OurBalconyGarden - Know about Soleirolii( Baby Tears) Plant

Soleirolia soleirolii (syn. Helxine soleirolii) is a plant in the nettle family. Also known as “Baby Tears” It’s perennial that makes for an eye-catching specimen for indoor terrariums and hanging baskets. Why it so special are the myriad tiny leaves. Although baby's tears plants are easy for beginners, they require regular attention to look their best. Botanical Name: Soleirolia soleirolii Common Names: Baby's tears, Angel's tears, bits and pieces, bread and cheese, Corsican creeper, Corsican curse, friendship plant, Mind-your-own-Business, mother of thousands, Paddy's wig, and pollyanna vine. Height: 3-6″ Light: Partial shade to bright indirect light Water: Medium Humidity: High Temperature: Cool to room temperature Bloom Time: May to June Flower: Creamy white without petals Leaf: Evergreen Baby’s tears do not respond well to harsh sunlight or dry conditions. But in rich, well-drained but moist soil, the plant grows very aggressively. Soil: A rich soil amended with humus, compost, or manure will increase the nutrients available to baby's tears plants, and will also help to regulate the moisture level for plants. Water: Baby's tears plants are thirsty, and they never like to dry out. If your plants do dry out, you'll notice a dramatic wilting take place. Water them quickly, and within a day they should recover. Fertilizer: Liquid fertilizers are easier to apply than spike inserts when no bare soil is visible. Potting and Repotting: Baby's tears plants grow quickly and need to be repotted regularly Propagating Baby's Tears. Wherever stems are touching the soil, they will form roots. Plants can spread without limit in this fashion. If you wish to create new plants for, different containers, separate a section of stems with soil and roots with a small trowel. Pruning Baby Tears: It isn't necessary to prune baby's tears plants for good health, but shearing often improves the appearance of the plants or the overall arrangement. Scientifically, they’re known as Soleirolia soleirolii or Helxine soleirolii, baby tears is delicate looking, featuring bright yellow leaves with tiny white flowers. Outdoors, you’ll usually find them. Propagation: Baby's Tears have shallow roots and can be propagated by division. Divide plant into smaller clumps by gently pulling it apart. Be sure there are roots attached. Problems: Although these plants are pretty darn easy to take care of, you can still run into some pests, diseases and growing problems. Let’s have a look at each of this issue and delve into ways which you can combat them. Growing Problems: If your plants are growing slowly or don’t look healthy, revisit the care section of this guide. Chances are you are overwatering, underwatering, or having an issue with the light requirements for baby tears. Pests There’s a slight pest possibility with Pilea plants, namely whiteflies, scale, and aphids. Whiteflies: These small insects, covered with white powdery wax, resemble fungus gnats. They feed on baby’s tear plant sap and weaken the plant, causing the leaves to drop. Scale Insects: If you have kept the baby’s tear plant inside your home, it is likely to get attacked by scale plant pests. They start to form small brown spots on the leaves. They feed on the sap of the plant and create a sticky substance known as honeydew. You have to manually wipe off the bumps caused by the scale with rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs. Aphids: Also known as plant lice, aphids are pear-shaped insects that form large colonies on plants. They can damage the plant by sucking their sap and ruining their leaves and flowers. To get rid of this pest, you can spray a mixture of warm water with mineral oil and liquid dish soap. Q/A Q. Do they produce flowers? A. Baby’s tear plants do produce flowers that are tiny in size and creamy white in color. You can find them blooming in late spring. They do not have petals and cannot be used for decoration purposes. Q. Can I only grow them indoors? A. You’re more than welcome to plant baby’s tear outdoors. They’re best suited for rock gardens or green walls. They can also be used as an alternative to grass. Q. What do I do if my plant is getting overgrown and unruly? A. You have to schedule regular pruning and trimming of the plant to make sure that stays in shape. Q. Can baby’s tear be used for a terrarium? A. Yes, they make great terrarium plant as they grow and spread well horizontally. But, you have to be careful, because they have the tendency to overtake the entire terrarium. Add this awesome plant to your collection and take advantage of the green leaves by artistically hanging them from a container or using them as a ground cover! The dense, lush and rich green leaves of the baby tears plant look incredible when falling from a hanging basket. In a small hanging basket, the spreading plants can spill attractively over the sides. In a terrarium, the plants can creep to the edges of the glass, hiding all bare soil.