Angel tears or baby tears is a low-growing ground cover resembling moss that honors Joseph Francois Soleirol, who acquired a large collection of specimens of Corsican plants. The common name Baby's Tears is derived from the tiny, rounded leaves. It is in the nettle family. This creeping perennial ground cover is evergreen in zones 10 above and will die back but rejuvenate in zone 9. While it can spread up to 6' wide in the garden, as a houseplant, it won't go far. Not having contact with the soil will limit its spread and it can be pruned as needed. In warm winter areas, it can be somewhat weedy and difficult to eradicate as any stem pieces left can regrow, It may be used as a terrarium plant, but over time will crowd out the other terrarium plants. Ideal conditions include moderate temperatures, high humidity and bright, indirect lighting. Direct sunlight can scorch the leaves. It prefers well-drained fertile moist soils. A wide, shallow pot creates an ideal location for this plant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease issues. Aphids, whiteflies, and scale are possible problems. Once established outdoors, the plant may prove to be difficult to remove. Even after removing the plant, many small stems are missed and the plant can regenerate.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.