The potted snake plant does not tolerate humid conditions, but surprisingly, it can only grow in a water medium if you follow foolproof precautions.
Can snake plants grow leaves from water?
Snake plants can be easily grown from healthy leaf cuttings, making them easy to propagate even without potting soil.
In fact, they are one of the few houseplants that can be grown easily without soil and grow faster in water.
Growing Snake Plants in Water
Snake plants can be easily grown in water using leaf cuttings from existing plants. This process takes 2-3 months until the roots become healthy and strong. Once the roots have formed, you can continue growing your snake plant in water.
Keep in mind that most plants grow more slowly in water than in soil. The same is true for Granny’s tongue. It can make a beautiful focal point for a shelf or table, but you probably won’t see much growth.
What you need:
- Clean, sharp knife or scissors
- Vase or glass jar
- Water
How to propagate it
- Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut healthy, mature leaves from the base.
- Make a clean cut at the bottom – this increases your chances of success.
- Place the cuttings in a clear jar or vase and fill with water until about 25% of the cutting leaves are covered.
- To hold the leaves in place, especially if you are using a small jar, insert a toothpick into it.
- Roots will develop in about one to two months.
- Alternatively, you can remove a puppy whose roots are not yet fully developed.
- Wash the roots under running water and place them in a vase of water as above.
- This method is much more successful than the one above, but it’s all about trying and experimenting to find what works for you.
Separating and transplanting snake plant larvae into water
- Using a sterilized knife, carefully cut off the snake plant seedlings, cutting exactly
- where the leaves appear when you cut them.
- Repeat this process until you have multiple pups for your hydroponic creation.
- Next, select a pot and hydroponic the larvae in a distilled water medium.
- Also, fill it with pebbles as these decorations look fantastic in a vase
Light
Snake plants thrive in bright light. Therefore, avoid storing samples in dark places. East-facing windows should ideally receive two to three hours of direct morning sunlight each day. Or anywhere with bright, indirect sunlight throughout the day will do.
Water
Water quality is an important factor when growing snake plants hydroponically. Use rainwater, pond water, well water, or reverse osmosis water. If using tap water, leave overnight. Change the water every 5-7 days, or sooner if discolored.
Temperature
Snake plants growing in water do best at temperatures between 10 and 35°C. The plant prefers warm temperatures of at least 15°C or more.
Fertilizer
Use a balanced water-soluble fertilizer to feed your plants. When changing the water, adding a small amount of fertilizer every three to four times is usually enough. You can also use diluted aquarium water every few weeks.
What more you need to know
Rinse the jar every time you change the water. This will remove any fungus or bacteria from the glass surface. Remove any rotten parts or thick brown outer skin of floating roots.
Snake plants don’t like cold weather, so protect them from cold winds. Keep them away from window panes and air conditioning vents.
Add a piece or two of activated carbon to your vase to retain moisture.
Caring for Snake Plant Cuttings
Change the water every 2-3 days to prevent pathogens.
Always use distilled or rainwater for propagation to avoid mineral formation.
Place the cuttings near a screened east window for 6-10 hours to provide daily light needs.
Additionally, cover the cuttings with perforated zipper bags to ensure moisture and humidity.
Use dark, opaque containers to prevent algae growth.
Add a small amount of activated charcoal to the water to avoid odors.