Photo: Jules Verne Times Two · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Baby's Tears
Soleirolia soleirolii
A dense mat of tiny leaves that spreads into a living green carpet. Needs constant moisture — perfect for a sealed jar.
- Terrarium type
- Closed
- Terrarium size
- Small
- Light
- Medium
- Care level
- Moderate
- Growth habit
- Carpet
- Pet safety
- Non-toxic to pets
Growing Baby's Tears in a terrarium
Where to place it
Plant it as a foreground carpet where it can spread across open substrate and soften the base of hardscape. Medium indirect light keeps the mat dense rather than leggy.
Watering & humidity
It demands constant moisture — a sealed jar is ideal because it hates ever drying out. Mist any patches that look dull and keep the substrate consistently damp.
Watch out for
Left unchecked it will smother smaller neighbours, so pull back the edges every few weeks. Brown, mushy patches mean it's sitting in standing water.
Reference: Soleirolia soleirolii on Wikipedia.
Baby's Tears FAQ
Can Baby's Tears grow in a closed terrarium?+
Yes — Baby's Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) thrives in a closed terrarium. The sealed glass traps the constant, high humidity it needs, and it tolerates the lower light inside a covered vessel.
Can Baby's Tears grow in an open terrarium?+
It isn't recommended. Baby's Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) wants the constant humidity of a sealed, closed terrarium and will quickly dry out and crisp up in an open, airy one.
What size terrarium does Baby's Tears need?+
Baby's Tears suits a small terrarium — jars & bottles. It has a carpet growth habit, so plan its position with that in mind and trim or divide it if it starts to outgrow the glass.
Is Baby's Tears easy to care for?+
Baby's Tears is rated moderate to care for in a terrarium. A dense mat of tiny leaves that spreads into a living green carpet. Needs constant moisture — perfect for a sealed jar. Left unchecked it will smother smaller neighbours, so pull back the edges every few weeks. Brown, mushy patches mean it's sitting in standing water.
How much light does Baby's Tears need?+
Baby's Tears does best in medium light. Keep it out of direct sun, which magnifies through glass and scorches leaves. Plant it as a foreground carpet where it can spread across open substrate and soften the base of hardscape. Medium indirect light keeps the mat dense rather than leggy.
Is Baby's Tears safe for cats and dogs?+
Baby's tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) is non-toxic to cats and dogs according to the ASPCA.
