Baby’s Tears Care: How To Grow This Soft Groundcover Indoors or Out

Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) is a charming plant with a delicate name and an almost moss-like growth habit. Featuring thousands of tiny, rounded leaves that spill from pots or creep along soil surfaces, it’s commonly used as an indoor accent, terrarium filler, or outdoor groundcover in mild climates.

Despite its soft and fragile appearance, Baby’s Tears is fast-growing and surprisingly resilient if kept consistently moist. Whether trailing from hanging baskets or carpeting a shady patch outdoors, this low-growing beauty thrives with simple, consistent care.

What Makes Baby’s Tears Unique?

Native to the Mediterranean, Baby’s Tears is a creeping herbaceous perennial that grows in dense mats.

It spreads via fragile, thread-like stems that root wherever they touch soil.

This creates a lush, living carpet that hugs surfaces and flows over pot edges.

While commonly grown indoors, it also performs well outdoors in warm, humid climates — especially in shaded gardens or as a filler between pavers.

Its soft texture and quick growth make it a favorite for terrariums, fairy gardens, and container arrangements.

Light Requirements: Bright Indirect Light Is Best

Baby’s Tears prefers bright, indirect light indoors and partial to full shade outdoors.

• Indoors: Place near an east-facing window or in a well-lit room out of direct sun.

• Outdoors: Partial to full shade is ideal. Avoid intense midday sun, which can scorch the delicate leaves.

• Terrariums: Diffused light or artificial lighting works well.

Direct sunlight causes yellowing or browning of the leaves, especially through glass.

Low light is tolerated, but growth will slow and become leggy.

Watering: Keep Moist, Never Dry

Consistent moisture is the number one key to success with Baby’s Tears.

• Water when the top layer of soil feels just barely dry.

• Never allow the soil to dry out completely — the plant wilts rapidly and may not recover.

• Use filtered or distilled water if possible; it’s sensitive to mineral buildup in hard tap water.

Avoid overwatering to the point of soggy, compacted soil.

Drainage is crucial to prevent root rot.

Humidity: High Humidity Is Essential

Baby’s Tears loves humid air and will thrive in rooms or settings where moisture levels remain high.

• Ideal humidity: 50% and above

• Use a humidifier in dry indoor environments or place the pot on a pebble tray.

• Terrariums are ideal microclimates for this plant.

• Avoid placing it near radiators, vents, or dry air currents.

Crispy edges or leaf drop are almost always signs of low humidity or dry soil.

Soil: Loose, Moisture-Retentive, and Well-Draining

The plant prefers loamy, fast-draining soil that stays evenly moist but never soggy.

• Use a mix of peat moss, perlite, and compost for a soft, moisture-holding blend.

• Avoid heavy soils or anything prone to compaction.

• pH preference is slightly acidic to neutral (around 6.0–7.0).

Good aeration is essential to keep roots healthy.

Re-potting every 1–2 years refreshes soil texture and nutrient availability.

Fertilizer: Light and Frequent Feeding

Baby’s Tears grows quickly and benefits from gentle, regular feeding — especially in containers.

• Use a balanced liquid fertilizer with a ratio of 10-10-10,like this one, or 20-20-20 like this one, diluted to ¼ strength.

• Apply every 4–6 weeks during the growing season (spring through early fall).

• Skip feeding in winter when growth naturally slows down.

Overfeeding can lead to leggy growth or root burn.

When in doubt, underfeed and observe.

Temperature and Indoor Conditions

This plant thrives in temperate indoor settings but doesn’t tolerate extremes.

• Preferred temperature: 60–75°F (16–24°C)

• It can tolerate brief dips to 50°F (10°C) but may suffer leaf loss.

• Avoid drafts, heaters, or AC vents — consistent warmth and humidity are key.

In terrariums, temperatures should remain stable year-round.

Outdoors, it behaves as a perennial in frost-free zones but dies back in cold weather.

Pruning and Maintenance: Trim to Shape and Control Spread

Baby’s Tears grows fast and can get unruly if left unchecked.

• Trim lightly every few weeks to maintain a compact form.

• Pinch back leggy or discolored stems to encourage dense regrowth.

• Remove dead or yellowing foliage regularly to improve airflow and prevent mold.

Frequent trimming prevents overcrowding and keeps growth looking fresh and vibrant.

Propagation: Effortless Division and Stem Rooting

This plant is one of the easiest to propagate — simply divide or replant creeping stems.

• Division: Separate clumps during repotting and replant immediately. Each section should have roots and foliage.

• Stem rooting: Any stem that touches moist soil will root on its own. You can snip and plant rooted runners easily.

Propagation is a great way to refresh an overgrown plant or share it with others.

Outdoor Care Tips for Baby’s Tears

Baby’s Tears can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 9–11 as a perennial groundcover. In other zones, it can be treated as an annual or brought indoors for winter.

• Location: Plant in shaded or dappled light areas, such as beneath trees, along walls, or in terracotta pots protected from direct sun.

• Soil: Ensure rich, well-drained soil with consistent moisture.

  

• Spacing: Baby’s Tears spreads fast — leave space or use edging to prevent it from taking over.

• Watering: Water deeply and often during dry spells, especially in hot climates.

• Winter care: In cooler zones, dig up and overwinter indoors, or treat it as a seasonal plant.

Outdoors, it performs beautifully as a living mulch, between stepping stones, or cascading from garden beds — as long as it’s not exposed to full sun or freezing temperatures.

Popular Baby’s Tears Varieties

While Soleirolia soleirolii is the standard species, a few cultivars offer variation in leaf color and texture:

• ‘Aurea’ (Golden Baby’s Tears) – Chartreuse-yellow foliage that adds bright contrast in shade gardens.

• ‘Variegata’ – Creamy white and green leaves for a more ornamental effect; slightly slower growing.

• Standard Green – The classic bright green form seen in most nurseries and terrariums.

All varieties share similar care needs and growth habits.

Final Word

Baby’s Tears is a soft, spreading plant that brings texture, fullness, and charm to any environment.

While it needs regular moisture and humidity to stay lush, its fast growth and forgiving nature make it ideal for terrariums, containers, and shaded gardens in warmer zones.

Whether used as a delicate trailing accent or a lush groundcover, Baby’s Tears thrives when you create a gentle, humid environment that mimics its forest-floor roots.

With minimal pruning and consistent care, it will reward you with a living green tapestry that never goes out of style.