MIND-YOUR-OWN-BUSINESS
SOLEIROLIA SOLEIROLII
This much-loved plant has a creeping habit. Plant it in a shallow dish and it will cover the soil and make a stylish centerpiece. This is not a plant that can be ignored, so it’s the wrong choice if you often forget to water or are away a lot.
HEIGHT 5cm (2in)
SPREAD 60cm (24in)
FLOWERS Tiny, pinkish-white
FOLIAGE Very small, green
LIGHT Filtered sun/light shade
TEMPERATURE 7–24°C (45–75°F)
CARE Fairly easy
PLACE OF ORIGIN The Mediterranean
CARE
Mind-your-own-business, also known as baby’s tears, is highly adaptable to different light levels and will thrive in a humid environment, so a bathroom or kitchen is ideal. Keep the potting mix evenly moist all year and mist the foliage regularly: placing it by the kitchen sink will mean you’re less likely to forget it. This plant will soon die if left to dry out. Plant in a pot of commercial potting mix and feed once a month with a half-strength balanced fertilizer. Keep this fast-growing plant neat by clipping off any overhanging foliage with scissors. To create a new plant, just peel off a small section, with some roots attached, and repot.
This plant’s neat, mound-forming habit makes it perfect for the center of a table.
You have to look closely to spot the plant’s tiny, pinkish-white flowers.
PROBLEM SOLVING Although mind-your-own-business enjoys a humid atmosphere, it can’t cope with being swamped by other, larger plants. The foliage will quickly turn yellow and die if the plant is overcrowded (a frequent problem when it’s grown in a bottle garden). To avoid this, remove any larger, overhanging leaves or grow the plant in its own container.
DISPLAY
Mind-your-own-business has miniature leaves and pretty, pinkish-white flowers that are so small you’ll barely notice them, but its spreading power is great. It’s often grown under other plants, but you’ll have much more success displaying it in an individual pot, as the foliage is very soon damaged when it’s covered by larger, neighboring leaves. Display it in a separate pot in a humid bathroom or kitchen. Place other plants that enjoy high humidity alongside mind-your-own-business to create a striking show. Great partners for this plant include the maidenhair fern and the bird’s nest fern. All these plants will flourish in the filtered light that’s often produced by a frosted bathroom window.
Houseplants A–Z | MIND-YOUR-OWN BUSINESS
ALSO TRY
Plants with very tiny leaves offer a fantastic contrast to those with giant and more decorative foliage. Why not find room for a few more attractive houseplants with miniature leaves, such as:
- Button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia), height 12in (30cm). Tiny, button- shaped leaves are held on this plant’s arching fronds. It enjoys light shade and moderate humidity.
- String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus), trail 36in (90cm). This plant has long stems that are decorated with round leaves. It’s wonderful for a hanging basket in a sunny room.