Goldfish plant

Goldfish plant: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Trailing or creeping small shrub with slender, hanging stems about 40 cm long, about 50 cm across; an epiphyte in the wild.

Leaves

Small, oval, fleshy and glossy dark green, about 2–4 cm long, opposite on the stem.

Flower

Swollen orange tubes about 2–3 cm long with a small yellow mouth; from April to September.

Roots

Fine and shallow, sensitive to too much water: choose a small pot and an airy mix.

Stems

Thin, soft and flexible; they trail and sometimes root at the nodes.

Flowering: April–September · Plants: March–April · Pruning: March and October

Why grow it?

• Curious orange flowers that look like goldfish: a real talking point.
• Flowers for a long time, from April to September, in a bright spot.
• Glossy, evergreen foliage that looks fresh all year.
• Compact and trailing: ideal for a hanging pot or a shelf.
• A relative of the African violet and not difficult, as long as you keep the air humid and the spot bright.

Goldfish plant: where does it grow best?

• Bright light to partial shade: plenty of bright but indirect light, for example at an east- or west-facing window; no strong midday sun, which scorches the leaves.
• Airy, humus-rich potting compost with peat or loam, bark and perlite; slightly acid to neutral.
• Evenly, lightly moist and in humid air; never soggy, or the fine roots rot.
• Warm, 18–25 °C and, in winter, not below 13 °C; no draughts and not directly above a radiator.

Light

Bright, out of direct sun

Potting soil

Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Watering

Moderately

Size

0.4 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 13 °C

Goes well with

• Columnea: A related trailing plant with colourful, fish-like flowers and the same warm, humid spot.
• African violet: A compact flowering plant from the same family for the foreground.
• Wax plant: A climbing or trailing plant with fleshy leaves that enjoys the same bright spot.
• Peperomia: Small, fleshy leaves in many shades as a calm backdrop.

Goldfish plant: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, at the start of growth, or as soon as the plant fills its pot; usually every 2 years.
2. Choose a small, shallow pot or hanging basket with drainage holes, one size up from the old one.
3. Make an airy mix of potting compost, bark and perlite; put a few clay pebbles at the bottom for drainage.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as before and firm lightly.
5. Water with lukewarm, low-lime water and let the excess drain away.

Care

Water

Let the compost dry out slightly between waterings; use lukewarm, low-lime water (rainwater is ideal) and never let water stand in the saucer. Less in winter, but the compost must not dry out completely.

Feeding

From April to September every 2 weeks, give a weak dose of flowering-plant feed. Do not feed in winter.

Humidity

Humid air, for example with a tray of wet pebbles or a humidifier. Do not mist the flowers, as they mark.

Spent flowers

Cut off faded flowers and their stalks: the plant stays tidy and flowers again.

Repotting

Every 2 years in spring in fresh, airy compost; the plant flowers well in a small pot.

Tip: Give it a bright spot, water only when the top layer is slightly dry and cut long stems back after flowering: it becomes fuller and flowers more freely.

Goldfish plant: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and October.

When: Cut long stems back after flowering (September–October) or in early March, before new growth.

How:

• Shorten long, bare or untidy stems by about half, just above a pair of leaves.
• Cut off faded flowers and dead or yellow leaves.
• In autumn a light trim is enough; in March you can cut back harder.
• Use the cut tips of 8–10 cm as cuttings.

Caution: Do not prune in full flower: you would remove buds and blooms.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In spring or summer take tip cuttings 8–10 cm long, remove the lower leaves and set them in moist, airy cutting compost (peat and perlite). Keep them warm (about 20–22 °C), bright and under clear film or in a propagator; roots form after 3–4 weeks.

Division

When repotting in spring, gently divide a dense plant in two and pot each part separately.

Goldfish plant: how does it get through the winter?

• Not hardy: keep it above 13 °C all year, preferably at 15–18 °C.
• A cooler, bright winter spot with less water can encourage bud formation in spring; never let the compost dry out completely.
• Keep it away from radiators and cold draughts; dry heating air causes brown leaf edges and spider mite.

Diseases and pests

• Leaf drop: The plant sheds leaves in cold, draughts, compost that is too wet or too dry, or sudden temperature changes. Put it in a stable, draught-free spot and water evenly.
• No flowers: Usually too little light or no cooler winter rest. Move it to a brighter place, prune it after flowering and give it a cooler winter.
• Grey mould: Grey mould on leaves and flowers in cold, damp, still air. Cut away affected parts, provide some ventilation and water less.
• Mealybug and spider mite: White, cottony tufts or fine webbing under the leaves. Wipe them off with a cotton bud or rinse the plant under a lukewarm shower; repeat after a week.
• Scorched or marked leaves: Brown patches from strong sun or cold water on the leaves. Move it out of strong sun and water with lukewarm water at the edge of the pot.

Through the year

• January: Rest: bright and cool (15–18 °C), little water, no feeding.
• February: Rest: bright, little water. Away from radiators.
• March: Cut back, repot if necessary. Start feeding.
• April: Flowering begins. Water regularly and feed every 2 weeks.
• May: Flowering. Cut off faded flowers. Humid air.
• June: Flowering. Keep out of strong sun. Take cuttings.
• July: Flowering. Water regularly.
• August: Flowering. Check for mealybug and spider mite.
• September: Last flowers. Stop feeding.
• October: Cut back after flowering. Reduce watering.
• November: Rest: bright and cool, little water.
• December: Rest: bright and cool, little water.

Did you know?

• The genus name Nematanthus comes from Greek: nema means thread and anthos flower, and refers to the thin flower stalks.
• The plant is related to the African violet: both belong to the Gesneriaceae family.
• The swollen orange flowers with their small mouth gave the plant its name of goldfish plant.