The Best Plant Humidifier For Tropical Plants

While cacti, succulents, and other desert plants may thrive in dry environments, most indoor plants prefer a bit more humidity. Monsteras, orchids, ivy, some exotic plants, and other common houseplants do best at 40-60% humidity, but the average home only has 20-30%. The easiest way to increase the humidity levels in your home: a plant humidifier.

If you're serious about tropical houseplants, then it's time to add a humidifier or small vaporizer to your plant care routine. Not only will it help you grow gorgeous plants, but it'll also keep the air in your home comfortable and healthy for you too. In this guide to plant humidifiers, we'll answer all your questions about the handy, humidity-increasing device and 12 best plant humidifiers for your house plants. 

What are the best humidifiers for tropical plants?

Good news, plant lovers! Most everyday humidifiers work great as a humidifier for plants. There's no need to purchase anything fancy from an overpriced plant shop. The same humidifier you use to relieve allergy symptoms, unstuff your nose during a cold, and preserve your wood floors, furniture, and instruments can also be used to care for your plants.

So say goodbye to misting your plants or using pesky humidity trays, and say hello to these must-have plant humidifiers.

Canopy Humidifier with the aroma is one of the best humidifiers you can add to your home. It features anti-mold by using unique technology to stop mold from growing, machine washable parts, filtered moisture, and you can add your favorite fragrance oil. While it comes in a 2.5-liter tank, it can run up to 36 hours and has built-in sensors to maintain optimal moisture in your home.

Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier is undoubtedly one of the best plant humidifiers (and people humidifiers) on the market today. The best-selling warm mist humidifier is designed for medium and large-sized rooms, such as a plant-filled living room or bedroom. Its large one-gallon tank holds enough water for 24 hours of continuous use, and it'll automatically shut off when the tank is empty. The warm mist temperature is also great for relieving cough and cold symptoms when you're all stuffed up.

Give your humidity-loving plants the moisture they need with this Elite Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier. Its large 1.3-gallon tank holds enough water for 90 hours of continuous operation, making it ideal for forgetful plant parents. The water tank surface comes equipped with Silver Clean Protection to fight mold growth. Smart mist sensors monitor the humidity level in the room and adjust to your selected level. Its easy-to-use digital display features an automatic timer, optional night light, and three-speed mist control.

A large-capacity humidifier is the best way to increase humidity in large rooms. This HuPro Pro-711 Humidifier boasts a large 6L water tank, eliminating the need for constant refills. The large LED touchscreen and handy remote control make it easy to set the timer and adjust the humidistat anywhere between 30-85% humidity. Its ultra-quiet operation won't disturb quiet sleepers during overnight use. Plus, it comes with a built-in essential oil diffuser so you can enjoy your favorite scents.

Geniani's 2-in 1 Huron Cool Mist Humidifier is undoubtedly one of the best plant humidifiers for plant lovers on a tight budget. The handy 2-in-1 device can function as both a cool-mist humidifier and an essential oil diffuser. It's quiet enough to use in any bedroom, nursery, or office space. An intelligent built-in sensor tells you the current relative humidity level in the room. Unlike cool mist humidifiers with clunky removable water tanks, it's got a handy top-fill design. All you need to do is pour the water into the small insert, choose between three vaporizing speeds, and watch it go to work. Maintaining the ideal humidity level for your tropical plants has never been easier!

While most humidifiers are a bit of an eyesore, this AIRCARE Mesa Ultrasonic Humidifier is surprisingly stylish. Its simple silhouette and sleek wooden finish look great on any shelf or tabletop. The portable 0.8-gallon water tank inside is a breeze to refill between uses. Additional product features like automatic shut-off and an optional LED nightlight make it incredibly practical too. Unlike other humidifiers, it offers both cool and warm mist options. There's even an aroma diffuser tray so you can add your favorite essential oils.

Looking to give a single plant an extra dose of humidity? Try this Erie Portable Cool Mist Humidifier from Geniani. The small tabletop humidifier will keep the orchid on your desk, the Monstera on your dresser, or the fern on your coffee table looking its best. Its compact design won't waste an inch of space. The portable plant humidifier boasts two mist settings and an automatic shut-off feature for safe and easy operation.

If there's one plant humidifier worth splurging on, it's this Premium Cool Mist Humidifier from Miro. Its stylish round body features a color-changing LED display that can be adjusted exactly to your liking. Convenient touch panel controls allow you to adjust the humidistat and cycle through light settings with ease. Its 1-gallon tank holds enough water for 8 hours of continuous operation. Compared to other humidifiers, it's a breeze to clean, helping inhibit bacterial growth inside the water tank. The best part is, you can even connect the humidifier to your Alexa device to add voice control commands.

Bonecos H300 Hybrid Humidifier and Air Purifier goes above and beyond other humidifiers for plants. Thanks to an integrated filter, users can run it as a traditional humidifier, an air purifier, or both at the same time. Its internal sensor measures humidity in real-time and automatically adjusts the evaporator to maintain the right humidity level for your space. A low water indicator makes it easy to tell when the 1.85-gallon or 3.17-gallon tank needs a refill. The Bluetooth-enabled device offers additional functions and modes through the downloadable Boneco app. There's a sleep mode for overnight use, an air-cleaning mode for allergy-sufferers, and a baby mode to create more comfortable conditions in your nursery.

This Crane warm and cool mist humidifier is perfect for your home and plants. It features a 360-degree mist lid, ultraviolet ionizing light, large tank size, and long run time. Unlike the other humidifiers, this Crane warm and cool mist humidifier has built-in ultraviolet ionizing light that will sanitize the air in the humidifier and add freshness to the mist. The top fills ultrasonic cool mist provides up to 500 sq. ft. of coverage and 24 hours soothing moisture.

This large humidifier can hold up to 6 liters of water and operate for up to 60 hours while providing relief to a room as large as 505 feet. The large humidifier features BPA-free material, a smart humidity sensor, an essential oil tray, and quiet operation, making it great for bedrooms, nurseries, and plants. And if you are friends with "Alexa," just say the word.

The diffusing essential oil in your home benefits not only your health but also your plant. Some benefits include natural antifungals, encouraging plant growth, acting as natural pesticides to keep pests away, and acting as a fungicide.

This 4-liter humidifier is perfect for any plant lover who is on a budget. With the quiet operation, you can use it in the bedroom or nursery. With three mist levels, you can set your desired humidity level between 40-60%. This humidifier offers a microporous cartridge that filters water from micro-organisms and foul odors. It is recommended that you change the filters every 4-6 months, and you can NOT use essential oil with this machine.

Plant Humidity FAQ

Are humidifiers good for plants?

Many common houseplants— including Monstera plants, snake plants, ferns, and ivy— originate from high-humidity environments. In fact, the ideal humidity for most houseplants is around 50% higher than the air in most homes. Plant humidifiers add moisture to the air, helping mimic the high humidity levels of the plant's natural habitat. They're particularly beneficial for homes located in dry climates with naturally low humidity levels.

Plant humidifiers can also make a big difference during the winter. Using a heater or fireplace can suck the moisture from your air, leading to lower humidity levels than in the summer months.

What is a good humidity level for plants?

Wondering what the right humidity level is for your favorite plant babies? While it can vary widely from species to species, most plants need around 40- 60% humidity.

While cacti and succulents can survive in humidity levels as low as 10- 20%, they do best in homes with 20- 30% humidity. Try to keep them away from your humidifier and water them infrequently to prevent them from getting too much moisture.

Flowering plants grow their biggest, most beautiful blooms at around 40- 50% humidity. For example, orchids prefer higher humidity levels around 40- 70%.

Tropical plants prefer a humid environment with at least 60-80% humidity. Your ferns, tropical leaves, and monstera plants will need at least 60-80% humidity.

How do you know if a plant needs higher humidity?

If you aren't using a plant humidifier in your home, your plants may not be receiving the moisture they need for proper growth. Here are a few tell-tale signs that your plant could benefit from a bit of extra humidity:

• Plant leaves that are turning yellow
• Dry leaves that begin to develop brown edges or feel crisp to the touch
• Plants that begin to wilt, droop, or curl in their leaves
• Plants that drop their flowers or do not grow flowers at all

Can houseplants have too much humidity?

Too much humidity can actually harm your plants. Overly humid conditions can encourage harmful fungus and bacteria to grow on your plants' leaves. Once a plant is infected, it can easily spread spores to other plants nearby. You'll want to quarantine infected plants as soon as you notice signs of bacterial growth or mold buildup.

How often should I use a humidifier for my plants?

To keep your tropical plants looking their best, run your plant humidifier for at least four to five hours per day. Daily use helps maintain ambient humidity levels, leading to faster plant growth and bigger, more beautiful plants. Depending on the humidity level of your surrounding environment, you may need to run your plant humidifier.

Place the humidifier in the middle of the room, elevated at least a few feet off the ground on a hard surface like a table or shelf. Avoid placing the humidifier too close to your plants, as excess moisture on the leaves can lead to mold and mildew growth. You'll also want to keep it away from porous surfaces like wood tables, wallpaper, and fabric curtains.

Which Type Of Humidifier is Best for plants?

There are three types of humidifiers: warm mist, ultrasonic, and evaporative.

Warm mist Humidifiers: This is one of the most popular types of humidifier that involves boiling water to a temperature that releases water vapor.

Ultrasonic humidifiers: this type of humidifier uses high-frequency sound vibration to increase water evaporation and result in a mist. Many ultrasonic humidifiers now offer both warm and cold mist. Both are good to be used for your plants, as no one temperature is better than the other.

Evaporative humidifiers: This humidifier follows the same concept as if you place a jar of water in the middle of a plant group. But instead of allowing it to evaporate naturally, a fan forces air out of wet mat or cloth material to produce a mist.

Features that make a humidifier better for plants

Humidifiers are designed for humans and not indoor gardens, but there are features that you look for to make it a better humidifier for your plants:

• Running time- Ideally, you want to be able to run the humidifier for 12-24 hours to provide your plant humidity level needs.
• Large capacity- Because you want the humidifier to run for long hours, you want to look for one that has a large capacity without needing to refill every few hours.
• Auto shut off when it hits a certain humidity level- It is best to find a humidifier that senses the amount of circulation and humidity necessary to maintain moisture in the environment based on the control settings and makes adjustments to the moisture output accordingly. This will make sure your plants are getting the correct moisture level at all times without needing to monitor it manually.

How to safely use a humidifier

Use distilled water

To avoid unwanted and unhealthy mineral particles omitting into the air, you should use distilled water. Cool mist humidifiers particularly should use distilled water.

Keep your machine clean

Regardless of how often you use it, it's important to clean the humidifier regularly to avoid bacteria buildup. Avoid using standing water or leave water in the tank for too long as it can lead to bacteria growth or even algae. A dirty humidifier can cause health problems, especially for people with asthma and allergies.
For easy cleaning and maintenance options, look for ones that come with UV or anti-bacterial technology and as well as machine washable parts.

Replace filters regularly

Depending on the type of humidifier, it may come with a filter. Filters should be cleaned and disinfected regularly or replaced according to the manufacturer's instructions.