top.

It’s possible that this plant can live for decades.

It’s a very hardy plant and although it prefers bright indirect light it can do well in low light environments.

These beautiful grass-like leaves are a fun addition to any room.

Spider Plant (latin name: Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plants do not like bright direct sunlight which makes them a good choice for a baby’s nursery.

Indirect light is much preferred and evenly watering this plant will help it thrive.

Another cute part of this specific plant is the fact that the mother plant grows little babies that will dangle from the plant.

If you keep a spider plant baby attached to the main plant and pot it in some dirt it can start to form its own root system and eventually be cut off to be its own separate plant.

A spider plant is a great choice for a hanging basket plant in your new baby’s room.

Cast Iron Plant (latin name: Aspidistra elatior)

Perhaps the cast iron plant got its name from the fact that it is a strong hardy plant that is hard to kill.

Keep it out of direct sunlight and water it when it dries out.

It’s another great plant for low light conditions in a room like your nursery.

If you don’t happen to have a green thumb this might be a good choice as it requires little care.

Prayer Plant (latin name: Maranta leuconeura)

The prayer plant has beautiful oval shaped leaves with a gorgeous pattern to them.

This plant got its name due to the fact that its leaves sort of fold up and look like they are ‘praying’ in the evening.

It is such a popular house plant because of the bold contrast in the leaves.

The prayer plant can really make a statement in any room.

Zebra Calathea (latin name: Calathea zebrina)

The Zebra calathea is often confused with the prayer plant.

One difference is that it can grow to become much larger.

If the prayer plant is one of your favorite plants but you’re looking for something larger this is a great option.

Baby Rubber Plant (latin name: Peperomia obtusifolia)

Heads up! The regular rubber plant is toxic. The baby rubber plant is NOT toxic.

Don’t mix the two of them up if ingestion is a big concern for you.

To keep your baby rubber plant happy, wait 1-2 weeks between watering to make sure the soil has completely dried out.

The rubber plant has thick leathery leaves that are a bold dark green color.

It can become a really large plant if you let it and may not be the best choice for small spaces like a book shelf on the wall.

But it’s such a beautiful choice to brighten up your space with a living breathing plant.

Bromeliad (latin name: Bromeliaceae)

Making sure there is water in the centre leaves of this plant will keep it happy.

The bromeliad actually doesn’t get its water through the soil, so keep it nice and dry for a happy plant.

These plants don’t have the longest lifespan but they are constantly sprouting little baby plants in their pots that you could repot every 3-5 years if you find your main plant to be wilting.

They do great in low light environments but they really enjoy humidity.

If you happen to have a humidifier in your baby’s room during the winter this plant will be happy too!

Burrows Tail Succulent (latin name: Sedum morganianum)

The burrows tail plant is also sometimes called a donkey’s tail because of how the plant is shaped.

It’s a succulent plant that would go well in a boho chic themed nursery.

It’s a very popular houseplant due to its unique shape and look.

It can grow well with indirect light and small amounts of water.

Parlor Palm (latin name: Chamaedorea elegans)

The parlor palm is another low maintenance plant that doesn’t need too much light to be happy.

It’s such a happy looking plant that would be a great addition to your baby’s room.

Soft palm-like leaves may remind you of warm beachy holidays.

It’s the perfect plant to go on top of a large dresser or sturdy shelf.

Zebra Hawthornia (latin name: Haworthiopsis attenuata)

This hearty little succulent is a plant that loves indirect sunlight.

Keep it out of full sun to make it happy.

It’s well adapted to living in a dim room like a baby’s nursery and, of course, it’s nontoxic!

It has cute little stripes on its outer surface and stays a relatively small size, which would be great for a windowsill or bookshelf in baby’s room.

Other Plants For Baby’s Nursery To Consider

The snake plant is a really popular choice for dark rooms, however, they are known to be quite toxic to babies and family pets.

Another one of the house plants that is controversial is the money tree.

The money tree does not have toxic leaves, however, the stem or trunk of the plant does actually contain toxins.

To err on the safe side I would steer clear of the money tree, even though its braided trunk can be quite fun.

Monstera is another plant that is toxic to small children.

Although the peace-lily plant isn’t technically poisonous, if babies or cats eat it, it can be quite irritating.

African violets are an excellent choice for a house plant due to the fact that they are non-toxic, however, they need a bright environment to thrive.

If your nursery is going to be quite bright it could be an excellent choice, however, if the room is kept quite dark for daytime naps and evenings this plant might not thrive in your low-light space.

Live plants are a beautiful addition to any baby’s nursery.

They are natural air purifiers and are one of the easiest ways to enhance the decor of your room.

I hope this list of baby-safe plants has helped narrow down your choices and point you in the right direction.

How to Style Plants in Your Nursery

So now that you’ve decided which plants you want living in your space the next question is: how do I style plants in my baby’s nursery?

There are so many interesting ways to add greenery to your little one’s room.

Bookshelves

Plants can go on a bookshelf, windowsill, side table or in a large pot on the floor.

I’ve even sneaked in a couple purely decorative items that you might enjoy in a botanically themed room that aren’t live plants but will fit the decor, like a leafy green mobile and a silk plant wreath for the wall.

Nursery book storage is one of the most important parts of your nursery design and adding some plants to your shelves can really elevate the space.

Small potted plants on the bookshelf are an easy way to add some greenery to the room.

This also keeps plants up high out of reach from your baby or older children if that’s important for you.

Windowsill

Keep potted plants on a small accent table near the window.

This is a great option if your windowsill is too narrow to fit a plant on it, or you’re concerned about the blinds interfering with the pot.

Put small plants directly on the windowsill to soak in the sun’s rays and add some greenery to your space.

You could create a whole feature wall of green luscious plants by filling a large bookshelf with them, or adding floating shelves to the walls to showcase the beautiful new plants.

Another idea is to use one big bold plant in a large planter on the floor.

The type of planter you use can also do wonders for your decor. Do you want neutral colours that blend in?

Do you want bold colours that stand out?

When it comes to the style of pots you can get there are really endless possibilities.

Non-Plant Ideas For A Botanical Nursery

If you love the idea of a greenery filled nursery but don’t have a green thumb, here are some ideas for your nursery.

You can use botanical themed wall art like this to green up your space.

There are so many pretty leaves out there it’s no wonder some of them have inspired wall art that would look lovely above your baby’s crib or change station.

There are even some super sweet looking baby mobiles made to blend in with a botanical theme, I love this one from Etsy store, The Urban Hedgehog.

Ok, let’s say you’re really not a plant person but you love how it looks.

If you’re super worried about keeping a plant alive and haven’t found the right plants on this list, you could always go with a silk plant option for your baby’s nursery.

Granted, it won’t give you any of the air purifying qualities of a real plant but it certainly is easier to take care of.

You could go with a silk plant like this fern from Etsy