How to Grow and Care for Baby’s Tears

Prune off the green-leaved stems as near their point of origin as possible to inhibit reversion.

Repotting

Repot your baby’s tears every two years or so into a larger pot if needed, or into the same one to refresh the soil, accommodate growth, and avoid overcrowding.

Set the plant at the same level it was in the previous container, and be sure to water the day before to make it easy to remove from the pot.

Where to Buy

You can usually find baby’s tears available at good garden centers, plant nurseries, and online.

Just remember to check the species name to make sure you’re purchasing the correct plant!

Baby’s Tears

You can find baby’s tears in three-inch pots available from Winter Greenhouse via Walmart.

In addition to the species, there are a few cultivated varieties of S. soleirolii with different colored leaves.

Here are some you’re sure to love:

Aurea

‘Aurea’ has eye-catching chartreuse or yellow-green leaves.

Display it as a stand-alone or combine with other cultivars for a colorful mix.

‘Aurea’

You can find ‘Aurea’ plants in two-inch starter pots available from Winter Greenhouse via Walmart.

‘Golden Queen’ boasts gold leaves that set it apart from other varieties, where ‘Silver Queen’ has shimmery foliage with a silver cast.

S. soleirolii ‘Variegata’ boasts green leaves richly accented by white margins for a two-tone effect that creates exceptional depth.

Propagation

The best time to propagate baby’s tears is from spring to summer, during the most active growing period of the year.

The species is not generally grown from seed but via cuttings, by division, and layering.

Let’s consider each method:

From Cuttings

To propagate baby’s tears from stem cuttings, first sterilize your garden scissors or pruners.

1. Cut a two-inch stem measuring from the tip and snip off the bottom leaves to reveal an inch of bare stem.
2. Fill a well-draining three-inch container three-quarters full of all-purpose potting soil. 
3. Lightly moisten the soil.
4. Dip the cut end into rooting hormone powder. This is an optional step to help promote rooting.
5. Use a chopstick or pencil to poke a one-inch hole into the center of the soil.
6. Place the stem into the hole an inch deep, keeping the lowest leaves above soil level.
7. Backfill to hold it firmly upright.
8. Cover the pot with a plastic baggy and secure it with a rubber band to create a mini self-watering greenhouse. Loosen it if the soil becomes soggy.
9. Place the pot near an east- or west-facing window, avoiding direct sunlight.
10. Remove the plastic wrap when new leaves grow.

After removing the plastic wrap, make sure you water the new plant when the surface of the soil is almost dry to the touch.

By Division

If you have a mature baby’s tears plant, it’s very easy to divide it to create new specimens.

Begin by spreading newspaper or an old plastic tablecloth over your work surface.

1. Tip the pot on its side and use a knife or other implement to loosen the soil around the edges.
2. Remove the plant, and gently tease the roots apart to distinguish separate stems.
3. Separate and remove as many stems as desired, taking care not to damage the attached roots.
4. Set each rooted stem into a hole an inch deep.
5. Tamp the soil firmly to hold the stems in place.

When you see new leaves, the divisions have rooted successfully.

Layering

Layering is the easiest propagation method and it works well if you have a plant with long trailing stems cascading over the side of a hanging planter.

1. Choose a trailing stem and find a bare patch of soil in the pot the plant is currently growing in, or better still, prepare a small pot that can be situated adjacent to the current container.
2. Snip enough leaves to have about an inch of bare stem over the surface of the soil.
3. Loosen the patch of soil a bit and lay the bare stem on top of it.
4. Use a U-shaped floral pin or small rock to secure the stem against the soil.
5. The stem should readily root.
6. In a few weeks, lift the pin or rock and check if the stem stays in place. If so, roots have likely grown.
7. Snip the stem just above the patch of soil to release it from the parent.
8. Dig below the rooted stem to lift it out of the pot.

Transplant the rooted stem to a pot of its own if you need to. Set it at the same depth as in the original container.

Managing Pests and Disease

While baby’s tears is not prone to pests or disease, there are a few to be aware of, especially when cultivating houseplants in environments that may not fully replicate a species’ natural habitat.

Pests you may encounter include:

Aphids, mealybugs, scale, spider mites, and whiteflies are sapsucking insects that prefer dry conditions.

They feed on plant juices, secreting sticky honeydew and causing foliar discoloration and disfigurement.