Soleirolia care

bridal mattress

One of the plants that are used for garden decoration are those that belong to the group of creeping plants. In this case, we are going to talk about the soleirolia care. It is a genus of plants that has 3 different species. The most common is Soleirolia soleirolii which goes by the common name of bridal mattress, angel's tears, bridal bed moss, or mother of a thousand. It is used to upholster any surface since it has a fairly accelerated growth capacity and is not demanding at all in terms of its care and maintenance.

Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you about the care of soleirolia and its characteristics.

Key features

tears of the virgin

It is a small plant with stems very small and rarely exceeds 10 cm in height. If you like these plants, here you can see 16 small plants: names, characteristics and photos. It is native to the Mediterranean region and grows naturally in cool and humid areas.

In terms of decoration, this plant is highly valued for its small bright green leaves, which form a very beautiful compact tapestry, reminiscent of the appearance of moss. For this reason, it is sometimes used as a substitute for grass, but the salamander cannot be placed in the area to be trampled because it cannot bear it and die.

Its flowers are small and inconspicuous, so it has little effect on its value as an ornamental plant. Its care is not difficult or demanding, but the plant cannot tolerate certain conditions that must be considered. It is known by common names such as bridal mattress, angel tears, moss bridal bed, and mother of a thousand people. This species is native to Sardinia and Corsica.

They are small perennials with a small diameter and translucent stems, up to 10 cm tall, but spreading horizontally. The most interesting are its compact leaves composed of small and shiny leaves, They can be yellowish-green, light green, or with silver spots. These flowers are so inconspicuous that they have no decorative meaning.

They are used in indoor flowerpots and in shady areas of terraces and terraces, they are very suitable for walls, shrubs or flowerpots planted with ferns in cool areas.

Soleirolia care

soleirolia care

This creeping or indoor decorative plant has a mild Mediterranean climate and cannot tolerate high temperatures or severe frosts. It can withstand occasional light frosts, but prolonged or hard frosts kill the aerial parts of the plants. Of course, it is likely to germinate again without problems in the spring of the following year.

Indoors, the ideal is to place it in an area where the temperature is stable above 5 ºC. If you want plants that are more resistant to low temperatures and used to cover surfaces, read another article about our collection of various cold-tolerant interior decoration plants.

The bridal mattress cannot withstand direct sunlight. Therefore, it is important to place it in a bright place but avoid direct exposure. For example, shady or semi-shaded gardens and bright rooms are very suitable options, but the light does not enter directly through the windows. If soleirolia is exposed to strong sunlight, its leaves and stems are likely to burn and turn black, and its aerial parts will immediately die like frost.

If planted indoors, the plants need pots or containers without drainage holes, which help hold in moisture. In the absence of these, place a plate under the pot with stagnant water and moisture. When outdoors, remember to find a secluded area that cannot be walked on, because it has no resistance to grass.

Soleirolia care to maintain it

potted soleirolia care

In addition to its location in the shade or semi-shade, watering is the most important care for this beautiful decorative indoor plant. Soleirolia has very high moisture and watering requirements, and requires your soil or substrate to remain moist at all times.

If you place it in a pot with drainage holes and a dish underneath, water the dish directly to allow the soil to naturally absorb the water and allow it to reach the plants. If you use a container without drainage, water without problems, try to completely moisten the soil, but never water it. This plant responds much better to irrigation by water without lime.

Due to its shallow roots, the plant does not need organic matter in the soil. Any loose soil or substrate that provides good drainage is sufficient. You can use a universal substrate and add a quarter of coarse sand to it for better aeration and drainage of the soil. As for the fertilizer, it is enough to apply mineral fertilizer every 15 days during the warmer months, or add some worms to the soil during those months.

Reproduction

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, apart from the soleirolia care, many are used for its upholstery use to spread on any surface. To do this, it is necessary to know how to reproduce it.

Propagating soleirolia is very simple due to its shallow root system and rapid plant growth.

  1. Carefully remove part of the plant along with the soil, you will see that the roots are very short and only a small amount of substrate is removed. You can use the same hand to separate it and minimize damage to plants.
  2. Divide the removed patch into various parts of the plant that you want to propagate.
  3. Prepare a small basin without draining, Properly hollow out the general purpose substrate and add coarse sand.
  4. Lay the individual pieces of salamander on the new substrate and then press lightly so that the roots are in contact with their new soil.
  5. Store in large quantities, place the container in a cool or semi-shaded place, they will quickly take root and begin to grow. For example, the windows in bathrooms and kitchens where the sun does not shine are very typical places for soleirolias.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about soleirolia care.


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