There are Indoor Plants that Grow in Water without much maintenance. You can grow them in clear vases and jars to use as a centerpiece.
If you are looking forward to having indoor plants that are very easy to grow in water, then you have landed at the right place. Some plants don’t need soil to grow, and Yes! These varieties easily grow in water initially without using an ounce of soil! Here are some interesting Indoor Plants that Grow in Water.
1. Philodendron
Botanical Name: Philodendron
In all the philodendron species, heart-leaf philodendron is quite adaptable for growing in water. Keep a 6 inches long cutting in a clear glass jar or bowl in a location with bright indirect light. Don’t forget to change the water once in 3-4 days and it’ll keep growing.
Tip: Add some charcoal in water to prevent rot and algae formation.
2. Lucky Bamboo
Botanical Name–Dracaena sanderiana
Famous for its forgiving nature, the lucky bamboo is one of the best indoor plants that grow in water. Narrow vases are perfect for this plant, depending on the size. Make sure the roots are submerged in the water and add some gravels around them for firm placement.
Also Read: Best Coffee Table Plants To Grow Indoors
3. Pothos
Botanical Name–Epipremnum aureum
With its glossy heart-shaped foliage, pothos is one more option to go for. Grow it in water, in a clear fishbowl and keep that on a shelf, cascading pothos leaves will look wonderful. Keep changing the water every few days to maintain the right oxygen level.
Also Read: Best Pothos Varieties to Grow Indoors
4. Chinese Evergreen & Dumbcane
Botanical Name–Aglaonema & Dieffenbachia
With variegated and leathery leaves having a silvery pattern, the dumb cane and Chinese evergreen plant can be grown in water. You can easily propagate the cuttings in a transparent vase filled with small aquarium rocks. After a few months, once the roots appear and become bigger, transfer them in the soil.
5. Spider Plant
Botanical Name–Chlorophytum comosum
Spider plants look quite interesting with their narrow arching foliage and baby spiderettes. You can either grow them permanently in a glass jar or change the cuttings into a new pot, once they root. Keep changing the water every 2-3 days. Check out these indoor spider plant care tips here.
Also Read: Proven Health Benefits of Spider Plant
6. Arrowhead Plant
Botanical Name–Syngonium podophyllum
Like other climbers and vining plants, the arrowhead plant is pretty straightforward to grow indoors in water. Keep adding fresh water twice a week and it’ll keep on growing. If you like, transplant it into a potting soil once the cutting sets new roots.
7. Coleus
Botanical Name–Plectranthus scutellarioides
Having colorful and serrated leaves, coleus will be the most colorful addition to glasses and jars. Since it likes indirect light, you can keep it as a tabletop centerpiece in a wine glass or decorative mason jar filled with water.
Tip: Adding compost tea in the water will enhance their growth.
8. Wandering Jew
Botanical Name–Tradescantia pallida, Tradescantia fluminensis, Tradescantia zebrina
Wandering jews are tough plants that grow like a weed in warm climates. The astonishing purple-colored and variegated varieties make them desirable houseplants. The best part is you can grow them in water in terrariums.
9. Dracaena
Botanical Name–Dracaena
Many indoor dracaena varieties can adapt to growing in water. Glass jugs and narrow jars are good for them. Just remember to use chlorine and fluoride-free water. Also, never let the water in the jar to become mushy and unclear and keep changing it two to three times a week.
Also Read: Dracaena Houseplant Benefits
10. Croton
Botanical Name–Codiaeum variegatum
Croton has the boldest foliage in all the houseplants, we also added it in our list of houseplants for kid’s room. While it may not grow permanently in water but you can use this method to root its cuttings.
11. Impatiens
Botanical Name–Impatiens walleriana
Impatiens can grow in water for quite a long time. Remove all the lower leaves and submerge their cut ends in water. Once they form long roots, transplant them in pots. This way, more new impatiens will be ready in the nick of time.
12. Begonia
Botanical Name–Begonia
Like impatiens, growing begonias in water is also possible. You can keep them in a clear bowl for around two months before they start to fade. Don’t forget to change the water every week to save the begonia cuttings from rotting.
Also Read: Popular Indoor Plants You Can Grow In Vases
13. Paperwhite
Botanical Name–Narcissus papyraceus
You can grow paperwhite narcissus bulbs in water and force them to flower easily. For this, get a glass terrarium and fill one-quarter of it with seashells and gravels. Now arrange the bulbs closely and cover half of them with these gravels to fix them at their spot. After this, fill the terrarium with water, up to the base of bulbs but in a way that it’s not wetting them. That’s it, keep them at a bright spot and they’ll start blooming after 4-5 weeks.
14. Ornamental Sweet Potato
Botanical Name–Ipomoea batatas
Ornamental sweet potato vine in a glass jar will add a tropical touch to your kitchen windowsill. Trim a few 6 to 8 inches long stems just below the leaf node, remove the lower leaves and submerge them half in water. Keep changing the water and it’ll grow.
15. English Ivy
Botanical Name–Hedera helix
English ivy can your next indoor water garden plant. You can grow its cuttings in vases for a long time. Snip all the bottom leaves of an ivy stem and transfer it into a glass jar and enjoy it on a bright windowsill.
16. Herbs
Not just the houseplants, there are herbs and vegetables that you can grow in water. Some of the best ones are mint, green onions, fennel, and celery. Check out our article to find more names.
Well, I had never even heard of basically all of these except for coleus… and I had no idea coleus could be grown in water like that! Neat!
My search for indoor water plants is complete..Thankyou for this great article. Helps a lot
Amazing to that even plants like mints grow in water. Let me try that. Thanks for sharing!
Wandering Jew is antisemitic name for the plant you asshat. Look up the correct name and learn an important lesson.
That is what it has been called for many decades. How rude you are to call someone that because a plant had been called that for decades.
Its very easy to sit back and call names rather than educating someone with the right terminology (provided You know what it is called!!). I love that you are smart enough to know better but only show your bright brain through rude words. Keep it up!
you sure are an asshole yourself. How dare you call someone by name just for calling a plant differently. Go to hell and don’t visit pages like this if you want to be a pain in the ass, you moron
Get over yourself. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows that it is an old term for the plant and is not intended to insult so why be insulted. Stop speaking for a group of people who are smart enough to not be insulted by such silly things. When is this over the top pc crap going to end? Your certainly not helping anything
How come no one complains about the English Ivy? :-)
I have orchids in water now for nearly 2 weeks and doing fine.
I have coleus outside and I will snipe some and put them in water.
I love seeing plants growing in water.
There’s ways of wording responses & comments about a website without being rude or looking like a twat. Lovely article. I enjoyed this and it’s been very helpful
But the uneducated and lower class is not interested in those “ways”.
Crass is their typical MO and that’s the only way they know how to communicate
Oh no! Another “woke” idiot. They have been called Wandering Jews for decades!. Look it up!
I agree with you
Thank you very much for this helpful and informative article.
Please help me, I have put some water loving plants in a vase, but there is an odor that is not so nice just after one an a half week. What can I do to rectify this?
Change the water frequently, perhaps?….you should never let the water get older than 2 to 3 days in transparent vases (clear glass, crystal and the like), perhaps 5 days in opaque ones (ceramic, metal etc..)
drop a little piece of charcoal in the water
My God! People are so touchy🙄 It’s known as wandering Jew