Cutflower Nomenclature

Scientific/Botanical Name:

Genus: Nematanthus

Specie: N. nervosus

Variety/Cultivar:

English Name:

 

Common Name:

goldfish plant

Botanical Family:

Name in Latin: Gesneriaceae

Name in English: African Violet Family

The Plant

Origin: Mexico, Brazil

Growth Habit: trailing, branching, and spreading habit; it is generally an epiphyte in nature and a hanging-basket plant in cultivation

Flower: Orange flowers are produced in most leaf axils. The flower has petals fused into a pouch-like shape, with a small opening

Blooming Period: spring summer

Leaf: leaves that are small, succulent, and hard-surfaced

Usage:

ornamental plant, hanging basket

Care and Handling

Soil: general purpose soil

Amount of water: Keep the soil evenly moist

Nutrition: Feed every two weeks with a water soluble fertilizer diluted by half until the bloom is finished, then rest for one month before resuming

Special handling: In general, from November through March it is best to stop fertilizing, keep temps on the cool side, and water just enough to keep the plant from wilting, allowing the soil to become quite dry

Special feature/remarks:

Does best in full sunlight coming from the South/East/West. Hummingbirds often will feed from the nectar-filled "goldfish" flowers.