A plant cultivation system includes at least one plant support staircase comprising a plurality of distinct individual plant receptacles including a zenith plant receptacle and a nadir plant receptacle, with each plant receptacle comprising a water basin. The plant receptacles descend from the zenith plant receptacle to the nadir plant receptacle, and are horizontally stepped so that each plant in receptacle is vertically unobstructed by each ascendingly adjacent plant receptacle. The plant receptacles are configured so that water supplied to a zenith basin cascades down the plant support staircase through descendingly adjacent basins toward a nadir basin, The plant staircase(s) may be disposed in an enclosure that can be closed to exclude external light, with at least one light source disposed in the enclosure. Specific light sets may be arranged in registration with particular plant receptacles. A reservoir and pump may supply water to the zenith basin(s).
