Indoor houseplants that thrive in water include several kinds of plants. If you want an simple way to care for plants indoors, growing them in water is the way to go. Because they are less prone to pests and disease, plants that do not need soil require less maintenance. They do not need regular watering.
Of course, water is required for the survival of certain plants. Aquariums and indoor water ponds are ideal habitats for these indoor water plants. The greatest houseplants and other plants that thrive in water jars or vases are discussed in this essay. Hydroponic gardening is the practice of growing house plants in water without dirt. Instead of depending on soil nutrients, this water-only gardening technique adds nutrition to water. Plants can live in water for a long time with the help of essential nutrients.
Nonetheless, commercial growers’ hydroponic gardening is not the subject of this article. Nutrients are delivered to the root system of plants in a very exact amount in commercial hydroponic systems, allowing them to grow as best as possible.
Growing Plants in Water
Watering houseplant cuttings in water is a popular way to root them before transferring stem cuttings to a vase. It’s simple to root plants from stem cuttings by using propagating plants in water. To grow new houseplants, simply stick them in jars, bottles, or water vases. Soon, you’ll have a tropical indoor water garden. For weeks or even months, these plants may survive in water.
You don’t need to move your plant cuttings with roots to the soil when they begin to grow. Water vases or jars are perfect places to grow them. The indoor plants will eventually develop new leaves and, maybe, even blossom. The appeal of this method is that it’s easier to grow plants in potting soil than with growing soil.
How to Grow Plants in Water
Add a suitable fertilizer to the water in which you want to grow your houseplants, and they’ll thrive. A dark or opaque container is the best type of container for growing plants without soil. Sunlight isn’t allowed to produce algae because of this. Any glass jar, bottle, or vase will suffice.
You’ll need more than just water to get the best plant growth in a soilless medium. Decorative pebbles, sand, colored marbles, or gravel may be used to fill the jar three-quarters full. The water stays clear and fresh by mixing some charcoal into the soilless mix.
To begin growing plants in water, mix a little water-soluble houseplant fertilizer in. The water containing this plant “food” provides enough nutrients for healthy plant development. It can also be used as a substitute for minerals in potting soil.
Fertilize plants grown in water by diluting it to one-fourth strength when using it. Change the water every few days if you grow a stem cutting. Every four to six weeks, replace the water and nutrient solution for an established plant.
Remove the plant root ball from the pot if you want to move a potted plant to a soilless environment. Fill a watering basin with diluted fertilizer and rinse the houseplant’s roots clean of all soil. Every four to six weeks, replace the water with nutrients. After that, you’ll need to locate some water-loving houseplants.
Good Plants for Water
It’s helpful to understand which plants thrives in water once you’ve mastered how to cultivate them in water. The following are seven excellent plants that can be grown in water without soil:
- English ivy (Hedera helix)
- Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
- Dumb cane plants (Dieffenbachia)
- Wandering Jew (Tradescantia)
- Flowering begonias
- Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Hanging or trailing plants are the simplest toroot in water, based on a list of plants that may be grown in water. All you have to do is slice a section of the stem below the node, with at least three or four leaves remaining intact. In your water environment, remove the lowest leaf and plant.
Plants that Grow in Water
Let’s take a closer look at some of the greatest aquatic houseplants. A list of aquatic plants that may be found here:
Philodendron
Heart-leaf philodendron is a wonderful freshwater plant that thrives in water. Water vase is the ideal medium for this vining plant. Make a six-inch (15-centimeter) stem with three or four heart-shaped leaves. Place the philodendron in a bright area with indirect light after cutting it into pieces and placing it in water.
Change the water every four days to encourage excellent philodendron growth. Roots will begin to develop soon after that. Change the water every six weeks once the plant is established in water and apply the correct concentration of fertilizer.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Pothos plants are simple to maintain in a jar of water. Golden pothos is a popular cultivar. Pothos plants have heart-shaped leaves and vining growth, similar to philodendron. Pothos grow beautifully in water and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Variegated pothos varieties with golden yellow and green colors are the most spectacular.
Snip a six-inch section of the stem just below a node to grow pothos in water. Fill with water and store in a dark-colored glass bottle or vase. To encourage faster development, place in partial shade. Soon, your water plant will produce gorgeous cascading leaves and stems.
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
The most popular cultivar of aglaonema houseplant is Aglaonema commutatum ‘Silver Queen,’ which roots easily in water. The thick central stem of Chinese evergreen plants makes them ideal for water growth. In a bottle or narrow-neck water vase, these houseplants are perfect to grow.
Remove all the dirt from a stem and remove it from the root ball. In the bottom of the vase, layer 3 inches of ornamental materials such as pebbles, gravel, or sand. Your new indoor water plant should be filled with water and “planted.
Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia)
Dumbcane plants are ideal for creating an indoor water garden because they come in a variety of variegation patterns. Dumbcanes are attractive for growing in vases or water bottles, similar to Chinese evergreen plants with their thick stem and large leafy foliage.
To improve the look of a growing dumbcane in water, use decorative objects in the glass container. By changing the water and renewing nutrients every few weeks, you may maintain a dumbcane plant in a freshwater container. You can also move a dumbcane plant into a pot in order to grow it.
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English ivy may be found with variegated leaves having creamy and green leaves. For a few months, you may easily grow English ivy in water. You’ll have to move the trailing vine to a soils medium after that. If you want to keep English ivy in a water terrarium or indoor water garden, simply replace the plant with fresh cutting. To avoid algae development, keep the water-growing ivy in a bright area in your room and replace the water every few days.
Arrowhead (Syngonium podophyllum)
For growing in a water vase, arrowhead plants are ideal. In any bright room, their huge arrow-shaped leaves have a aesthetic effect. Cut a piece of the stem with a few leaves on it near to a node. Fill a big glass jar with water and put it in a sunny area. The optimum location for arrowhead plants is in a bright, indirect-light area of your home. This indoor water garden is created by growing these plants in jars without soil.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants will create plantlets that may thrive in water for many weeks. Spider plants are only successful for a brief period of time in water, despite their speed. Water-soaked stalks and leaves may deteriorate quickly. Before transferring spider plants to a soil-based growing medium, it’s preferable to use a water garden to propagate them.
Spider plants are wonderful houseplants for a variety of reasons. First, they develop plantlets that can be rooted easily in water. Spider plants are also recommended for disinfecting indoor air, according to the experts.
Ornamental Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)
Adding a tropical feel to your room is simple with growing vining sweet potatoes in water. After sprouting sweet potato tubers in water, you cultivate the vines in water. As the vines develop, cut them off the tuber and cultivate them like any other vining plant.
You’ll need an organic edible sweet potato to begin growing the vine. Fill a bottle with water and seal it. Using toothpicks, support the tuber over the rim of a jar so that one-third of it is immersed in water. Make sure that the tuber is always in water by keeping the water topped up. From the top, green vineing shoots will emerge soon.
Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
Lucky bamboo is not a genuine bamboo, despite its resemblance to bamboo. The water plant, sometimes known as Chinese water bamboo, prefers to grow in a small dish with pebbles and just enough water to keep the roots moist. By topping up the water in a water garden with filtered or unchlorinated water, you can keep the plant growing.
The cane-like stems of growing lucky bamboo can be shaped. In an indoor water garden, you may develop a single stalk or a few together to produce an stunning focal point.
Colorful Plants that Grow in the water
The leaves and flowers of several water-living plants are vibrant. These plants may be grown in vases, jars, bottles, or glass containers and are ideal for water gardens.
Begonias
Due to their unusual foliage, begonias are considered one of the most unique houseplants. Begonias come in almost 1,800 different varieties, with most of them having vivid leaves. By cutting a leaf and stem from begonias, it’s simple to root them in water.
Wax begonias root easily in water and may live for a few months if cared for properly. Select a variety of tuberous begonia if you want to buy colorful blooming plants that thrive in water.
Coleus
Coleus plants have colorful leaves and grow in water for many months. They come in a variety of colors. Make sure there are numerous leaves on the stem that you’ve cut down below a node. Fill a glass, mason jar, or vase with water and place the blooming plant inside.
Never put the leaves in water, no matter how tempting it is. Change the water monthly and add some compost tea for fertilizer to keep the water plant healthy.
Wandering Jew (Tradescantia)
The foliage of Tradescantia zebrina are purple and green-silver with a striped pattern that mimics zebra stripes. These Tradescantia species root quickly in water and may grow for many months in a water garden. Planting several Wandering Jew plants in a big jar may create vibrant cascading foliage.
Choose a purple variety of Tradescantia or striped Wandering Jew to create a stunning, colorful focal point. You may keep growing this trailing hanging plant in water, or move it to a hanging basket.
Variegated Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
If you want a plant with super-bright foliage, grow it in water with various cultivars featuring different foliage colors and patterns. Any space will be brightened by the colorful variegated leaves. For cultivating in a bottle of water or a tiny vase, the lengthy straight stem with colorful oval leaves is ideal. Croton plants can’t flourish in water for ever. Nevertheless, while the roots develop in water, they will flourish for many weeks.
Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum)
Peace lilies are one of the most popular blooming plants, thriving in low light and requiring minimal attention. If you want to add color to a water terrarium, Peace lilies are a great low-maintenance blooming plant. On a table or window sill, the massive lush green leaves and white spathe blooms will offer a lovely centerpiece.
Remove the plant from the ground and wash off all soil before planting it in water. Place the stems in a vase with water, so that the leaves aren’t touching it. If needed, change the water every week and add fertilizer.
Paperwhite (Narcissus papyraceus)
For a glass terrarium, paperwhite is one of the best blooming plants. It creates an attractive indoor water garden using pebbles, shells, and other decorative objects. Fill just enough water to cover the roots but not touch the paperwhite bulbs in an soilless mix. The long tube-like stems that rise from the terrarium will make a striking piece of furniture.
In order for paperwhite narcissus to bloom indoors, put it in a cool area until it produces roots. Move it to a sunny area when you see the roots. The paperwhite narcissus plants should bloom around three to four weeks after you’ve planted your water garden.
Moses-in-a-Basket (Tradescantia spathacea)
Moses-in-a-basket plant, another easy flowering water plant to grow. Tradescantia florida produces little white flowers that are attractive. When it appears to explode out of the top of a water vase or mason jar, the long, spiky, waxy foliage looks stunning.
A plant that is easy to care for is Moses-in-a-basket (also known as Moses-in-the-cradle). Put at least six inches (15 cm) of stem cuttings in a jar or vase of water and keep them moist. To keep the plant’s water fresh, replace the water and fertilizer mixture every week or so.
Impatiens
Impatiens is a lovely flowering plant that lasts a long time in water and produces a wide range of blossoms. Cut a section of stem from a healthy plant just below the node. Make sure there aren’t any leaves in the water before placing it in a vase. Keep in a watery setting for a few months, changing the water and fertilizing on a regular basis. The Impatiens plants thrive as a marginal pond plant and adore soggy moist soil.
Flowering Plants that Grow in Water Indoors
Creating an attractive floral display in your room is simple by growing flowering plants in water. Cut flowers do not usually survive as long as flower plant cuttings that grow in water. Propagating the plants is also simple by placing the stems in water. Some beautiful blooming plants that are suited to be grown in water are shown below:
- Begonias—Indoors, it’s simple to grow a blooming water plant. Both gorgeous blooms and stunning leaf foliage are produced by begonias.
- Paperwhite—Terrariums or growing in beautiful glass jars, these bulbous blooming plants are perfect. Long tubular stems are crowned with clusters of delicate white blooms.
- Peace lilies—Bright white spathe flowers adorn air-filtering plants.
- Impatiens – Impatiens include more than 1,000 species of flowering plants with many species tolerating filtered light and full shade.
Vegetables to Grow in Water (Food Plants that Grow in Water)
You can also grow greenery in water by growing certain vegetables. Some edible root plants and bulbous vegetables are examples of vegetables that may be cultivated in water. You might try growing the following food plants in water:
- Carrot tops—Cut 1″ (2.5 cm) off the tops of a few carrots to make them easier to eat. Put enough water in a shallow dish so that it just covers the stump’s rim. To keep the water topped up, add a little now and then. Soon, your carrots will be covered in green tops.
- Onion greens—Place an onion on the edge of a glass with toothpicks. So it’s just touching the bottom of the onion, fill the glass with water. Make sure the onion’s bottom is covered by topping up the water level. You should harvest edible onion greens.
- Celery – The celery root end should be chopped off about 2 inches (5 cm). Half of the cutting should be submerged in a shallow water jar. It should be placed in an sunny area. After a few days, the base of the plant will begin to produce tiny leaves.
Herbs that Grow in Water
Water is a great medium for growing certain plants. Just put the stems in water, making sure no leaves are in there. That’s all you need to do! The following are some of the easiest herbs to grow in water:
- Sage
- Mint
- Basil
- Oregano
- Lemon balm
- Stevia