# Baby Tears



## njoker

*I THINK* there's actually giant baby tears (Hemianthus umbrosom), regular baby tears (Hemianthus micranthemoides), and dwarf baby tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides). They are all aquatic. The giant and regular requires medium light, at least in my tanks. As for the dwarf baby tears, I think they will need a lot of lighting.

You can use HC as a carpet plant. HM and giant baby tears could be use as foreground to midground depending on how big your tank is or how high you want your plants to grow in the front. THIS IS WHAT I THINK, hopefully other could correct me if I am wrong. You could check out the plant profiles section to see which baby tears you have.


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## FrostyNYC

Njoker is basically dead on. The growth forms for all three species varies slightly dependent on whether they're grown above or below water. I'm growing HC and HM emergent right now, and I believe that I've read that the leaves are slightly large and paler and the plants have a more extensive root structure when grown out of water. 

There's tons of info on baby's tears on this forum, usually called HC and HM here. (HU is more uncommon here as its somewhat large to be a ground cover)

I'll add that this plant reportedly transitions well between submersed and emergent growth, as the leaf structures are very similar in both growth forms, unlike an Echinodorus, for example.


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## Digsy

I've successfully used Hemianthus micranthemoides as a foreground, trimming it down to about 1/4" every week or so. I think given the larger leaves on Hemianthus umbrosum, that would be a lot harder to maintain as a shorter foreground. I've got some of that now and it's pretty impossible to control.


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## super_smirky

Thanks...good stuff to know. I might find some dwarf and try that.


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## hooha

I've recently heard there is a plant used in vivariums also called 'baby tears' that is not aquatic.....best to find out what type of 'baby tears' you're getting before you plant it.


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## frozenbarb

Baby Tears There is one aquatic and one non aquatic. 
The first one is for gardening and won't live underwater. The second one is the one that will grow underwater. so don't get confused

http://home.howstuffworks.com/baby-tears-plant.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gserafini/424760233/
Non Aquatic.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/plants/56610-hc-baby-tears-yard.html#post504001

This is Hemianthus callitrichoides. Sometimes call Baby tear( whoever made that up was is a dumass) This is the aquatic one.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...rophulariaceae/Hemianthuscallitrichoides3.jpg

They are two different plant.


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## gentledental4u

they can fill in the foreground if you have high light...


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## fishscale

You need more than high light. High light keeps them growing low. It can be grown with less light than people tell you (You do not need 4 wpg or whatever else they are saying)


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