Plant care
Baby's Tearstemperature & humidity
Soleirolia soleirolii
More about baby's tears
Ideal temperature for baby's tears
Aim for 11-21°C (52-70°F) on the thermostat and you've handled the easy part. The hard part is the half-metre around the plant: window glass that drops to near-freezing on a January night, a radiator pumping out hot dry air, a draught from an opened front door. Move the plant 30 cm and you've usually fixed the problem. Below roughly 11°C growth pauses; cold beyond that pushes it into dormancy rather than killing it outright.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Baby's Tears is comparatively hardy (USDA 9-11, RHS undefined). Within that range it tolerates a cold dormant spell outdoors; outside it, grow it in a container you can move under cover or overwinter in a cool but frost-free spot. Hardiness assumes an established plant in well-drained soil — a wet, cold root zone kills far more plants than cold air alone.
Humidity for baby's tears
Baby's Tears sits happiest at around 60% and above relative humidity. Loves high humidity. Below roughly 50% the fine leaf tips brown and crisp. Boost moisture with a pebble tray, a nearby humidifier, or by growing it in a terrarium, bottle garden or bright bathroom. Misting helps short-term but is no substitute for ambient humidity. The usual low-humidity tell is crisp brown leaf tips and edges while the soil moisture is fine — a sign the air, not the watering, is the problem. If you need to raise it, the reliable methods are grouping plants together, standing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (the pot above the waterline, never in it), or running a small humidifier in winter when indoor heating dries the air most. Misting is the least effective — it raises humidity for minutes, not hours.
Baby's Tears temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for baby's tears?
Baby's Tears grows best between 11-21°C (52-70°F). Keep it out of cold draughts, off freezing windowsills in winter, and away from the hot dry air directly above radiators — the extremes matter far more than the average room temperature.
How cold can baby's tears tolerate?
Baby's Tears starts to suffer below roughly 11°C. It tolerates a cold dormant period within USDA 9-11, but a wet cold root zone is more dangerous than cold air.
What humidity does baby's tears need?
Baby's Tears prefers about 60% and above relative humidity. Loves high humidity. Below roughly 50% the fine leaf tips brown and crisp. Boost moisture with a pebble tray, a nearby humidifier, or by growing it in a terrarium, bottle garden or bright bathroom. Misting helps short-term but is no substitute for ambient humidity.
How do I raise humidity for baby's tears?
Group it with other plants, stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (kept above the waterline), or run a small humidifier in winter. Misting only helps for a few minutes, so it is the weakest option for a plant that genuinely needs more humidity.
Can baby's tears live outside?
Baby's Tears is rated for USDA zone 9-11. Within that range it can stay outdoors; outside it, grow it in a moveable container and protect the roots from a wet, cold winter.
More baby's tears care
In the UK? Keeping baby's tears warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full baby's tears care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.