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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.
