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Pothos is the easiest houseplant to grow permanently in water: root cuttings directly in a vessel, change the water every 1-2 weeks, and add a drop of dilute hydroponic fertilizer monthly. Growth is noticeably slower than in soil and leaves stay smaller. That's the honest trade-off for a zero-soil, zero-mess plant. Use an opaque or regularly cleaned vessel to keep algae down.
Key facts
- Water roots and soil roots are physiologically different. Start from cuttings rooted in water rather than transplanting a soil plant, whose roots will partially die back and regrow.
- Growth in plain water is slower than soil and leaves run smaller; dilute liquid nutrients close some of that gap.
- Chlorinated tap water is usually fine for pothos, but let it sit 24 hours or use filtered water if your supply is heavily treated.
- For soil growing, see our main pothos page at /plants/indoor/pothos. This page is only about permanent water culture.
Care requirements#
| Growing method | Permanent water culture (passive hydroponics). Cuttings rooted and kept in water indefinitely |
| Vessel choice | Any glass jar, vase, or bottle; opaque or dark glass strongly reduces algae; narrow necks support the vine |
| Water change cadence | Every 1-2 weeks. Full change, rinse the vessel and slime off the roots |
| Nutrients in water | 1/4-strength liquid hydroponic or houseplant fertilizer once a month; plain water alone stalls growth after a few months |
| Algae control | Opaque vessel, or scrub clear glass at each water change; keep vessel out of direct sun |
| Root transition | Start from cuttings. Moving a soil-grown pothos to water causes old soil roots to partially rot and regrow as water roots |
| Water quality | Tap water is fine for pothos; let heavily chlorinated water off-gas 24 hours, or use filtered/rain water |
| Light needs | Bright indirect light; direct sun heats the water and feeds algae |
| Temperature | 18-27°C (65-80°F); avoid cold windowsills that chill the water |
| Water level | Keep nodes and roots submerged but let some stem stay above water; top up between changes |
| Oxygen | Full water changes re-oxygenate; roots turning brown and slimy means stale, low-oxygen water |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats and dogs (calcium oxalate crystals), same as soil-grown pothos |
Growth & propagation#
| Growth rate in water | Moderate to slow. Clearly slower than soil, with smaller leaves |
| Vine length | Can still trail 1-2m in water over a couple of years |
| Propagation | Trivial: every node roots in water; snip and drop into a new vessel |
| Refresh cycle | Restart leggy water-grown vines from fresh cuttings every 1-2 years |
| Root appearance | Healthy water roots are white to cream and smooth |
| Pruning | Trim to shape; every trimming is a new plant |
Common problems & troubleshooting#
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Green film in the vessel and on roots | Algae. Light reaching nutrient-rich water | Switch to an opaque vessel or scrub the glass at each change; move out of direct sun |
| Brown, slimy roots and sour smell | Stale, oxygen-poor water changed too rarely | Trim rotted roots, rinse, and commit to full changes every 1-2 weeks |
| Plant sulks after moving from soil to water | Soil roots dying back before water roots regrow | Normal. Remove mushy roots as they fail, or start from a fresh cutting instead |
| Pale new leaves and stalled growth after months | Nutrient exhaustion. Plain water has almost nothing in it | Add 1/4-strength liquid fertilizer monthly at water changes |
| Yellowing lower leaves | Normal shedding, or water left unchanged for weeks | Remove yellow leaves and reset the change schedule |
Never forget a water change
Sodate tracks water-change cadence per vessel and reminds you before the water goes stale or algal.
Seasonal care#
Varieties & cultivars#
| Variety | Distinguishing trait | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Golden pothos | Classic yellow-splashed leaves | Fastest and most reliable in water |
| Marble Queen | Heavy white variegation | Slower in water, variegated tissue photosynthesizes less |
| Neon | Uniform chartreuse leaves | Colour stays vivid in bright indirect light |
Buying checklist#
- You don't need to buy a plant. A single healthy cutting with 2-3 nodes is enough
- If buying, pick a vigorous soil plant and take cuttings rather than submerging the whole root ball
- Choose an opaque or dark vessel if you don't want weekly glass scrubbing
- A small bottle of liquid hydroponic nutrient will last years at 1/4 strength
Pricing by region#
| Region | Price range | Typical unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | $0 – $12 | cutting + vessel + nutrient | Cuttings are free/cheap; jar and liquid feed retail |
| UK | $0 – $10 | cutting + vessel + nutrient | Cutting swaps + supermarket jar |
| India | $0 – $3 | cutting + bottle + feed | Money plant cuttings are shared freely; glass bottle reuse |
| Australia | $0 – $13 | cutting + vessel + nutrient | Cutting + homewares vessel |
| Canada | $0 – $13 | cutting + vessel + nutrient | Cutting + jar + liquid feed |
USD figures are approximate conversions for comparison; switch the dropdown to see each region's actual local-currency listing price.
Often confused with#
Name confusion warning#
This is a method page, not a species page. "Water-grown pothos" is ordinary pothos (Epipremnum aureum, also sold as money plant or devil's ivy) kept permanently in water. For soil-grown care, pricing, and cultivars, see our main pothos page.
Where it's actually grown#
Nobody really sells 'water-grown pothos'. The trade sells ordinary potted pothos, and water culture starts at home from cuttings. A few hydroponic houseplant sellers in the Netherlands and online ship pothos pre-rooted in LECA or water as 'hydroculture' plants at a premium.
Import & biosecurity restrictions#
| Region | Note |
|---|---|
| Australia | Live plant imports restricted under biosecurity law; pothos is ubiquitous domestically. Start from a local cutting. |
| US | No restriction; take cuttings from any pothos. |
| UK | No restriction; hydroculture pothos occasionally sold in garden centres. |
| India | No restriction; growing money plant in water bottles is a long-standing household tradition. |
| Canada | No restriction domestically; CFIA permits apply only to commercial imports. |
Similar plants
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Frequently asked questions
Can pothos live in water forever?
Yes. With water changes every 1-2 weeks and occasional dilute fertilizer it can live for years, though it grows slower and smaller than in soil.
Why is my water-grown pothos growing so slowly?
Plain water has almost no nutrients; add 1/4-strength liquid fertilizer monthly, and accept that water culture is inherently slower than soil.
Can I move my potted pothos into water?
You can, but the soil roots will partially rot and regrow as water roots, so the plant sulks for weeks. Starting from fresh cuttings is faster and cleaner.
How do I stop algae in the vase?
Use an opaque or dark vessel, keep it out of direct sun, and rinse the glass at every water change.
Is water-grown pothos safe for pets?
No. It's the same plant, and pothos is toxic to cats and dogs whether it grows in water or soil.
