Goldfish Plant Care: How to Grow Goldfish Plants

Goldfish plants (Nematanthus gregarious or Columnea gloriosa) are perennial plants that bloom bright orange flowers with a bulb shape, making them resemble small, swimming goldfish. Goldfish plants grow dense shrub clusters of thin, trailing stems and small, oval-shaped, green leaves that cascade down over the side of their containers, making them popular plants to grow in hanging baskets. These cousins of the African violet are epiphytes, meaning that they grow well on other plants.

Goldfish plants make popular houseplants, blooming profusely in warm, humid climates seen in USDA Hardiness Zones ten through eleven.

Plant goldfish plants at any time of year if you’re growing them as indoor plants. If you’re planting these perennials outside, plant them in early spring after the last frost of the winter season passes. Planting in spring means your new plants will benefit from the additional light and warmth of the spring and summer. Overwinter your soil with a layer of mulch over the plant’s roots to protect them during winter.

The easiest way to start your own goldfish plant is to propagate stem tip cuttings. Follow this step-by-step guide to propagating your own goldfish plant from a cutting.

1. 1. Take your cutting. Snip a stem with no flower buds that is roughly two to three inches long off of a mature goldfish plant. Trim any foliage from the base end of the stem-tip cutting.
2. 2. Prepare your cutting. Dip the end of your cutting in liquid rooting hormone to give it a greater chance of rooting. This will stimulate the cutting’s growth and encourage it to establish new roots.
3. 3. Plant your cutting. Plant your cutting in a container filled with a potting mix that contains sphagnum moss and perlite. You could also use peat moss in place of sphagnum moss. Keep the container in a warm location that receives a lot of indirect sunlight, preferably ten to thirteen hours a day.

Follow these goldfish plant care tips to help your plant thrive.

• Light: Goldfish plants prefer bright indirect light to direct sunlight. Keep your plant indoors in a bright location, like near an east-facing window. You can keep your indoor plants under grow lights in the winter to keep them healthy.
• Watering: Goldfish plants need regular watering during their growing season. Never allow the soil to completely dry out, but make sure that it is well-draining by using a pot with drainage holes. In the winter months, you can water your plant less often, but make sure that the first inch of soil is always moist.
• Climate: Goldfish plants are tropical plants that prefer high humidity and warm conditions. Their preferred temperature is between sixty-five and seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit. Add humidity to your plants by misting their foliage with room temperature water. You can also use an indoor humidifier to regulate your indoor climate.
• Fertilizing: Feed your goldfish plant once a week using a liquid fertilizer during the growing season. You can also use slow-release fertilizer if you prefer to feed your plant less regularly.
• Repotting: Goldfish plants prefer to be slightly root-bound in their containers. This means that you only need to repot your plants every two to three years if they are looking constrained in their container.
• Pests: Goldfish plants are susceptible to mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites. Use neem oil to protect your plants from infestations of these common pests.

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