23 Houseplants You Can Grow In Water For Healthy Plants With Less Mess

If you're curious about bringing more houseplants into your life, but intimidated by soil, compost, and the potential of bringing pests into your home, you may be reassured to know that many plants can be grown indoors without any soil at all. People who love plants but are short on space to store soil and large pots can try a soil-free method of indoor gardening known as hydroponics. You can grow a variety of houseplants, including orchids, monsteras, and spider plants, without soil through hydroponics — a way to keep them healthy with less mess.

There is a variety of systems for growing plants without soil, but the elements many have in common are water and added nutrients. The setup can be as simple as placing the plant's roots in a clear container, pouring in enough water to partially submerge the roots, and anchoring the top of the plant with a material like cork. Some houseplant enthusiasts use clay balls known as LECA to grow indoor plants without soil instead, for a method often referred to as "semi-hydroponics." Whatever way you choose, your houseplants may grow faster than they would if their roots had to burrow through soil, as long as you keep the water and nutrients they crave readily available. Get started by learning which plants can thrive without soil to start your new indoor gardening adventure.

There's a reason the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) is the type you're most likely to see at a plant shop. These beautiful orchids, with their flat pink, white, purple, or yellow flowers on tall stems, are beginner-friendly. They also take naturally to a soil-free method for growing orchids indoors, since in the wild their roots soak up nutrients from the air and rainwater. Moth orchids love dappled sunlight, which you can provide by placing them in an east-facing windowsill, but they can also grow in shaded spots. When treated well, their 3- to 6-inch flowers can stick around for months.

Growing a monstera or Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) inside will give your home a tropical flair, and you can do it without any soil whatsoever. Because it's an epiphytic rainforest vine, this monstera is adapted to growing on other plants instead of in the soil, absorbing nutrients with its aerial roots. Cuttings from a monstera plant will propagate well in water. From there, you can keep it growing in water, but make sure to add fertilizer so it gets adequate nutrition. Give your Swiss cheese plant indirect sunlight or partial shade.

You might see the alluring boat lily (Tradescantia spathacea) called an oyster plant or Moses-in-the-cradle. All these names refer to the way a boat-shaped leaf called a bract holds a white flower on the plant. These perennials are easy to grow and very adaptable. They propagate easily in water, so start by placing a cutting in a glass container filled with water, and you should see roots develop in a few weeks. During this process and once the plant develops those roots, place it in a spot that gets full or partial sun.

The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is well known for how easily it propagates new plants. If you want to grow them in water, it's these babies that will get you started. Prune one of the plantlets off the main spider plant and place it in a clear container of water, growing it in medium or bright light. You may see roots growing out in just a few days. While spider plants are easy to care for, avoid using untreated tap water. Not only can it contain minerals that affect plant growth generally, tap water may give spider plants leaf burn.

The easygoing snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) is a perfect choice if you're just getting started with houseplants, or have had trouble growing other indoor greenery, since it will adapt to most light conditions. Overwatering poses the greatest risk to this tropical evergreen, which is one reason why you should grow a snake plant in just water and not soil. You won't be able to water the plant too much because its roots will always be in water, soaking up what they need.

If you're new to growing plants in water, it's a good idea to try raising a low-maintenance golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) that way. Begin by putting a cutting of this pothos in water. Adding clay pebbles or perlite and fertilizer will help the water retain enough nutrients for the plant to stay as lush as it would in soil. With enough nutrients and an often-replenished water supply, the leaves can form a cascading trail. Pothos can be grown in partial or deep shade, or dappled sunlight.

The varied colors of a rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum) range from silvery to green to lavender. They thrive in high humidity, so growing them in water is a natural choice. Place your hydroponic begonias where the light is bright, but indirect. Rex begonias can fare well in a deep water culture system, where their roots stay submerged in a mix of water and nutrients. If you're transferring them from a pot of soil into water, don't worry if their roots look flimsy. Soon, their "water roots" will take over and endure as long as they get the right resources.

If your space doesn't get much light, consider growing the peace lily (Spathiphyllum), a plant that loves partially or deeply shaded environments. With proper care, a peace lily can reach a height of around 3 feet indoors and will display large, curved white flowers. If possible, keep an eye on the pH level of the water, since these plants do better in acidic growing media. In addition to your nutrient solution, you can add solutions to keep the pH at the appropriate level (between 6 and 6.5).

A flamingo flower plant (Anthurium andraeanum) has a "flower" that's actually a shiny, brightly-colored leaf cradling a tower of tiny flowers called a spadix. These epiphytes that make great houseplants prefer to grow in humid and shady conditions. You can lean into this tendency of theirs and help prevent soil mites and root rot by growing them hydroponically. Rinse the dirt off a nursery-grown flamingo plant and place it in rainwater or spring water. The roots will adapt, but you'll want to support the leaves to keep them from touching the water and rotting. 

Hydroponics is the main way of growing lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) indoors: You'll often see it displayed in a clear glass container with rocks or pebbles. Make sure the water is chlorine-free if you're growing it this way (tap water can be left out for a day to achieve this). Change the water every seven to 10 days, cleaning the container regularly so algae doesn't get a chance to accumulate. Put the lucky bamboo plant in a space in your home where it will get bright, indirect light and stay relatively warm.

Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) is a shade-loving plant in the mint family that can grow happily either indoors or outside. If you already have one growing in the garden, setting it up to grow in water is easy — take a 4- to 6-inch cutting and prune the leaves off the lower part before submerging it. Watch for roots to grow over two to three weeks. Choose a container that has good drainage and water with a nutrient solution. If you're nervous about taking the full plunge into water culture, coleus also flourishes in a semi-hydroponic system with LECA pebbles.

For a low-maintenance houseplant you can grow easily in water, try the Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum). It's a tropical plant that can do well in low-light areas (in fact, too much direct sun can make its leaves turn yellow). Once it's growing in water, Chinese evergreen's leaves can get abundant, and you'll need to dust them regularly so light can still get through. Keep this plant somewhere children or pets can't reach, since its leaves and sap are poisonous.

Cheerful geraniums (Pelargonium), which bloom in red, pink, and white, aren't just for outdoor flower beds; you can propagate them in water and keep growing them that way as well. Take some cuttings with flowers above the nodes and place them in water so roots can develop. These plants love to stay moist and warm, so if your home is on the cooler side, you can add special lights to give them their ideal growing temperature. Geraniums do best in full sun.

The heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) is a familiar sight where houseplants are concerned, known for its long, cascading stems and heart-shaped leaves. Try something different by switching up its growth medium to water only or semi-hydroponics. Start by placing a stem without bottom leaves in a container of water mixed with liquid fertilizer, which you should change weekly. Even though they can typically be low-light plants, giving them some extra sunlight if they're grown in water will give them a needed boost.

The less common but very beautiful dendrobium orchid (Dendrobium) takes naturally to growing partially or fully in water, because it needs high humidity, and even though it may benefit from a drying-out period, the roots should never be fully dry. It's best to pay attention to the specific species of dendrobium you're growing, as some like to be in the water full-time and others may "rest" with their roots sitting in rocks outside of their growing season. They'll do well near a window with bright and indirect light.

Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia seguine) gets its name from the way its sap can numb vocal cords if it's eaten, but as long as you keep it away from kids and pets, it's a beautiful addition to your soil-free houseplant collection. When you clip a cutting of this plant to root it in water, wear gloves to spare yourself from touching that sap. Even without soil, dumb cane can grow tall, reaching over 3 feet. It can grow successfully in partial shade.

The Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) puts out coin-shaped leaves and a steady supply of baby plants you can detach to grow new plants to gift to a friend. A Chinese money plant can be grown without any soil. Start by propagating a baby plant with water in a small, clear bottle that shows the developing roots. You can hold the top of the plant in place with cork to keep it secure. After roots grow, you can either keep the plant in water and a nutrient solution or transition it to a LECA system.

If you admire the trailing English ivy (Hedera helix), it's important to keep it as an indoor-only plant. Outdoors, it poses risks to native trees as an invasive plant that's very tricky to stop from spreading. But its ability to grow in shade and its hardiness make it great for a beginner indoor hydroponic garden. First, cut the vine into small pieces and place each one in a separate container with water. You'll eventually need a system to hold the roots in place and nourish the plants. In a deep water system, people use netting, an air pump, and a nutrient solution. 

A prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) is a fascinating plant companion, since you can watch its leaves gracefully fold up every night. It will reward you with roots and new leaf growth when you take cuttings and submerge the stems in water. A soil-free growing method with water, pebbles, or LECA can also keep plant parents from either under- or over-watering their marantas, which helps save them from developing crispy leaf tips or root rot. Make sure your prayer plant gets enough bright indirect light to keep the variegated color in its leaves.

You can look forward to several blooms a year from an African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha), a popular houseplant that's easy to care for. Growing them in either full or semi-hydroponics reduces the chance these beauties will encounter fungus gnats. When you choose a soilless method, double-check that the roots aren't submerged too far into the water, as this can cause their leaves to yellow. For your best chance at flowers, set the plants by a north-facing window where they can get continuous light. If that's not an option in your place, try LED grow lights to mimic daylight.

The striking peacock plant (Goeppertia makoyana) used to be part of the Calathea genus, but was reclassified as scientists found new information about their genetics. They can thrive when grown in water and fertilizer. It's extra important to let tap water sit for a day first, or use rainwater or distilled water, to prevent the leaf tips from browning. Regularly cleaning the leaves can help the plant soak up a good amount of light. Give this one some extra attention, as it can't stand cold temperatures, being directly hit by the sun, or low humidity levels.

It's fortunate that you can grow a new purple heart plant (Tradescantia pallida) from cuttings, because its cascading, vivid leaves are a gorgeous sight. After you clip a healthy branch from the plant and place it in water, it should develop roots in a week or two. It's vital to add a liquid fertilizer so it can survive without soil long-term. Some gardeners have also had good results growing this type of plant in sphagnum moss, a medium that holds onto water. Purple heart plants do well near north- or east-facing windows where they can absorb indirect sunlight.

An arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum) will start out with the leaves bunched close together, but it can eventually behave like a vine. These plants can be grown in a vase with water and a special hydroponic nutrient solution, but you can minimize their chance of getting root rot by keeping only the bottom half of the roots submerged. Their best habitat is one with indirect sunlight where it stays warm and humid. This plant is moderately poisonous, so keep it away from kids and animals.