Plants that grow in water indoor is a practical alternative to digging around in dirt. Hydroponics sidesteps a lot of the usual headaches, such as overwatering, messy soil, and those relentless pests. Plenty of house plants that can live in water actually seem to love life without soil, thriving with minimal fuss and bringing a fresh pop of green indoors.
This method is a lifesaver if you’re busy, forgetful, or just not into the whole dirt thing. Plus, house plants in water look pretty cool in glass containers, since you get to spy on the roots and keep tabs on water levels. Whether you’re into trailing vines or upright showpieces, there’s a surprising variety of indoor plants that can live in water. Learning how to grow plants in water is simple, and many plants that can be propagated in water can easily transition to a permanent liquid home.
Below, you’ll find twenty plants that can grow in water only, from familiar favorites to herbs. There’s something for every taste, and once you start growing plants in water, you’ll see how easy it is to maintain tropical stunners or low-light survivors. With a little care, all of these can flourish in water alone.
1) Pothos
Pothos is about as easy as it gets to grow in water. Just snip a few stems, drop them in a jar of clean water, and watch those roots get going. No green thumb required.
Swap out the water every week and toss in some liquid fertilizer now and then. Pothos is forgiving about light, and although bright and indirect is best, but it’ll manage in low light too. The trailing vines and heart-shaped leaves are a bonus, and you won’t have to worry about dirt everywhere.
2) Philodendron
Philodendrons are just as easygoing in water as they are in soil. Heartleaf, Brasil, Micans – it doesn’t really matter which type you pick!
Snip healthy cuttings with aerial roots and pop them into clean water. Change the water regularly and give them some light, and you’ll have happy plants. They’re low-maintenance and look great trailing or climbing wherever you put them.
3) Monstera Deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa, or the Swiss cheese plant, is surprisingly content living in water. Cuttings root well in a clear vase, and the big, dramatic leaves make for a striking display.
Just remember to swap out the water and make sure it’s getting enough light. With a little attention, it’ll keep growing right along.
4) Lucky Bamboo
Despite the name, lucky bamboo is actually Dracaena sanderiana. It’s ridiculously easy to grow in water and doesn’t ask for much.
Stick the stalks in a vase with water, making sure the roots are under and the tops are above the surface. Change out the water each week and use filtered or distilled if you can. Keep it in indirect sunlight, and it’ll reward you with steady growth and a bit of good luck; or so they say!
5) Spider Plant
Spider plants do well in water, so if you’re after soil-free greenery, this is a solid pick. Just take a few offsets or cuttings and drop them into a glass of water.
Roots show up in a couple weeks. Keep them in indirect light and change the water now and then to avoid algae. They look clean and modern, and they’re known for helping purify indoor air.
6) Snake Plant
Snake plants might be famous for surviving drought, but they’ll also grow hydroponically if you give them a chance. Place a cutting or a small plant in water so the base just touches the surface.
Roots will start to form in a few months. Change the water regularly and let them soak up indirect sunlight for a few hours a day. They’re tough, but a little attention goes a long way.
7) English Ivy
English Ivy is another plant that doesn’t mind water at all. Take a healthy stem cutting (about 4 inches should do it) and set it in a glass of fresh water.
Roots usually pop up in a few weeks. Just remember to change the water so things don’t get funky, and your ivy should keep trailing happily along.
8) Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Chinese Evergreen usually prefers soil, but it’ll root and grow in water too. Place stem cuttings in a glass and wait a few weeks for roots to appear.
The leaves are glossy and colorful, so they really stand out. Keep the water level steady, swap it weekly, and you’ll have a happy plant, even in low light.
9) Peace Lily
Peace lilies are surprisingly adaptable to water. Gently wash the soil off an established plant’s roots and set it up in a clean container.
Give it indirect sunlight and change the water every week or two. A little diluted liquid fertilizer every month or so will keep it looking sharp.
10) Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium)
Arrowhead plants are almost too easy to grow in water. Place a cutting in a jar and you’re basically set.
These tropical houseplants have cool arrow-shaped leaves that look great in glass vases. Give them bright, indirect light, and top up the water as needed.
11) Jade Plant
Jade plants may not be the first thing you think of for water growing, but they can do it. Propagate cuttings in a glass of water and roots will eventually show up.
It’s a neat way to display jade, especially if you like the look of glass jars. Just keep the water fresh and make sure it gets enough light.
12) Devil’s Ivy
Devil’s Ivy (aka Pothos) is totally at home in water. Place stem cuttings in a container of fresh water and let them do their thing.
Change the water regularly and feed with a bit of liquid fertilizer sometimes. You’ll get lush vines without any soil hassle, plus it’s easy to keep an eye on the roots.
13) Lucky Fern
Lucky fern can handle water growing if you keep its roots submerged in a glass container. It likes gentle morning sun or bright, indirect light.
Switch out the water often and use distilled or filtered if possible. Tap water sometimes causes mineral buildup, which ferns aren’t crazy about.
14) Coleus
Coleus is a show-off in water, rooting quickly from cuttings. Take a piece, strip the lower leaves, and stick it in water, and roots will appear before you know it.
The colorful foliage is a real eye-catcher. It doesn’t need much fuss, just fresh water and a decent spot out of direct sun.
15) Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palm isn’t always grown in water, but you can do it with cuttings if you’re patient. It likes indirect light and temps between 65–80°F.
Keep the water clean and the roots healthy. It’s a good-looking, air-purifying plant that’s also non-toxic; so you don’t have to stress if you’ve got pets or kids around.
16) Fittonia (Nerve Plant)
Fittonia, or the nerve plant, has wild leaf patterns and can grow hydroponically. Place stem cuttings in a jar, making sure the nodes are underwater.
Roots will sprout from the submerged nodes in a few weeks. Keep the water fresh, and it’ll keep looking vibrant in its watery setup.
17) Mint
Mint is almost too easy to grow in water. Snip a stem from an existing plant and plunk it in a glass of fresh water. Roots show up fast, sometimes in just a week or two!
Change the water every few days and give it bright, indirect light. Snip leaves as needed for tea or cooking, so you’ll always have some on hand.
18) Basil
Basil is another herb that handles water growing like a champ. Take a cutting, set it in a jar of fresh water, and keep it somewhere warm and well-lit.
Roots usually appear within days. Swap out the water often, and you’ll have fresh basil whenever you want, even in winter when the garden’s closed for business.
19) Sweet Potato Vine
Sweet potato vines are fun to grow in water. Stick a sweet potato half-submerged in a jar, and soon you’ll have roots below and trailing stems above.
It’s low-maintenance, pest-free, and makes a great indoor display if you’ve got a sunny spot. The heart-shaped leaves cascade down and brighten up any corner.
20) Water Hyacinth
Water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial, instantly recognizable by its vivid purple flowers and glossy, rounded leaves. Those bulbous stalks? They’re packed with air, so the whole plant just bobs along the surface.
It’s surprisingly easy to grow water hyacinth in ponds, container water gardens, or just about any aquatic space if you’re in zones 9 through 11. This plant loves sunlight but can tolerate a bit of shade, and you won’t need soil since it floats wherever it pleases. Its feathery roots dangle below, pulling nutrients straight from the water.
