NOTE: The terms Goldfish plant and Nematanthus gregarious are identical in this text; in reality, Nematanthus gregarious is Goldfish plant’s biological word.
The goldfish plant was named after the red-orange flowers that appear in the spring and summer and are similar to leaping goldfish. If you’ve ever seen a mature plant in a hanging basket in full bloom, it’s a wonderful sight. They add splashes of color when they are cared for. These cascading plants can be used in baskets in the indoors.
They are relatively long-lived plants, surviving almost a decade, providing you repot them when necessary, and keeping them away from air that is too dry or cold. Pick a plant based on its vigor and flower color, because the original plant has been extensively hybridized. A goldfish plant takes about six to 10 weeks to flower. Wait until after the risk of frost if you are planting from seed.
Why does my Nematanthus gregarious roots have rot?
If left untreated, root rot on your Goldfish plant (Nematanthus gregarious) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Why does my Goldfish plant have gray mold spots?
A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Nematanthus gregarious. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my Goldfish plant have leaf spots?
We provide you with all the information you need to identify and save your plants if they display signs like leaves that suddenly change color or wilt/droop. This sort of sickness is one of the most aggravating for Goldfish plant owners.
Why are my Goldfish plant leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:
Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Nematanthus gregarious in question:
- The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf yellow last.
- Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
- Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
- Potassium deficiency shows itself when leaf edges turn bright yellow, but the inner leaf stays green. Older leaves show symptoms first, and leaf edges soon turn brown.
- Nitrogen deficiency shows up as a general yellowing. Older, inner leaves turn yellow first. As it progresses, yellowing moves outward, eventually reaching young leaves, too.
Our Solution
You only need to act in accordance with the symptoms listed above. You can address a potassium or nitrogen deficiency by buying a particular soil, and a gardening store consultant will be able to advise you on how to do that. Furthermore, you can also limit how frequently you water your plants.
Is my Goldfish plant sunburned?
It is quite easy to find out if your Goldfish plant (Nematanthus gregarious) has been burned by the sun. Just like on us, your plant will change color in this case, it will start to turn yellow or white.
As we saw above, the leaves of your Goldfish plant can also change color if it receives too much water or insufficient light.
To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.
Why are my Goldfish plant leaves turning brown?
The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.
Should I leave my Nematanthus gregarious in direct sunlight?
No! If your Nematanthus gregarious (or Goldfish plant) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Goldfish plant is in such a state!
Our Solution
As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Goldfish plant so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.
Why are my Nematanthus gregarious leaves drooping or wilting ?
This typically occurs when your Nematanthus gregarious gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.
Whether your Nematanthus gregarious plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.
Our Solution
If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Goldfish plant right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.
This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Nematanthus gregarious
Water Occasionally
Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Nematanthus gregarious.
The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
It’s also a good idea to keep your Nematanthus gregarious at a constant temperature, especially if it’s kept indoors. In general, at GreenShack, we suggest booking a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, keep your Nematanthus gregarious away from radiators, air conditioners, and other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Goldfish plant Dust-Free
This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.
For your Goldfish plant, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)
Keep drainage in mind
If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.
In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)
