| Your Goldfish Plant is Columnea banksii, a beautiful but difficult plant to grow. Columnea may survive under poor conditions, but leaves will fall and flowers will refuse to appear unless the plant is pampered. To successfully grow Columnea, you'll need to meet all of the following requirements: top of the list is frequent misting to maintain a moist atmosphere around the foliage. The potting soil must be kept on the dry side in winter and during this period you should maintain the night-time temperatue at 55F - 65F. General care includes average household temperatures during the growing season. Keep the soil moist during spring and summer but water less frequently in the fall, and sparingly during the winter. Mist the leaves frequently, feed every 3 weeks with a diluted liquid fertilizer from spring through summer, and trim back the stems once they've finished flowering. Following the above guidelines should keep your Goldfish Plant in top condition. |
