The houseplant trend that began in earnest during the pandemic continues to grow (no pun intended)—and for good reason. Houseplants are a simple way to bring life, energy, and personality to your space. But not everyone wants the hassle of growing in soil. If that’s you, try this: Grow houseplants in water!
We’re not talking mere propagation here, either. Most folks know that you can start baby plants in water before transplanting—and perhaps you’ve even done so yourself—but for many popular houseplants, you can just leave them in their liquid homes. Below, we share 13 houseplants that can be grown in water. But first, let’s talk about the benefits.
5 Benefits of Growing Houseplants in Water
- Arguably, the best reason to grow houseplants in water is, well, the water. You don’t have to worry about underwatering or overwatering, and that’s a huge benefit for folks who tend to be either a bit forgetful or overzealous when it comes to plant hydration. Plants grown in water also use less water than those grown in soil.
- Maintenance: Plants in water require less maintenance than plants in soil, as you only need to replace the water occasionally.
- It’s also an elegant, beautiful way to grow plants. Imagine a room decorated with different styles of glass containers, each containing a lovely houseplant. It’s soothing and vibrant at the same time. Plus, it makes it easy to grow in small spaces since you don’t have to leave room for soil.
- Speaking of soil, we already mentioned that when you grow houseplants in water, you don’t have to deal with the mess that comes along with planting in soil. But there’s more: You also don’t have to worry about diseases and pests (we’re looking at you, fungus gnats!) that like to make their homes in the soil.
- Allergens: Growing plants in water can help reduce allergens in your home.
13 Top Houseplants that Grow in Water
1. Heartleaf philodendron
The easy-going heartleaf philodendron has glossy, green, heart-shaped leaves on long stems that will trail over the sides of its container and cascade gracefully, so it’s an excellent choice for hanging baskets and tall shelves. Also known as the sweetheart plant, this beauty prefers bright, indirect light, so set it a little way back from the window if it’s south- or west-facing. Heartleaf philodendron can also handle low light, but it will grow more slowly. Be sure to keep the vines out of the reach of kids and pets, as the plant is mildly toxic.
2. English ivy
Considered an invasive by many when grown outdoors, this fast-growing vine makes a beautiful, easy-care houseplant. Hang it from a pretty jar or put it on a high shelf if you have curious kids or pets (it’s toxic to both animals and their humans), or train it to climb up a wall or set of shelves. The pretty green leaves are traced with white veins, and you may notice the color becomes more prominent the more light the plant gets. English ivy prefers bright, indirect light but can also grow in low light, like on a north-facing windowsill.
3. Pothos
Great for beginners, this lovely houseplant is fast growing, with vines that spill over the side of the container. Pothos is an excellent plant for wall-mounted containers, hanging baskets, and high shelves. Its heart-shaped leaves with pointed ends are green with lighter colored variegation (think white, yellow, or pale green) that will appear most strongly in the bright, indirect light the plant prefers. You can also grow pothos in low or fluorescent light—it’s an excellent office plant—but avoid southern or western windows with strong afternoon sun. It’s mildly toxic to pets and people, so keep it out of reach.
4. Begonia
With leaves that range from glossy purple-green to multi-colored and intricately patterned, begonias are an eye-catching addition to all sorts of living and working spaces. The distinctive look of these plants continues with their thick stems and waxy leaves, and most types grow in an upright manner. Both rex begonias and tuberous begonias grow well in water, so you have plenty of options. While begonias are shade plants outdoors, those grown as houseplants do best with bright, indirect light. Be sure to keep them up and away from pets and kids, as these plants are toxic.
5. Coleus
With colorful, eye-catching foliage, coleus is a stunning, fast-growing plant to add to your water-based houseplant collection. Leaves show gorgeous patterns of green, pink, and purple-red, so you’ll want to put coleus front and center. Just make sure it’s not in direct sunlight—morning sun in an east-facing window is best. Plants usually grow upright but may spill over the sides of hanging containers as they grow. Also, coleus loves humidity, so it’s a great choice for bathrooms. Just choose the space carefully: These plants, as so many on this list, are toxic to people and pets.
6. Lucky bamboo
Despite its name, lucky bamboo only looks like bamboo—it’s actually a member of the Dracaena family. This plant makes a wonderful gift, as it’s supposed to bring luck and good fortune to the person growing it. When purchased, it usually comes in a container of water with pebbles around the base for stability. You can either leave it in that container or move it into a clear container (bring the pebbles along). Either way, be sure to follow the water guidelines above and keep lucky bamboo in bright, indirect light. You can also take a cutting to create additional plants. Keep out of reach of pets and kids, though!
7. Chinese evergreen
This exotic-looking plant boasts broad green leaves patterned with white, silver, or dark pink-red—very striking! Chinese evergreen isn’t fussy, so it’s a good plant for beginners. It prefers bright, indirect light but is also a plant that can tolerate low light, making it an excellent choice to spruce up your office. (Just know that less light equals less color.) Be sure to wipe dust from the leaves every few weeks to ensure the light can get through to support a strong, healthy plant. Chinese evergreen is toxic, so keep it up and away from curious pets and kiddos.
8. Spider plant
This cascading plant is super popular for a reason—many reasons, actually. It’s simple to care for, has variegated foliage that looks beautiful in hanging containers and produces lots of little spider plant babies to propagate. Like many other plants on this list, spider plants prefer bright, indirect light, but unlike many of those plants, they are non-toxic to pets. Another difference: To propagate, snip off the baby plantlets instead of taking a stem cutting. Be extra careful that no leaves end up in the water—keep it shallow and add pebbles to give roots something to grab onto.
9. Monstera adansonii (Swiss cheese plant)
There’s no need to guess why monstera is also called Swiss cheese plant, as its deep green, glossy leaves are decorated with many holes and divisions. Some varieties can grow quite tall, but this particular monstera stays relatively small and is quite manageable. The stems are cascading, so you’ll want to keep this one up high (and away from kids and pets—it’s toxic). Keep an eye on the roots as they grow quickly. Monstera adansonii is a tropical plant, so it prefers a warm room and does best in bright, indirect light.
10. String of hearts
Like a gorgeous, living garland, string of hearts is a succulent with beautiful, lightly marbled, heart-shaped leaves attached to purple-ish stems that grow long and luxurious and can trace along the edge of a shelf, climb a wall, or cascade over the sides of its container toward the floor. (Bonus: This plant is non-toxic, so if your cat nibbles on it, no problem.) The ideal lighting for string of hearts is bright and indirect—and the plant needs that kind of light to give you strong color. Consider setting it a little ways back from a southern- or western-facing window.
11. Peace lily
With its large, glossy, deep green leaves and white blooms, it’s no wonder peace lily is a popular houseplant. It adds a dramatic touch to your favorite room—but make sure the room is a warm one, as this tropical plant doesn’t appreciate a chill. Choose a container with a narrow neck so only the roots are in the water, as it’s important to keep the base of the plant dry. (You can put a mound of pebbles in the bottom of the container to help make this happen.) Bright, indirect sun is best, but make sure you put the plant somewhere kids and pets can’t reach.
12. Mint
Mint is one versatile kitchen herb! Use it to add a bright, refreshing flavor to beverages, salads, rice, couscous, dips, cold soups, and desserts—you get the picture. What’s more, with its textured green, serrated leaves, and square-ish stems, it’s as pretty as it is useful. Mint can seem like a bit of a thug sometimes, as it grows quite quickly and can take over an outside garden, but that makes it perfect for indoor growing.
13. Rosemary
A culinary staple, rosemary can be grown in water right on your kitchen windowsill—talk about convenience. Not only is it fragrant and delicious, but the contrast between this herb’s soft, green, almost evergreen-looking needles and a clear glass container filled with water is striking and lovely.
Rosemary was originally grown in the Mediterranean, so it’s not surprising that it needs lots of bright light, like the kind that comes through a southern-facing window. In the winter, you may need to supplement that with a grow light to ensure your rosemary is getting enough rays.
Choosing a Glass Container
First, choose a glass container. We recommend clear glass because it allows you to see when the water is low, and the roots are getting too crowded, but colored glass is also fine as long as you can see through it. It’s worth noting that clear glass containers are susceptible to algae growth, so if you begin to have a problem, consider switching to dark-colored glass. (To clean an algae-stained vase, make a paste with salt and vinegar to rub on it—and be sure to carefully remove the plant and empty out the water first!)
In terms of what kind of jar, you have endless choices. You can use vases, mason jars, test tubes, champagne glasses, or wall-mounted containers, or search antique stores for cool old jars, vintage glasses, and more.
How to “Plant” Houseplants in Water
- Ready to plant? You’ll want to start with a cutting from an existing houseplant. Plants that have been grown in soil have a hard time adjusting to an all-water growing environment and often struggle once the switch has been made, so it’s best to start fresh.
- To take a cutting, using clean and sharp snips, clip a stem from a healthy houseplant just below a node (nodes are the places on the stem where the leaves emerge). The cutting should be a few inches long and contain several nodes, and be taken from a green portion of the mother plant, not a woody part.
- Be sure to remove any leaves that will be underwater.
- Fill the glass container with water. Tap water contains chlorine, which isn’t ideal, so the best practice is to either use distilled water or leave tap water out overnight to let the chlorine evaporate before adding your plant.
- Then, pop the cutting in the water so the bottom half of the stem is below the water line. (There are a couple of exceptions to this—see the descriptions below.). And voilà! Planting accomplished.
How to Care for Houseplants Grown in Water
- Plants growing in water need the same amount of light as plants growing in soil, so match the light of the mother plant from which you took the cutting. (We’ve included light recommendations in our “13 Top Houseplants that Grow in Water” descriptions below.)
- As with soil-based plants, water-grown houseplants should be placed away from excess heat, vents, and drafts.
- You’ll want to completely change the water every couple of weeks (again, leave the water out overnight to allow the chlorine to evaporate). If the water line gets low in between changes, be sure to top it off.
- Another must for growing houseplants in water is to add water-soluble plant food to the new water every time you change it. The plant food should be diluted to about one-quarter the strength of what you’d give a soil-grown plant.
- One benefit of using a clear container is that you can keep an eye on the roots. If they look unhealthy, carefully remove the plant from its container and rinse them off. If they’re getting too big or numerous, you can trim up to one-third of the roots (remove the ones that look least healthy). Be gentle when removing and replacing your plant!
As you’ve probably gathered by now, growing houseplants in water is a neat, simple way to decorate your space—and with so many options, you’re bound to find one (or two or three) you love. And if the idea of growing more than just houseplants in water intrigues you, check out our article on How to Start a Hydroponic Garden, which takes water-based growing a step further.
