Examples of some plants that don't appreciate misting are succulents and other drought-resistant plants like Aloe Vera and Jade Plants, as well as any plants that have fuzzy or hairy leaves, as it is easy to cause these kinds of leaves to rot if they get too wet.
As a rule of thumb, all cacti, drought tolerant plants, and the great majority of succulents, should never be misted!
Types of Plants That Like Mist
Tropical houseplants and plants that love high-humidity—such as the Chinese Evergreen, Boston Fern, and Majesty Palm—will benefit most from misting, says Plunkett. (Zebra plants, orchids, arrowhead plants, and begonias are just a few others that love mist.)
The snake plant (also known as the Mother In Laws Tongue) is one of the easiest houseplants to care for. It can survive a wide range of lighting conditions and it does not require high humidity to survive. In fact, many people joke about their snake plants thriving the more they are neglected.
Most houseplants will thrive just fine without the use of a mister, Gillette says. Epiphytes will benefit though from a light misting every morning.
Your Spider Plant will do well in normal household humidity but will thrive with a bit more humidity. Brown leaf tips may indicate the air is too dry, so mist your Spider Plant regularly using a Mister.
“Some plants thrive in humidity,” explains Hank Jenkins of the Plant Provocateur in Silver Lake. “If you don't give them moisture, their leaves will dry out. If you want new foliage and growth, you need to mist them.”
A bamboo palm is on the list as well as other houseplants for dry air such as a rubber plant, Chinese evergreen, and snake plant. If the humidity in your home drops below 20 percent, plants can sustain injury. Symptoms of low humidity include dry, curling leaves, brown leaf tips, or small leaves.
Snake plants thrive in good humidity levels of around 40 percent, but they can tolerate slightly higher and lower levels. Too little humidity can cause the leaves to curl, turn brown, and eventually fall off the plant. Too much humidity will make the plant prone to mold and mildew.
Snake plant
The snake plant, also known as mother-in-law's tongue, is one of the lowest maintenance bathroom plants out there, and one of the most popular for that exact reason.
However, snake plants don't really benefit from misting, as they're native to arid regions and are used to dry conditions. The thick leaves of a snake plant also help to prevent water loss, so misting is usually unnecessary.
Full grown succulents don't actually like to be misted. They thrive in arid climates, so when you mist them, you are changing the humidity around the plant. This can lead to rot as well. Use misting for propagation babes to lightly provide water to their delicate little roots.
Letting the leaves get too wet and / or allowing them to stay excessively wet for a prolonged period of time can encourage mold growth on the leaf surface, so it's always important to ensure you don't ever allow puddles of water to form on your plants' leaves - this applies when watering as well as when misting.
Some plants want daily misting; others are OK with two to three times a week.
The frequency of misting plants greatly depends on the season as well as the level of humidity in the air in your zone. However, in general, it is recommended that you mist your plants at least a few times per week after considering existing moisture levels around.
Humidity. Monstera Deliciosa enjoys a humid environment, which is why we recommend frequent misting of its leaves. Alternatively, you can place your plant close to other plants, which increases the humidity of the air around them.
High humidity: The money tree needs moisture just as much as it needs indirect sunlight. Misting the plant is a great way to keep its environment humid and its leaves clean; keeping the plant in a room with a humidifier can accomplish this for you.
What is the Ideal Humidity for Succulents? Keep your home's humidity levels at around 40-50% for succulents. Even though low humidity is good for these plants, they still need a little moisture in the air to thrive. If your space isn't humid enough, a succulent may rely on water stored in its leaves to stay hydrated.
The ideal conditions for Aloe are a temperature of 65-75°F/ 18-24°C with average humidity to dry room humidity (around 40% relative humidity is a good aim to shoot for).
Drought tolerance is one of the unique features of resurrection plants. They can survive for up to seven years without water in dormancy and lose up to 95% of their moisture content without cell or tissue damage.
Succulents are plants with thick, fleshy leaves and stems. These leaves lose very little water because they have a thick, waxy skin (called a cuticle) highly effective at storing water and not losing it, even in hot weather.
Peace lilies love humidity, so mist yours every few days or keep her in a humid room, like a kitchen or bathroom. Alternatively, pop her near other plants. As a group, they'll create their own microclimate - that's smart.
Caring for orchids
Most orchid house plants come from humid, tropical regions, so do best in a humid atmosphere. In most centrally heated homes the air is dry, so mist the foliage every two to three days using tepid water, but avoid spraying the flowers, as the petals can be marked by water.
Household ferns won't tolerate dry conditions for long; their fronds will quickly turn brown, and they will begin to drop leaves. Mist your ferns as often as practical, preferably in the morning. Keep a spray bottle handy and get into the habit of regularly misting based on your fern's needs.