Botanical Title: Columnea gloriosa and hybrids
Goldfish plant will get its frequent identify from the lengthy, tubular orange or orange-red flowers that seem like everybody’s first pet — goldfish.
Put this unique trailing plant in a dangling basket or on a pedestal desk to indicate off its spectacular foliage and blooms.
This eye-catching tropical houseplant is simply plain enjoyable to have round.Get to Know Your Goldfish Plant
This can be a perennial and can final for a number of years with excellent care. Lengthy stems can attain as much as 3 ft (90 cm) and are densely lined with thick, waxy, dark-green leaves.
Small, tubular flowers could also be orange, purple, or yellow, relying on the variability. You possibly can anticipate your plant to bloom abundantly in spring and summer time.
Greater than 150 species and hybrids of Columnea exist. Most are trailing or at the least leaning, making goldfish crops best for displaying in hanging baskets.
Many named hybrids can be found, providing a colourful number of leaves and flowers. ‘Firebird’ and ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’ have purple flowers and dark-green leaves. Yellow blooms edged in purple make ‘California Gold’ a surprising home plant. ‘Chanticleer’ is a prolific bloomer with a compact rising behavior.
Shut-Up of the Goldfish Plant Flower. Photograph © Graham RiegerYr-Spherical Look after Your Goldfish Plant
Get probably the most blooms. You possibly can anticipate dozens of blooms on mature crops in spring and summer time. Some crops might also bloom at different instances through the yr. You may get probably the most blooms by offering loads of shiny, oblique mild. Maintain the soil barely dry within the winter to assist promote heavy flowering in spring. Simply watch out to not enable the soil to dry out utterly.
Pinch your plant. Pinch off the rising ideas typically to encourage branching. You may be rewarded with a a lot nicer-looking plant that’s compact and bushy. It is a good suggestion to maintain the stems at 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) to forestall goldfish plant from getting leggy. In order for you, you’ll be able to propagate the stem tip cuttings for extra crops. (See “Propagation” ideas beneath.)
To repot…or not? This one likes to be barely root-bound, and blooms finest this fashion. Repot in spring when it has outgrown its pot. Columnea likes unfastened potting medium, so do not pack it down. Use a container with drainage holes to forestall soggy soil. If you wish to use an ornamental planter with out drainage holes, use it as a cachepot. Simply slip a plain nursery pot contained in the cachepot. I put pebbles within the backside of cachepots to maintain the interior pot above any drainage water.
One thing bugging your houseplant? Spider mites and aphids are potential indoor pests. Isolate an infested plant and deal with it straight away. You do not need these pests to maneuver on to your different houseplants.
Dropped leaves? This tropical native would not just like the chilly in any respect, which may trigger leaf drop. Additionally sustain the humidity round it — dry air may cause leaves to fall off.
Brown leaves? Do not put this tropical native outdoor for the summer time. Maintain it indoors year-round. Goldfish crops don’t love excessive warmth or direct daylight, which may trigger its leaves to show brown.
Goldfish Plant Care Suggestions
Origin: Central and South America
Top: Stems might develop as much as 3 ft (90 cm) lengthy if not pinched again.
Gentle: Goldfish plant wants loads of shiny, oblique mild to bloom. Maintain this tropical native out of scorching, direct daylight, which is able to flip the leaves brown.
Water: Spring by fall, water totally and permit the highest 2 inches (5 cm) to dry out between waterings. Water much less typically in winter, however do not dry it out utterly. At all times use tepid water to on your indoor crops, as a result of chilly water is a shock to them.
Humidity: Average to excessive (50% relative humidity or larger). Use a cool-mist room humidifier or a humidity tray to take care of moist air. Or mist foliage each day — use room-temperature water as a result of chilly water will trigger brown spots on the foliage. It is a good suggestion to make use of a humidity monitor close to your plant somewhat than guess; indoor air can turn into extraordinarily dry, particularly through the winter months.
Temperature: Heat room temperatures (65-80°F/18-27°C) year-round. Goldfish plant will tolerate a minimal of 60°F/16°C in winter. Publicity to chilly will trigger its leaves to fall off. Do not expose the plant to chilly drafts from home windows, doorways or AC vents.
Soil: Peat moss-based combine, reminiscent of African violet potting combine.
Fertilizer: Feed each 2 weeks spring and summer time with a high-phosphorus liquid or water-soluble fertilizer (reminiscent of 15-30-15) diluted by half. Water earlier than fertilizing to forestall burning the plant’s roots.
Propagation: Take 4 in (10 cm) stem tip cuttings (with out flowers) in spring or summer time. For finest outcomes, dip reduce finish in rooting hormone powder, then insert in evenly moist potting combine. Maintain your goldfish plant cuttings persistently heat (70°F/21°C) utilizing a seedling warmth mat.
