How to care for Goldfish Plant
Nematanthus gregarius · Gesneriaceae
The goldfish plant's small, puffy orange blooms really do look like a school of goldfish swimming among glossy, dark, succulent-like leaves. It trails politely, blooms for long stretches, and tolerates average home conditions better than most flowering gesneriads. Consistency is its love language — it drops leaves when conditions swing. Water roughly every 6 days while it's growing (about every 10 in winter), give it bright, indirect light, kept above 59°F (15°C) — average room humidity suits it.
Care at a glance
Water when the top few centimeters dry — its slightly succulent leaves buy tolerance for brief dryness but not for soggy soil.
Bright, indirect light, such as near an east window; good light is what turns a green trailing plant into a blooming one.
Quarter-strength high-phosphorus feed every 2 weeks during spring and summer.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Cold drafts and temperature swings, which defoliate it.
- Waterlogged soil in a heavy mix.
- Keeping it in dim light and expecting fish — it needs brightness to bloom.
Seasonal tips
- Slightly cooler, drier conditions in winter followed by spring warmth encourage heavy budding.
- Pinch stem tips after flowering to keep it bushy — blooms come on newer growth.
- Avoid moving it around while budded; sudden changes make buds abort.
Is it safe for pets?
Our records list Goldfish Plant as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Full pet-safety details for cats & dogsCare for your Goldfish Plant on autopilot
Ploomily turns this guide into a Living Schedule — watering tuned to your city’s climate, the season, the pot and the light, and feeding tuned to that same pot, drainage and light, following the growing season and pausing while the plant rests. The founding price in force today is shown in full before you confirm, and locked for as long as you stay subscribed — with 30 days to change your mind.
Build my Living ScheduleGoldfish Plant is featured in
More flowering plants
Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against the ASPCA's published lists, which this one is matched to, or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.