Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)

Baby’s tears is a plant built for propagation and survival. It grows Soleirolia soleirolii all along the edges of its leaves, and those tiny plantlets can even grow roots while still attached to the main plant. Flowers are not a seasonal occurrence and may or may not appear on any given plant. When baby’s tears does flower, the blooms are pink or grey.

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Soleirolia soleirolii (syn. Helxine soleirolii) is a flowering plant in the nettle family. It has a number of common names, including baby’s tears, angel’s tears, peace in the home, bits and pieces, bread and cheese, Corsican creeper, Corsican curse, friendship plant, mind-your-own-business, pollyanna vine, Paddy’s wig, and mother of thousands . It should not be confused with Kalanchoe daigremontiana, another plant known as mother of thousands.

This species is native to the northern (European) side of the Mediterranean Sea, in and around Italy, the Adriatic and Aegean regions and offshore islands; it has also been observed in the Azores and Corsica. Baby’s-tears has been introduced internationally through the plant trade, and is cultivated (more or less) worldwide as an ornamental garden plant. It has been noted as growing in the northeastern Irish counties of Antrim and Down.

It is a delicate-looking creeping herb with juicy bright green or yellow leaves and multitudes of tiny white flowers. It grows close to the ground in mats and is sometimes used in ornamental gardens alongside ferns and other moisture-loving types of plant.

The leaves are usually slightly stalked, about 5 mm across. The minute flowers produce oval seeds.

It prefers shade and consistent to heavy moisture. It can also grow with the roots submerged (emersed), or in swampy or riparian environments. In colder regions, the plant dies back during winter, but the roots regenerate; it returns with lush growth as temperatures increase.

Baby’s-tears is commonly seen in calm, shaded garden areas, as well as in bonsai gardens. It is popular as an accent for water features in the garden; as it is quite a thirsty species, some gardeners plant it on the edges of small waterfalls, fountains, or within rocky crevices surrounding ponds or other aquatic features.

If given adequate moisture and protected from direct sun, Baby’s-tears may grow prolifically, and is a common weed in many places. It is capable of vegetative reproduction, so to eradicate a problematic or invasive patch, the entire root system of the plant must be dug out and removed, and not only the exposed leaves; roots or pieces of root which remain buried can (and will) sprout new growth, unless water is completely denied to the plant, causing it to dehydrate. Nurseries grow several varieties, including gold, yellow, and white breeds, but the mossy-green type is most popular with gardeners.

This species, the only member of the monotypic genus, Soleirolia, was named after the French army engineer and plant collector Henri-Augustin Soleirol by his fellow French naturalist Esprit Requien. Soleirol, an amateur botanist, originally collected the plant in Corsica.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Baby’s tears plants dislike intense direct sunlight, which may scorch leaves. They look their best in bright, filtered light. Baby tears plants can thrive under artificial lights indoors. Outdoors, place it in a shadier location.

Temperature and Humidity

As an outdoor specimen, baby’s tears plant grows best in a climate that remains between 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the ambient temperature, the more attention the gardener must pay to light and humidity. Baby’s tears plants can tolerate a light frost, but freezing temperatures that sometimes occur in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s hardiness zone 9 may kill the plant’s top growth. The plant can regenerate after the transitional climate warms up again.

Baby’s tears appreciate high humidity with at least 75 percent humidty. These plants are ideal for a steamy bathroom or kitchen. If you live in a drier environment, these plants will appreciate life in a humid terrarium.

Watering

Baby’s tears plants are thirsty plants that never like to dry out. If you allow your plants to dry out, you’ll notice a dramatic wilting. Water as soon as you notice wilting, and within a day, they should recover. Baby’s tears houseplants will require slightly less water in the winter months. It’s fine for the soil’s surface to be dry, but the soil around the roots should be moist. However, do not let the roots sit in water, which can promote root rot. Make sure the soil stays moist but drains well.

Soil

A rich soil amended with humus, compost, or manure is sufficient for baby’s tears plants. It will also help to regulate the moisture level for plants. Commercial potting soil is suitable for growing baby tears as a houseplant or in a container garden.

Fertilizing

When you decide to plant baby tears plants seeds, it is important that you feed them with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer once they start growing. Fertilize these and mature baby’s tear plant every two weeks in the spring and summer. This is the time when the baby’s tear plant is growing at the highest rate, and needs additional nutrients. Cut back on fertilizing in dormancy, during winter and fall.

Adequate baby tears plant nourishment ensures that you have a healthy plant. You can use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer that is diluted by about half.

Pruning

Baby’s tear plants can be rather invasive, especially when grown outdoors. Prune frequently to ensure they’re not overgrowing their container, or spilling onto your pathways outside. Use a pair of sharp scissors and don’t be afraid to aggressively prune the stems and leaves of the baby’s tears plant.

Propagation

Baby’s tears plant propagates easily, especially in its growing season, usually during the spring and summer. Wherever stems touch the soil, they will form roots. Plants can spread without limit. If you want to keep the plant within its bounds but don’t want to kill the overgrowth, move it to a container. These plants are seldom propagated by seed. Baby’s tears plants are best propagated via division and cuttings. Here’s how to do it:

To propagate by division:

• Divide your plant. You will need a trowel, new growing container, or growing area for your divided plant.
• Separate a section of stems with soil and roots using a small trowel. Don’t worry about damaging the plant; it will regenerate quickly.
• Replant the division in moist, well-draining potting soil.

To propagate by stem cutting:

• Gather scissors or pruning snips, a potting container, fresh moistened potting mix, and, optionally, some rooting hormone.
• Cut healthy stems that are at least 2 inches long. Remove the base leaves and keep only the leaves at the top of the stem.
• Make holes in the potting medium with your finger and plant the cuttings in the holes. For better results, dip the cut ends in water with the rooting hormone before burying the cut tip in the hole.
• Cover the cuttings with plastic wrap or a clear plastic or glass dome. After 3 to 4 weeks, the stems should be well-rooted.

Repotting

Repotting baby tears is quite easy. Once the baby’s tears plant starts to overgrow and crowd out the existing pot, up-pot by about 1″ and mix in some high-quality potting mix. Carefully remove the baby’s tears plant from its old pot, and gently separate the root mass. Then place it in the new pot that has a good sized drainage hole with some of your preferred potting soil.

Fill in the areas around the original baby’s tears plant root balls and lightly water. Then put the new pot somewhere it receives indirect light. You can try using mixed containers to see what works best for you too.

Overwintering

If you live in a place that gets frost or cold weather conditions, it’s a good idea to grow baby’s tears in containers. Bring these plants indoors before the weather approaches freezing temperatures. Frost will begin killing off the outer layer of leaves first. The plant will not survive outdoors if you live in a location with sustained wintery weather or in any hardiness zones less than 9. The plant should be able to bounce back if exposed to frost briefly.

Pests and Diseases

• Common Pests

Whiteflies are small insects, covered with white powdery wax that resemble fungus gnats. They feed on baby’s tear plant sap and weaken the plant, causing the leaves to drop. They also lay eggs on the top of the leaves. What you can do to control this pest is to spray neem oil on the baby’s tears plant in a light mist.

Scale Insects are common on baby’s tear houseplants. They are small brown slimy looking bumps that feed on the leaves and stems of your baby’s tears plant. They consume the sap of the plant and create a sticky substance known as honeydew. Manually wipe off the bumps caused by the scale with rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs. You can follow up with applications of insecticide and neem oil as well.

Aphids are also known as plant lice. They are pear-shaped insects that form large colonies on plants. They can damage the baby’s tears plant by sucking their sap and ruining their leaves and flowers. To get rid of this pest, spray neem oil.

• Common Diseases

As mentioned, for the optimal growth of Soleirolia soleirolii plants, you have to be careful about the conditions in which they are grown. The baby’s tears plant can experience root rot if they are overwatered. Keep the soil just moist enough to ensure proper watering, but not too moist to waterlog the roots.

Botrytis and southern blight are also common when baby’s tears plant growing conditions are off, and foliage sits in moisture for too long. If this is due to overwatering, cut back for a while and allow the soil to completely dry. Meanwhile, prune away foliage that has gray mold or lesions. This should remedy the issue but if it doesn’t, you may need to dispose of the baby’s tears plant.

Powdery mildew occurs in the same conditions that the previous two diseases occur in. Prune away damaged foliage on your baby’s tears plant, and cut back on watering. If you’d like to prevent the issue altogether, try a light mist of neem oil.

• Common Problems

If your baby’s tears plant is growing slowly or doesn’t look healthy, revisit the care section of this guide. Chances are you are either overwatering, underwatering, or having an issue with the light requirements for baby tears. Yellowing lower leaves on your baby’s tears plant are a sign of overwatering, and curling, brown leaves are a sign that the baby’s tears plant is in too much sunlight or in an area that’s too warm.

To remedy these issues, remember to water your baby’s tears plant appropriately, keep the humidity up, and only expose your baby’s tear to bright, indirect light.

III. Types of Baby’s Tears

• Soleirolia soleirolii ‘Aurea’: This variety has golden foliage; it grows a little lower than other types of this species and does not spread as widely. It does better in dappled shade.
• Soleirolia soleirolii ‘Golden Queen’: This variety has yellowish leaf margins.
• Soleirolia soleirolii ‘Silver Queen’: This variety has silver-gray foliage.
• Soleirolia soleirolii ‘Variegata’: This variety has variegated, silverish leaves with white stippling. It was formerly called ‘Argentea.’

IV. Uses and Benefits 

Baby’s tears is a mat-forming perennial best used as a ground cover plant. It prefers full shade to partial shade. Though its flowers are insignificant, the shiny, lime-green foliage is what is sought after when choosing this plant for outdoor garden use.