The cast-iron plant is one of the low-maintenance houseplants. But can its high tolerance to different circumstances includes the ability to be propagated and grow in the water!
Many emails came to me asking” can cast iron plant propagated and grow in water”.
In this article, I will answer this question in detail. And I will tell you the ideal way to propagate your cast iron plant. And the conditions it needs in order to grow well.
But before diving deep into the details I will put the answer for our main question as simple as this: Can cast iron plants propagated and grow in water? A cast-iron plant can not be propagated in water. Also, it can not grow in water as some other houseplants do.
Keep reading to know why cast iron plants cant be propagated in water nor grow in water. And also know why some plants can grow in water and others don’t. I wrote an entire chapter about growing plants in water in my book Container Gardening: A Step-by-Step Practical Guide. Download your copy now through this link to master water gardening and know which plants you can grow in the water, besides mastering container gardening in general.
Why cast iron plant can’t grow in water
The nature of the cast iron plant is that it has stems that are connected directly to the roots, unlike plants like croton, ferns, and jade plant. Therefore you cant do leaves nor stem propagation.
Stem cutting and leaf propagation are what can grow in water. But the only way you can propagate cast iron plants is through division.
Division means taking part of the mother plant’s roots and stem as a new plant.
Such roots are already grown in the soil. Therefore, they adapted to absorb nutrients and moisture through a medium ( soil).
So when you put such roots in water they will die. On the other hand, in the leaves or stem propagation, you take only a leaf or stem cutting without established roots.
Then the leaf or the stem cutting will develop special roots underwater that can tolerate water as a medium instead of soil.
Such a luxury is not available for cast-iron plants.
How do you take cuttings from cast iron plants?
You can’t take a cutting from a cast-iron plant as you do with other houseplants. Instead, you can propagate by dividing the plant.
That means you take part from the root system along with a few stems attached to it.
Keep reading to know how properly you can propagate a cast iron plant.
Cast-iron plant propagation
By using your hands separate a root clump from the mother plant. The clump should have two to three stems.
Avoid using knives in order to avoid cutting healthy roots. Use only your hands and do it gently. That means separate rather than cutting the root clump.
After that bring a suitable pot that has drainage holes. And fill its bottom with all-purpose potting mix.
Then put the new seedling on it. Fill the gaps with the soil, then give it water. Now you have a new plant.
In conclusion
Cast-iron plants can’t be propagated in water nor grow in water. Although the cast iron plant is a very tolerant plant that can survive in a wide range of conditions.
You can propagate your cast iron plant by division. And give it medium to low indirect sunlight. And expose it to a temperature above 40 F.
Also, water it when the top two inches of its soil are dry and your plant will thrive.