I have an Easter Cactus that has been growing in a water glass for two years now. I havent given it any fertilizer, all it gets is water. When the water glass starts looking grungy I scrub it out and put the plant back in with fresh water.

It isn't growing as fast as the ones that are in pots, but, it will put out a new pat now and then. It's green and healthy looking, just a bit slow.

I've seen mints grow in water for some time -- in fact, I've added a pond basket filled with lava rocks and mint to my indoor fish tank just recently. (I only have a large Plec, and he doesn't seem to mind.) I'm hoping that the mint will grow faster with the added fish-poop nutrients than the mint I grew in the windowsill over the summer that didn't have it.
It all depends on the plants of course. I've grown hibiscus in my fishpond -- just rinsed off the roots and plopped it in an empty pot to contain it. Grew like crazy.
If you want to grow plants indoors in water, put them in an opaque white container with a lid. Cut a hole for the plant to stick up out of. That will cut down on both algae growth and evaporation. The lid will also support the plant so it doesn't slip down into the water, which can cause rot, etc...

Tradescantia fluminensis grows in water for at least a year, and is healthy with it.

Acorus gramineus sat in water with a sediment for more than a year, stayed healthy and increased in size/flowered. An Iris ensata was the same for four years until it grew too large.

My impatiens cuttings that I took in early September are showing signs of stress. I think they've reached the limit of the time they can be in water. Time to pot them up.

Happy gardening,
cantstop

Cantstop,

Are you saying your Impatiens are impatient?

I worked somewhere that had a plant (can't remember what kind) in a vase w/ just water that had been there for several years. The best part? It was in the basement and only ever got florescent light. I know that's fine for plants, but still seemed like another strike against it.

It was also in the smoking area of the building - one employee ashed into the vase every once in a while.

The plant seemed pretty happy. What a life.

from a horticultural standpoint the roots of non-aquatic plants (not things like cattails that naturally thrive in water) all need air and nutirents (the science and practice of hydroponics) if you took a vase of water with rooted cuttings and added an aquarium air pump and some hydroponic nutrients, you could grow almost any plant in water indefinatly (to maturity). as for non-airated water and without nutrients plants will live for varying lengthes of time (depending on the plant) but almost no plant can live in tap water or distilled water indefinatly without some fertalizer. and the roots will "drown" if there is not enough oxygen present.

there's my two pennies.

I have houseplants that have been in the same water-filled jars/containers for up to 5 years.

I use plastic kitchen containers, short and tall wide-mouth and narrow-mouth Ball jars, tall/short/narrow/fat drinking glasses and many coffee mugs, old tea pots, flower arrangement holders, colored antique jars, beer mugs.

I keep teeny-tiny cuttings in those miniature jelly sample jars.

I rarely fertilize them, although I have dropped a single ball of time-release fertilizer in the bottom. All of them are very healthy.

Some I recently began in water with pebbles/glass beads so that they will transfer successfully to soil later on.

I think they feed on dust and plant leaves/roots that break off, drop and rot, and on the light mossy stuff that sometimes grows in the water.

If it smells at all, I change the water and scrub the container.

Syngonium (Arrowhead) -- three different kinds

Pothos -- variegated and plain green
Philodendrons -- Monstera, Heart-leaf and a red-stemmed variety.

Dieffenbachia (really large and miniature)

Wandering Jew

Miniature Palm

Spathiphylum

Impatiens

Avocado Seed, and more.

I would try pretty much ANY plant in water.

:)

all of the plants listed above do root easily in water but you DO NOT want pieces of leaves and stem rotting in the bottom of the glasses of water. as plant material decomposes (under water) it releases ethalene that is poisinous to plants. in compost, this is not a problem bcause it escapes into the atmosphere, but in water it becomes trapped and accumulates. that fuzzy stuff is mold and although i dont know that its directly hurting the plant, its definatly not helping.

putting marbles or rocks in the glass will not really have anything to do with transplanting the cuttings to soil later. if anyhting it could damage the sensitive root tissue.

again- just my 2 pennies.

Hi
A question that i know something about !!!lol. I have a varigated Ficus benjimina that has been setting in a bucket of water since 1982 !! lol Was originally intended to become a Bonsai.
Among other things i've grown in water are Pothos ,Persian shield, impatients,many types of aroids
and several palms.
Almost any type of tropical plant will live in water for long periods of time
gary

My philodendron was dying when i first bought it...it has root rot and i assume it was my fault lol it made me sad and i didnt want it to die. I took off all of the dead brown mushy roots and i was left with brown nubs and i was about to give up and throw it away but i thought maybe i can save it in water. So i put it in water. That was a little more than 6 months ago and its thriving in a mason jar of tap water. Its doing so good idk what to do with it. Im thinking of putting it back in dirt but im scared of it dying. Any advice? Is it too late to put it in soil?

I am a fairly new gardener and I have so many questions for the ending season and moving some of my plants inside and rooting some of my plants so I may share with family. If anyone has the time to email me I would greatly appreciate it. unsinkable01soul@aol

I have seen Pathos alive for many months in a healthy aquarium with fish Curiously, they do not seem to thieve indefinitely.

I have Pothos vines growing in aquariums. The leaves hang out and the roots go in. I have a lot of vines. Some are six years old. I root cuttings of them from the tip all the time.

I have had him in water over 5 months