Cultivating and Nurturing the Goldfish Plant: A Comprehensive Guide
Goldfish Plant: A Unique and Charming Houseplant
For a distinctive houseplant that boasts an entertaining appearance, consider adding a goldfish plant to your collection. As the name suggests, the pouch-like flowers bear a resemblance to plump goldfish, adorning each trailing stem.
Native to the lush forests of Brazil, goldfish plants (Nematanthus spp) naturally grow as epiphytes in large trees, sharing space with orchids and Spanish moss. Though renowned for their fussy nature, they can be tamed with suitable conditions. The primary issues with goldfish plants typically stem from insufficient light and overwatering. Successfully meeting these requirements will reward you with the pleasure of their unusual goldfish-like flowers.
Goldfish plants enjoy growth in a hanging basket, allowing their stems to cascade over the edges. Their striking orange, yellow, or red flowers create a delightful contrast with the extra-shiny, emerald-green foliage.
Another houseplant known as a goldfish plant belongs to the genus Columnea. Though visually similar, their flowers are somewhat longer and thinner, possessing less of a pouch-like appearance. Regardless of the specific genus, the care instructions remain the same.
Goldfish plants thrive in indoor settings across much of the U.S., though in warm climates, such as USDA zones 10 and 11, they can be grown outdoors on a porch or patio in a shaded area. The added benefit of growing goldfish plants outdoors is the attraction they present to hummingbirds, offering another reason for cultivating these endearing plants.
Goldfish Plant Care: Ideal Conditions
Goldfish plants, also known as Nematanthus and Columnea, are perennials with specific preferences. To ensure their health and flourishing, consider the following ideal conditions:
- Lighting: Preferring bright, indirect light, goldfish plants thrive in east and west-facing windows. Direct sunlight can potentially harm them, while supplemental grow lights may be necessary during winter months to maintain eight to ten hours of light daily.
- Temperature: They fare well in temperatures between 18°C and 27°C, making them suitable for indoor spaces.
- Watering: Water the soil when it becomes dry to the touch, taking care to avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot. In warmer months, more frequent watering may be required.
- Humidity: Goldfish plants thrive in moderate to high humidity, and humidifiers can help maintain optimal levels, particularly in dry conditions.
- Soil: A well-draining potting mix, such as a succulent mix, is recommended to prevent waterlogging.
Outdoor Growth in Warm Climates
When cultivated outdoors in warm climates, such as USDA zones 10 to 11, goldfish plants appreciate a shaded area or cover to protect them from direct sunlight. Humidity and temperature should be consistently maintained in these zones, and wind protection is necessary, considering that they are often grown in hanging baskets.
Overall, the versatile and striking goldfish plants can be successfully grown both indoors and outdoors in warm climates, as long as they are provided with the right conditions to flourish.
Southern Living offers captivating gardening ideas for incorporating goldfish plants into your lifestyle and home-and-garden spaces. Goldfish plants, such as those in the Nematanthus and Columnea genera, add unique charm with their pouch-like flowers that resemble goldfish, enhancing any hanging basket with their cascading trailing stems, striking orange, yellow, or red flowers, and extra-shiny, emerald-green foliage. For successful cultivation of these intriguing houseplants, follow ideal conditions including bright, indirect light, moderate to high humidity, a well-draining potting mix, and suitable temperature ranges. In warm climates, consider growing goldfish plants outdoors for an additional attraction to hummingbirds while taking precautions against direct sunlight, wind, and harsh temperatures.
