Either way will work

I've tried both methods and the results have been successful either way. Whatever your preference is...

Though roots form readily and often seemingly more quickly on many plants propagated in water, the roots produced are quite different from those produced in a soil-like or highly aerated medium (perlite - vermiculite - seed starting mix, e.g.). Physiologically, you will find these roots to be much more brittle than normal roots due to a much higher % of aerenchyma (a tissue with a greater percentage of intercellular air spaces than normal parenchyma). If you want to eventually plant your rooted cuttings in soil, it is probably not best to root them in water because of the frequent difficulty in transplanting them to soil. The "water roots" often break during transplant & those that don't break are very poor at water absorption and often die. The effect is equivalent to starting the cutting process over again.

If you do a side by side comparison of cuttings rooted in water & cuttings rooted in soil, the cuttings in soil will always (for an extremely high % of plants) have a leg up in development on those moved from water to a soil medium for the reasons outlined above.

Al

THanks everyone I will give it a try both ways and see how they do......

I start them in Pro-Mix potting mix, piece of cake!

Tom

Can I trim my goldfish plant. It has grown so much that part of the plant is hitting againt the wall??
Thanks
Bons

is there a good online source for these??? and is anyone growing the lipstick plant??
cliff

Hi ,I am new to this site,,can anyone please offer me some goldfish cuttings or rootings,,,I am willing to pay for postage,,I do not have anything to trade,but would appreciate anyones kindness and generosity if they would contact me and let me know ,,I am having trouble finding where i need to go to find cuttings and seeds at,,thank you , take care ,God bless,,,Cassie

If the plant you're looking for is either Nematanthus gregarius, N, radicans, or Hypocyrta radicans, I have one that's growing with good vitality (which makes them easier, faster, and more likely to root) that could use a pruning anyway. I'll prepare some cuttings for you if you contact me off forum & provide your address.

Al

Hi,

My brother just gave me a cutting from his gold fish plant and this is my first cutting ever.

The cutting is about 6 inches long and I have already removed 8 of the leaves on the cutting. There are about 8 leaves left. Should I remove any additional leaves? Also, does it matter where I remove the leaves from (top of the cutting vs bottom of the cutting)?

Finally, the undersides of the leaves are a purplish red (the otherside facing up is green). Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for any advice!
Marie

Marie, most plant books say to leave 2-4 uppermost leaves on a cutting..You'd remove bottom leaves, (bottom where end will go in medium to prevent rot)
I've never seen a goldfish that had red on the underside of leaves..are you sure it isn't a Lipstick Plant? (Aeschynanthus)
Perhaps someone out here has seen Goldfish w/reddish underleaves..Toni

If by goldfish you mean Nematanthus, I have several with red on the reverse in varying amounts and there are lots more. Very attractive when looking up at a hanging basket. Some people call other things 'goldfish' tho'.

Hi there, I have a nematanthus that sat in an east facing window since the fall, and has been blooming ever since. I moved it outside, to my east facing balcony, and it has developed white spots on the leaves that go all the way through to the other side - the underside of the white spots is brown. I have examined the plant, no sign of visible insects? The new growth grew in in perfectly, but in the last day or so has developed the signature white spots. I water it every couple of days, and about once a month with fertilizer. I live in central british columbia,canada, and the daily temps have been up to 35 degrees celcius, and down to 8 degrees at night. I have it beside a fiscus, as well as some marigolds. What can I do? this is my favourite plant, and it feels like it's ruined now! :( THANKS!

Hi,
Can someone tell what it means when the top leaves get blotchy (beige spots)? I would hate to lose my goldfish plant, it' my favourite one! Am I over-watering it? Thanks!

Xalanie, are the spots embedded in the leaf? It doesn't sound like overwatering..What type of light is it getting? Have you moved it recently, added fertilizer? did anything different? Toni

hi hopeful author,
the spots are embedded. it's facing south and getting enough sun (i keep it indoors). I only bought it a month ago it's fairly young and i moved it into a 4" pot when i bought it. it's been in the same place since i brought it home facing the balcony. last night i noticed that some of the upcoming flowers have wilted. what should i do??

my plant is facing south south east. i have moved it into a shadier spot... still spotty though... with new (embedded) spots developing on new growth. no recent fertilizing...

Thanks!

I have had a goldfish plant for three years and over the summer it developed a black film on the leaves. I have put fungicide on the plant and this did not help. Can you please suggest what might be growing on the leaves? I don't "pamper" my plant and it thrives in the Louisiana climate.

I have a goldfish plant. I was very full when I purchased it about two months ago. Since, every little touch makes the leaves fall off. I have been trimming off the bare stems it seems weekly. Although the leaves look healthy, I'm worried that the plant wont last long if the leaves keep falling off. Suggestions?

Hi,

I wrote a little over a year ago about what to do with my goldfish cutting. I put it in soil after trimming some of the leaves off and now it's grown over a foot tall! But it only grows tall and not bushy. Any thoughts on how I can get the plant to fill out so its fuller?

thanks,
Marie

Hello,

I've been looking to acquire one of these plants for the longest time, but haven't been successful in finding them. Would anybody know where I can find them in the San Francisco Bay Area? Would Walmart, Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH), Trader Joes, Home Depot, Lowes, and/or Costco carry them? My last resort would be online, however, shipping for an established plant can oftentimes cost just as much or more than the plant itself. :/ Thanks for any info.

How funny...I came here to learn about goldfish plants after just seeing some for the first time in years & Lilpanda only yesterday was looking locally for a store that carries them. Home Depot in East Palo Alto (101/University Ave., by IKEA) had about five goldfish plants in stock earlier this week - hanging in the plant section inside the store, on the aisle that's closest to the outside garden center. Listed at $18.99 - which might sound pricy for a houseplant, but this is one that (in addition to being hard to find) is completely foolproof. I got one as a gift 20 or years ago, & it's hardy, healthy & has happily continued on, no matter how little attention it gets. (I think it's actually still in its original pot.) It's understandably a bit branchy - but I now know that's an easy thing to fix.

p.s. HD has a 10% price beat guarantee policy, so if you go there by 7/1, bring along an Orchard Supply ad, as they're having a 25% off all plants sale this weekend.

Hi everyone. I am looking for anyone who has goldfish clippings and lipstick plant clippings. I dont mind paying a little bit I just dont want to pay an arm and a leg from our nursery. Thanks!

I had someone send me two cuttings of a goldfish plant. Only one of them looks like an actual stem tip, the other was maybe another section from right above the first cutting? It seems to be a middle segment.

Will the one that isn't a stem tip ever grow? The one that is a tip seems to be growing