What Is a Goldfish Plant (Columnea)?
Columnea is a genus of around 200 species in the gesneriad family, the same group that includes African violets and lipstick plants. They are named for their distinctive tubular, orange-red flowers, which are said to resemble leaping goldfish. Most species trail or cascade, with Columnea gloriosa among the classic hanging forms, while others such as Columnea crassifolia are more compact. Even out of flower, their neat, glossy foliage is attractive year round.
How to Care for Columnea
Columnea enjoy bright, indirect light and warm, humid conditions. As natural epiphytes they dislike heavy, wet compost, so grow them in a light, free-draining mix and water when the top of the substrate begins to dry. They appreciate humidity, which keeps foliage lush and encourages flowering. See our houseplant substrates for suitable blends.
Feed every two to four weeks through spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser. Their trailing stems look their best in a hanging pot or on a high shelf, so browse our hanging plants for more cascading ideas. Pinch back leggy stems to keep plants full and bushy.
Getting Columnea to Flower
The famous goldfish flowers appear most readily on well-established plants given bright light and a little seasonal variation. A slightly cooler, drier rest in winter, followed by brighter light and regular feeding in spring, encourages the best flowering. Related gesneriads enjoy the same treatment, so they make natural companions on a bright, humid shelf.
