Propagate goldfish plant from a stem-tip cutting three to five inches long, taken in spring.
Take a stem-tip cutting in spring
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Spring, from a healthy stem that is not in bloom | Do not take a flowering stem if you can wait for a plain tip |
| Length | Three to five inches, cut just below a node | Do not leave the lower leaves on the buried or submerged part |
| Warmth | About 65 to 70°F, in bright filtered light | Do not set the cutting in hot sun or on a cold windowsill |
goldfish plant roots from a stem-tip cutting. Spring wood that is still pliable, with no flower buds, is the usual start. A flowering stem spends energy on the bloom instead of on roots. [1] Stem cutting is the method the species page lists. [2] A three-to-five-inch tip is long enough to hold a couple of nodes after you strip the lower leaves. [3]
When do I take a goldfish plant cutting?
In spring, from a healthy stem that is not in bloom.
Root it in water, or in mix that drains
Strip the lower leaves, then stand the bare node in clean water or push it into barely moist mix that drains. Keep it warm and in bright filtered light until roots form.
- Cut a healthy, non-flowering tip three to five inches long, just below a node. Pull the lower leaves so at least one bare node can root.
- Dip the cut end in rooting hormone if you use it. Hormone is optional; it only speeds the wait.
- Stand the cutting in a jar of water, with no leaves under the surface, and change the water every few days. Or push it into barely moist African violet mix, or a coir-and-perlite mix, in a small pot with a hole. [4]
- Keep it at about 65 to 70°F in bright filtered light. When roots are about an inch long, or a gentle tug meets resistance, pot it like the parent plant on How to Grow Goldfish Plant.
How long until a cutting roots?
Often two to four weeks in warm, bright filtered light. Pot it when the roots are about an inch long.
What fails a cutting?
A flowering stem, leaves left under water, or mix that stays soaking wet. Use a plain tip and mix that drains, or change the water often.
Take a three-to-five-inch stem tip in spring, root it in water or in mix that drains, and pot it when roots are about an inch long.
FAQ
Can I root it in water forever?
No. Water is a start. Move the cutting into mix that drains once roots are about an inch long, because this plant is an epiphyte, not an aquarium plant.
Will a cutting bloom the first year?
Usually not. A plant grown from a cutting often waits until the next summer to flower.
Can I grow it from seed instead?
Seed is slow and named shop forms will not come true. A stem-tip cutting is the usual way.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/11444/nematanthus-gregarius/details - [2] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nematanthus-gregarius/ - [3] Gardener's Path -
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/houseplants/grow-goldfish-plant/ - [4] Epic Gardening -
https://www.epicgardening.com/goldfish-plant/
This note is part of Nematanthus Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors