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Soleirolia soleirolii

mind-your-own-business

A wide-creeping evergreen perennial with slender, rooting, pink or green stems bearing tiny rounded leaves and minute pinkish-white flowers in summer

Other common names
baby's tears
bits and pieces
see morebread and cheese
Corsican creeper
Corsican curse
helxine
mother of thousands
Paddy's wig
Pollyanna vine
angel's tears
friendship plant
Irish moss
Synonyms
Helxine soleirolii
Soleirolia green
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Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cm
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Pink White Green
Autumn Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

North–facing or West–facing or East–facing or South–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Drought resistance
Yes
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Urticaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Genus

Soleirolia is a fast-growing, mat-forming perennial with creeping, rooting stems bearing small, rounded leaves and inconspicuous pinkish flowers

Name status

Correct

Plant range
W Mediterranean Is.

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass or as a house-plant in a peat-free, loam-based compost with added grit in full light with shade from hot sun or in partial shade. Water freely in summer but keep just moist in winter. Can be grown outdoors in any soil but has the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well and also becomes deciduous in frost prone areas; suitable for use as bedding, including hanging baskets

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Low Maintenance
  • Banks and slopes
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
  • Ground cover
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.