A plant grows without soil! Is it even possible? Yes, it is. Some ornamental plants can flourish even without soil. Generally, gardeners with green thumbs love to dig their hands in loam and dirt.
But, some gardeners, especially newbies and indoor ones, prefer to stay away from soil and keep their hands clean from dirt.
In this case, these plants provide them a chance to practice gardening without having loam under the nails.
Especially for these gardeners, we pen down an article to enrich you by providing all the necessary information about plants that do not need soil.
Plants that don’t need soil
It can be surprising for any garden lover when they come to know a plant can grow even without mold.
So people, who get freaked out with ease at the very thought of digging their fingers in the soil, can now plant their favorite herbs without clay.
Plants that can develop even without the aid of soil generally depend on water or clay pebbles to live. Expert gardeners already know that some indoor plants can grow without soil.
But, we have found some outdoor herbs too that can thrive happily without mold. With such minimal necessities, the plants shoot up and grow vibrant flowers or delicious fruits.
Below we have shared some of the plants that do not need any water and soil to live.
Aloe vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller)
Aloe vera or Aloe Barbadensis Miller is an indoor plant that can grow without soil and water.
This indoor plant, with thousands of other medical benefits, does not even require soil to thrive. Since it comes from a succulent family, this sturdy plant can grow even in small, sand-like pebbles.
To your acknowledgment, aloe vera comes with countless medicinal values.
Aloe vera can be an elixir for skin disease, hair problems, and even internal issues of your body.
This elegant plant can even stay months without getting a single drop of water. For being succulent, their plump leaves hold water so that they can live without it for an extended period.
Air plants (Tillandsias)
The Air plant belongs to the Tillandsias family. Even though it could seem like they grow in the air, they only absorb all the nutrients and water from the air.
That is why they do not need soil. Most of the variants of Air plants bloom elegant florets of vibrant hues.
Their foliage part with striking green color sucks water and nutrients from the air.
While growing in the wild, you can find this epiphytic plant growing on other trees like canopies to secure adequate sunlight.
In a dense rainforest, there is always a competition for soil, water, and light.
Since they can suck all the necessary nutrients and water from the air, they do not need additional watering and soil to survive.
Air plants can be a great collection as a houseplant since they can purify the air you breathe.
So place this plant on a decorative dish on your coffee table, and enjoy watching them grow even without soil and water.
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Agaves
Agaves belong to the family named Asparagaceae.
This elegant perennial-monocot is mainly native to the hot and arid areas of America, especially South America. Being succulent, Agaves can survive for a much longer time without soil and water.
If you have an experienced hand in succulent gardening, you are probably familiar with their minimum requirements, especially when it comes to water and soil.
Like every other cactus, they also have shallow roots that stay on the surface of the ground.
So, as a houseplant, you can keep them in a shallow container with barely any soil.
The desert-like habitats of this herb have made it a super drought-tolerant plant.
Agaves can survive without water for a month on average.
The patterned leaves of this plant with fleshy and robust attributes can retain water. It is the reason why Agaves do not need additional misting.
Sage (Salvia Officinalis)
Sage is a perennial, drought-resistant plant that belongs to the mint family of Lamiaceae.
This herb mainly grows in the Mediterranean area. Growing sage can be hassle-free and beneficial at the same time.
For its dry habitat, Sage prefers sandy soil with excellent drainage. But you can grow them in pebbles if you do not want to put your hand in the dirt.
Having Sage in your garden is like having a leafy friend with ultimate medicinal benefits but zero demands.
If you forget to water the plant for a certain period, it might not mind.
Even this drought-resistant plant can die due to overwatering.
So, next time while choosing plants for gardening, you can consider Sage for its low requirements and antimicrobial features.
Aechmea
Aechmea belongs to the Bromeliad and natives to Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean region. It is another plant that can live in fewer amounts or even no soil.
While growing in the wild, the shrubs anchor their radicals to a support plant and absorb water and nutrients from the air.
It is the reason they do not need any soil, and still growing them indoors can require a little mold, depending on the climate and other environmental factors.
Their need for water is so low that you can even call them drought resistant. Aechmea can survive without water for straight-up 5-7 days and sometimes even more.
While some gardeners have reported overwatering killed their elegant Aechmea, seldom watering goes a long way.
If you have an interest in gracefully blooming plants with fewer wants, Aechmea can be a great option to consider.
Also read:
Zebra cactus or Haworthiopsis attenuata
Zebra cacti is another member of the succulent family that does not need water and soil to survive.
Even though they are available worldwide, Zebra cactus are mainly indigenous to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
This ornamental herb comes with decorative, patterned leaves that have white stripes all over them.
Even though Zebra cacti survive without loam, it ultimately slows the growth rate. Still, if you want to keep your hands clean from mold, you can have them as beautiful houseplants.
When it comes to demand for water, the Zebra cactus has the least or even zero needs. It is so neglected and tolerant that if you water this plant even once a month, Zebras cacti do not bother.
Paperwhites
Narcissus tazetta or paperwhites is a plant common in Algeria, Portugal, Greece, and Morocco. The delicate yellow and white daffodils sprout from the bulbs of the paperwhite.
It can grow indoors, even in the winter when sunlight is scarce.
Paperwhites have a robust smell which some call musky, while to others, it is like cat urine.
These plants do not need soil to grow indoors. You can surround them with wet pebbles and grow them by watering those alternate days.
Philodendrons
Philodendrons are a group of plants from the Araceae family and are one of the most popular plants among gardeners.
The plant includes bright green and enormous leaves which are heart-shaped.
Philodendrons add a summary and tropical environment to any apartment, office, or home.
You can grow philodendrons at home without soil with ease and can water them less, compared to other plants.
This adaptable plant can tolerate bright and low light and need less care in comparison to other plants.
You can grow it in a pot without oil or in a jar full of tap water.
If you want to propagate philodendron, cut off 6 inches of the existing plant and take out the lower two-leave set.
After that, insert the cutting in a water jar. After ten days, you will root at the base of the leaf nodes.
Marimo Moss Balls
You will be amazed to see this plant if you have never seen it before. It is a sort of algae named Aegagropila linnaei that expands its life under the water.
Some people also add them to the fish tank.
You can just put them in a bowl of water and thus do not need any frequent watering.
Just remove the water every once in a while and refill it again.
Since they need indirect lighting, you can grow them with ease inside your house. These are also known as Cladophora balls and are spherical.
Hyacinths
It is another plant on our list that needs no soil to grow.
It belongs to the Scilloideae subfamily and Asparagaceae family.
You will see tall flowers with a lovely array of colors like white, dark blue, bright pink, light blue, and purple.
The tallest and full-grown hyacinth does not need any sunlight at all.
For ten weeks or more, they can survive even in a dark room.
After ten weeks, Hyacinths require sunlight and wet pebbles to survive. Since overwatering can be dangerous for them, you need to take care of this aspect also.
Bottom Line
Plants need some medium to latch to for growing, which can favor bark, moss, or stones.
It does not necessarily need to be soil.
All the plants mentioned above can be grown indoors with no need for any soil or direct sunlight.
You need to put them in water, wet pebbles, or water then occasionally, and you will have a full-grown and beautiful plant enhancing the grace of your home.