Nematanthus gregarius (Goldfish Plant)

The Goldfish Plant gets its name from exactly what you'd expect: the small, plump, orange-red flowers are shaped like little fish, popping out from among dark, waxy green leaves in clusters that appear sporadically across the year but most abundantly in spring and summer. The flowers are around an inch long, bright and cheerful, and they stand out dramatically against the glossy foliage. The trailing stems can reach two to three feet, making this a natural choice for a hanging basket where both the flowers and the cascading habit can be fully appreciated.

Nematanthus gregarius is a tropical plant that does best with consistent warmth, moderate humidity, and bright indirect light. It is related to African violets and shares some of their preferences: it dislikes cold drafts, root-soaking overwatering, and low light, all of which will stall flowering. Kept in a good spot and fertilized through the growing season, it rewards growers with those distinctive little blooms returning again and again. The waxy, succulent-textured leaves are attractive even when the plant is not in bloom, keeping it a useful display plant year-round.