Plant Care Maidenstears

Maidenstears

About Maidenstears

Maidenstears is a super rare houseplant 🌿 that is isn’t challenging to grow and needs regular watering to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.

Maidenstears likes soil that is well draining. Your plant shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size.

Maidenstears belongs to the Silene genus, and is native to Europe, Northwestern Africa, and Asia.

Taxonomy

Silene vulgaris
Silene
Caryophyllaceae
Caryophyllales

Also known as

Bladder campion

How to care for Maidenstears

💦 Water

How often to water your Maidenstears

Water needs for Maidenstears
0.5 cups
every 9

Maidenstears needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Maidenstears in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Maidenstears: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Maidenstears love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Maidenstears does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Maidenstears in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Maidenstears

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Maidenstears: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Maidenstears after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Maidenstears is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!


💦 Water Needs

Maidenstears prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Maidenstears requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Maidenstears is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.


🪴 Soil

Maidenstears does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!


💩 Fertilizer

Maidenstears should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Maidenstears can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-9b. Find your local hardiness zone here.


🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Maidenstears, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Maidenstears

Maidenstears


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

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