Now that the 2008/2009 school year has begun, and the summer and its gardening season are quickly coming to an end, the local greenhouses and garden centers are finally starting to bring in decent shipments of houseplants. Every spring, as soon as the gardening season gets underway, these stores disregard and completely neglect their indoor plant sections, and focus entirely on outdoor plants and garden gear. Obviously this makes sense since there is a nice profit to be made from all the gardening gizmos, gadgets and vegetation. So I certainly understand the need to do this – from a commercial perspective. But I don’t like it. And I don’t like it because I don’t do any outdoor gardening (for now) and couldn’t care less about there being anything available for it at the stores or not, just so Joe Schmoe who lives down the street – and who does have a garden to work on – can find everything he needs for his (temporary) outdoor hobby. Instead of – and at the expense of - my permanent indoor one.

Okay, maybe I care just a teeny-weeny bit about Joe Schmoe and his garden. But only because one day I may return to outdoor gardening and then I’ll be in support of the whole outdoor-garden-gizmos-and-gadgets extravaganza and some of you will remember that quite awhile back on my Water Roots website, on such and such date, in such and such Hydro Log, I clearly stated that “I couldn’t care less” about it and I’ll become a hypocrite and you’ll all turn on me and send me nasty emails instead of the complimentary and friendly ones you send now. And I’ll be sad. Or maybe not. Because that line of reasoning would imply that the articles on my website are important and somehow relevant in your day-to-day life and that they will be remembered for years to come, which is quite a bigheaded assumption to make.

Or maybe I shouldn’t eat any sweets right before I work on these articles, so that I don’t have any sugar rushes and write a whole lot of gibberish like the paragraph above...

Alright, alright. I’m just fooling around. However, here’s the truth: I really don’t like that the indoor plants get neglected when the spring arrives. And I really don’t care about Joe Schmoe’s garden needs. But... I am envious of the fact that Joe Schmoe has a garden with garden needs to putter around in. And... If I had an outdoor garden to putter around in, I would also expect that my outdoor garden needs be met – at the expense of the indoor ones. That’s that.

So, now that the confession has been made, and the truth has been revealed, let’s get to the crux of this article, which is the revitalization of the indoor plant sections in the local stores.

And it’s all good.

Almost all of the places I’ve popped into lately have brought in shipments of beautiful plants in many different sizes, some much too big for my home, no matter how tempting they are. My concentration, for now, lies in the smaller-sized plants in 4” pots, although I do occasionally bring home something in a 6” container. I have spotted some uncommon types, but most of the selection consists of regular favourites such as Dracaenas, Aglaonemas, Dieffenbachias, African Violets, Cholorophytums, Spathiphyllums, Philodendrons, Sansevierias, and so on. Boring choices for some? Perhaps. But the truth in the matter is that for many people, especially for those with little or no experience, these tried-and-true, commonly-available, enduring types make wonderful indoor plants (it’s debatable whether the Spathiphyllum truly belongs in this category but that’s another story). And these are the ones that most people will recommend to beginners or negligent growers. But I would like to add a plant to this list that I feel deserves a more prominent position. After all, it’s very easy to grow, quite resilient, produces adorable flowers with little effort and hardly makes any demands.

The plant I’m referring to is the Nematanthus Gregarius, often referred to as the “goldfish plant” because of the resemblance of its flowers to a goldfish. Another common name for it is ‘guppy plant’, which is used in a few of my houseplant books.

Below is some care info about it to help you get started.


Caring For A Goldfish Plant

I first saw a Nematanthus Gregarius, in person, about 5 years ago at a Home Depot near my house. This may sound surprising considering I’ve been growing houseplants for the past two decades, but it’s true. I had seen pictures of the plant in some books I own, but it never really registered as interesting or very appealing. The pictures don’t do the plant much justice; it’s much more fascinating and attractive when you see it in person. And when I did finally see one up close, I couldn’t resist its charm. It was a tiny little specimen in a 2” hanging basket, the cutest thing I’d ever seen. So I took it home. And much to my surprise, it quadrupled in size the first year and showered me with flowers for nine straight months.

Originating from the tropical forests of Brazil, this lovely plant is just one of over 30 species of Nematathus, all of which produce flowers in varying shades of reds, yellows and oranges. Nematanthus Gregarius belongs to the Gesneriad family, which consists of over 2,500 species of plants. Included in this large and diverse family are common favourites such as Episcia (Flame Violet), Sinningia Speciosa (Florist Gloxinia), Streptocarpus (Cape Primrose), Achimenes (Cupid's Bower), Aeschynanthus (Lipstick Plant) and the best-known member of all: Saintpaulia (African Violet).

When Goldfish plants are young, the stems grow upright. As they age, they tend to trail; this makes them a wonderful choice for hanging baskets. The tough, branching stems bear bright green, glossy leaves that are succulent and waxy. The foliage, which is small and oval in shape, grows to about ¾ to 1 ½ inches long. The plant produces orange, pitcher-like flowers on and off year round, but mostly during the warmer seasons. If given proper care, older plants can flower permanently for years. Really young plants may need to mature to about a year old before they begin to bloom.

Although I personally find this plant extremely easy to grow, I have run across houseplant growers – from novices to experts – who will tell you differently. I believe that the main complaint is the lack of blooms, which can be caused by improper care. Goldfish plants do not have many demands, and they do put up fairly well with slapdash care, but if you want to see any flowers, you will need to fulfill some of their needs.

Perhaps the most important requirement in keeping this plant in top shape, which in turn will encourage it to bloom, is adequate light. The Nematanthus Gregarius needs a very brightly lit location. Place it where it can receive some direct or filtered sun; this will depend on which direction you choose to grow it in. Early morning eastern or late afternoon western direct sunshine can be handled very well; filter it with a sheer curtain if your plant shows signs that it is receiving too much light. Generally speaking, these locations are rarely a problem. A southern location that offers curtain-filtered sunshine is also a good choice; always make sure that your plant is protected from the hot, midday summer sun. During the cooler months, you can allow your plant to enjoy a few hours of direct sunshine in east or west locations, and a couple of hours in the southern ones (southeast, southwest). In any case, monitor your plant for signs of contentment or discontentment and adjust the light accordingly. If your plant is not flowering, it may need to be moved to a sunnier spot.

Goldfish plants have small root systems and are quite susceptible to rot. To avoid this problem, use a fast-draining, porous medium that will not stay soggy. Water regularly during the growing season and keep the medium evenly moist. Allow the plant to dry out slightly before watering again, but never allow it to dry out completely. If you do forget to water this plant and the soil dries completely, you will discover that Nematanthus Gregarius is quite tolerant of drought and can go for a surprisingly long period without water (the succulent leaves help). But don’t take the plant’s tolerant nature for granted; there will come a time when your Goldfish plant will not bounce back after one too many experiences with severe under-watering, so don’t make it a habit. During the cooler months, water more sparingly. You can switch to hydroculture; Goldfish plants are wonderful candidates. Take cuttings, root them in water and pot them up in clay pellets. Or rinse the roots free of soil and pot the plant in the clay medium. Both ways work.

As a tolerant plant, Nematanthus Gregarius will put up with dry air. But it won’t be happy with it. In very low humidity, the plant will most likely not flower, and if it does produce a few blooms, they’ll probably drop prematurely, usually without even opening. In addition, dry air will invite pest infestations, particularly attacks from the insufferable spider mite, so increase the humidity if it’s too low. There are many ways to do this: pebble trays, double potting, grouping, humidifiers. For more information, visit: Improving Humidity.

Average indoor temperatures are fine. The plant can tolerate levels down to 5°C (41°F) and survive, although I wouldn’t really recommend long-term exposure to such low temperatures. During the active growing season, feed regularly (about every two to three weeks) with any standard houseplant fertilizer at half recommended strength. Do not feed during the fall and winter.

When the colder months arrive, you may find that your plant has lost some of its luster and all of its flowers. Don’t despair. Your plant is trying to relay that it is in need of a resting period. You can continue to grow your plant as mentioned above, or you can assist in your plant’s preferred winter state: dormancy. If you wish to support your plant’s desire to take a snooze, place it in an area where temperatures are slightly cooler and light levels are slightly decreased (bright but not sunny). This extra nurturing is commendable but not absolutely necessary. I have never moved my plant to a cooler, shadier location, and it hasn’t seemed to care. It does stop flowering and growing new leaves during its rest period, but eventually it starts to put out new growth and produce an abundance of lovely blooms.

After your plant has finished flowering, you can cut it back to encourage branching and compact growth; regular pruning is essential if you want a full and bushy plant. Occasional pinching will also encourage the stems to branch; make sure you do not pinch where flowers are developing. Root the cuttings to create new plants. Repot overcrowded plants in a larger container, or divide them and pot them up in separate containers; this will increase your quantity of Goldfish plants easily.



Nematanthus Gregarius, in my opinion is one of the easiest flowering plants you can grow indoors. Even when it’s not in bloom, this plant’s glossy foliage makes it an attractive specimen worthy of a bright spot in your home. With proper watering, adequate light, sufficient humidity and regular feeding during the growing season, you will be rewarded with beautiful foliage and flowers for many years to come.

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