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Many common houseplants can develop roots from cuttings when exposed to constant moisture. Indoor gardeners can leverage this natural adaptation to grow their favorite houseplants in glass jars or vases without soil.

Growing plants in water is ideal for kitchens, as they won’t bring in any dirt, and for bathrooms, due to their clean, minimalist aesthetic. Several flowering plants can thrive hydroponically, such as orchids, lotus, and paperwhites, living out their entire natural life this way.

When grown hydroponically, the plants mentioned here can serve as botanical decor or help propagate an existing houseplant collection.

How to Grow Plants in Water

• Choose a container: Any vessel that holds water will work. Glass jars and vases are visually appealing because they let you see the plant's roots. However, glass can lead to algae blooms, so an opaque vase might be a more low-maintenance choice.
  
• Consider light needs: Verify the plant's light requirements before you place it on a windowsill. Different plants need different amounts of light; some prefer shade.
• Change the water: Regularly rinse and refresh your plant's water (use chlorine-free water if possible), especially if it becomes cloudy. Use a water-soluble fertilizer at 1/4 strength to provide the nutrients plants typically absorb from soil.

Tips

If your tap water is heavily chlorinated, let the water sit for a day or two to allow the chemicals to evaporate before placing your plants in it. Use a water-soluble fertilizer to keep your plants lush and healthy. You can also place activated charcoal at the bottom of the vessel to maintain clean, clear water.

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African Violet

Growing African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha) leaves in water is a good way to clone the parent plant. However, some multicolor violets may produce plants with solid color flowers.

Choose young, healthy African violet leaves to start new plants. Cut the leaf with about two inches of stem, and place it in a narrow-necked bottle that keeps the leaf suspended and dry.

Roots typically take about a month to form, eventually developing into a tiny plantlet with its own crown.

Baby's Tears

Baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) produce myriad tiny leaves on creeping plants, forming a dense yet delicate trailing mat.

Pinch off a cluster of stems, with or without roots, and watch how easily this plant adapts to growing in water. Because these plants produce so many leaves along their stems, those constantly submerged may rot.

Change the water weekly to remove floating leaves, and let the water level drop once roots are well-formed.

Begonia

The thick, succulent stems of begonias (Begonia spp.) are very forgiving when harvested for growing in water.

Start with hardy wax begonias, which have knobby leaf nodes that easily form roots. Even fancy rex begonias and tuberous begonias will grow in water, needing only a single leaf to start a new plant.

Roots can take a few months to form, so perform weekly water changes to prevent bacterial rot.

Coleus

With many new coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides) varieties emerging each spring, it’s easy to design a garden around their colorful leaves.

As coleus plants have grown in popularity, their prices have risen. Still, they are easy to propagate and grow in water, allowing you to create a collection of handsome plants.

Take a six-inch cutting and remove the leaves from the bottom four inches. Place the cutting in a glass or vase of water, and roots will form in several weeks.

Adding a bit of compost tea during monthly water changes will help your coleus plants thrive.

Impatiens

Impatiens (Impatiens spp.) are popular for shady gardens, sometimes struggling to stay moist enough. Interestingly, they can grow as marginal pond plants, indicating their love for water.

Snip off a few stems at the end of the growing season and overwinter them in a vase where they will root and grow as clones of the parent plant.

By spring, you’ll have a free supply of impatiens to plant in your shady garden.

Lucky Bamboo

The hardy stalks of lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) can become a living centerpiece without soil.

Growers often shape lucky bamboo into spirals or weaves. Though these shapes don't impact the plant’s ability to grow in water, the plants can become top-heavy and may need more than just water to be stable.

Surround your lucky bamboo with colorful gravel or rocks to add ornamental value and provide support.

Philodendron

Remember that trailing philodendron (Philodendron spp.) your mom kept on the windowsill? This ultra-easy houseplant is a great introduction to growing plants in water.

An established philodendron won't mind donating several stems to cultivate in water. They look charming scattered in vases of different sizes and colors.

Philodendrons thrive in various sunlight conditions. However, if your plants produce more stems than leaves, brighter direct lighting will encourage more leaf growth.

Spiderwort

Spiderwort (Tradescantia zebrina), also known as inch plant, fills a unique color gap in houseplant collections. Both the zebra-striped variety and the purple-leafed cultivar are well-suited to indoor living.

Look closely at the leaf nodes along a spiderwort stem; you'll see root nubs waiting to grow. Add stems to a mason jar or vase of water, and you'll soon have spiderwort babies for your collection.

Spiderwort is an aggressive grower and needs regular pruning, especially when grown in water. If left untended, it can become top-heavy and topple out of its vase.

Tip

Once your plants have grown roots at least an inch in length, you can transplant them into potting soil if desired.

Pothos

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a trailing vine with pointed, heart-shaped green leaves, sometimes variegated with white, yellow, or pale green streaks.

Cut a length of vine with three or four nodes. Remove the leaves from the lower part of the vine as submerged leaves will rot.

Pothos grows quickly and can expand over a foot in a month.

Chinese Evergreen

Despite its name, the Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) is not an evergreen tree but a tropical plant with floppy green leaves.

Use sterilized pruners to cut a healthy six-inch stem from a Chinese evergreen plant. Place the cut end of the stem into water and remove any leaves that will be underwater. Roots should appear in three to four weeks.

Keep the plant in indirect sunlight and change the water every three days or whenever it becomes dirty or cloudy.

Add a few drops of water-soluble, liquid fertilizer monthly to encourage growth.

English Ivy

English ivy (Hedera helix) is a climbing vine known for its evergreen leaves.

Ivy cuttings root easily in water, usually taking about two to three weeks for roots to appear. Trim off bottom leaves and place your cutting in a jar on a well-lit windowsill.

Spider Plant

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) features long, spindly leaf blades. Cut plantlets from the main plant, then use sharp scissors to detach the plantlet from the stolon.

Cuttings root quickly. Change the water every three to five days and add fertilizer to the water once a month. Keep the plant in bright, indirect light. Ensure only the roots, not the leaves, are submerged in water. Add rocks to the bottom of the container for roots to grab onto.

Dracaena

Take a stem cutting from an established, healthy dracaena (Dracaena or Cordyline spp.). Keep only a few leaves at the top of the stem, removing all leaves below the water line. Change the water weekly, especially if using a clear container, as light will encourage algae growth. In 60 days, the plant will develop a full root system.

Dracaena prefers bright, indirect light and temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. During spring and summer, give dracaena liquid fertilizer every two weeks at 1/4 the recommended strength.

Peace Lily

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) have large, glossy green leaves that bloom with a white spathe, resembling a flag of surrender.

Use narrow vases to grow peace lilies in water or a tall glass that suspends the plant base above the water while holding the stems in place. The base must stay above water to prevent rot, with roots submerged in water.

Unroot the plant from its pot, clean the roots with running water, and submerge the plant up to the roots only. Replace water as it evaporates and change it completely every two weeks.

Place the plant in a spot with bright, indirect light. Fertilize with hydroponic fertilizer, a few drops during water changes. Ideal temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pancake Plant

Also known as the Chinese money plant or coin plant, the pancake plant (Pilea peperomioides) is easy to grow in water.

You can transfer an established plant with roots into water or take a stem cutting and submerge the newly cut stem. The stem will form roots after several weeks.

To provide the nutrients the plant lacks from soil, give it houseplant or hydroponics fertilizer once a month. Change the water every two weeks or sooner if it appears murky.

Lotus

Lotus flowers (Nelumbo spp.) are breathtaking, with their round, radially notched appearance, often seeming to float above the water.

The plant's roots grow below the muddy surface, sending a stem above the water. You can replicate this using a dwarf lotus plant in a shallow, six-inch bowl with pea gravel to anchor the rhizome.

Provide hydroponic nutrients during the growing season, but stop fertilizing in winter. Change the water every few weeks before it gets murky.

The plant needs bright, full sun and temperatures above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below freezing can be fatal.

Rosemary

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) typically takes two to six weeks to root in water. Take six-inch cuttings from new growth, place