Queen's Tears Plant Care

Queen's Tears (Billbergia pyramidalis) belongs to the Bromeliaceae family within the Billbergia genus. Queen's Tears is native to northern South America and parts of the Caribbean. Queen's Tears is also known as Friendship Plant, Coral Drops, Piramidal Billbergia.

Queen's Tears displays a clumping, epiphytic growth habit, reaching up to 2 ft tall with a spread of approximately 2 ft. Queen's Tears produces colorful bracts with small tubular flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Queen's Tears every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Queen's Tears thrives in bright indirect light. Avoid placing Queen's Tears in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.

Billbergia pyramidalis tolerates temperatures of 60–80°F. Queen's Tears prefers humidity levels of 50–70%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.

Well-draining, acidic soil mix with orchid bark and perlite. Good drainage is essential for Queen's Tears to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Queen's Tears every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with bright indirect light and well-draining, acidic soil mix with orchid bark and perlite. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Queen's Tears is suited to USDA Zone 9a – 13.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Queen's Tears can spread to about 2 ft (0.6 m) and reach about 2 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Queen's Tears while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Queen's Tears is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 9). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Queen's Tears can be propagated through offsets (pups), division of clumps. Similar propagation techniques also apply to ghosty plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Queen's Tears is susceptible to aphids, scale insects, mealybugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Queen's Tears grows outdoors in USDA Zone 9a – 13. It survives winters down to planting zone 9a. Queen's Tears is native to northern South America and parts of the Caribbean. In cooler regions, grow Queen's Tears as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.