When Rooting in Water Is Just Not Enough

Many plants will root easily in water, but the roots that form can be extremely fibrous and stringy. Upon transplanting they often seem to decline, or fail to grow at all and die. I've had much better success using Perlite with water. I fill a container, just the type you would use to root in plain water, with Perlite, strike my cuttings, and place them in the Perlite. Then I fill the container with water. I add just enough water to keep the Perlite very moist but not "floating." I do usually dip the cuttings in rooting hormone also. I leave them until there is a "mass" of roots. The Perlite adds some resistance that the roots have to grow through. It creates much stronger roots, and when you transplant, you can just leave whatever Perlite sticks to the roots on the plant and pot it up. The added Perlite provides a cushion for the roots while they adapt to life in soil.

Examples of some of the plants that I routinely root in water are Brugmansia, Red Firespike (Odontonema strictum), Coleus, and Begonias.

I also use this method with pots that have drainage holes. I set them in a shallow tray with just enough water for the perlite to draw up the moisture for plants, such as Hoyas, Rhipsalis, and Passifloras.

The photos below show Brugmansia rooted in Perlite and water, just about ready to be potted up.