SafePlants

Columnea: The Goldfish Plant

The genus Columnea, belonging to the family Gesneriaceae, offers a vibrant splash of color with its unique flowers and trailing growth habit. Often called the Goldfish Plant, these plants bring a touch of the tropics to indoor spaces.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant may be found in hanging baskets, potentially making it more accessible to curious pets.
• The plant has a trailing habit, meaning its stems and leaves can hang down, which might be tempting for pets to play with or nibble on.
• Some species have hairy leaves.

Scientific Classification

• Scientific Name: Columnea
• Family: Gesneriaceae (also known as Gesneriad family)
• Kingdom: Angiosperms (major group)
• Synonyms: Mentions the former classification of some species within section Collandra (syn. Dalbergaria. Tussac)

Common Names

• Goldfish Plant
• Flying Gold Fish Plant
• Orange Columnea

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to tropical America and the Caribbean.
• Specifically found in Central and South America, including the cloud forests of Costa Rica.
• Typically grows as an epiphyte in the wild, straddling tree branches.
• Found in rainforest and cloud forest locations.

Morphological Characteristics & Growth Habits

• Epiphytic herbs and shrubs.
• Trailing or hanging growth habit, often reaching 24-48 inches in length.
• Evergreen trailing shrubs.
• Opposite foliage.
• Known for its exotic, flame-like flowers.
• Flowers are tubular, showy, and two-lipped.
• Leaves can be hairy and somewhat toothed.

Quirky Facts

• The name Columnea gloriosa is after Faboi Colonna (1567-1640), an Italian botanist and author of the first botanical book with copperplate illustrations.

Genetic Information

• Columnea latent viroid (CLVd) has been identified and studied. Pairwise sequence comparisons suggest that CLVd may have originated from a recombination event involving Potato spindle tuber viroid.
• Mentioned in connection to research involving Citrus exocortis viroid, Potato spindle tuber viroid and Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid.
• Nematanthus viroid possesses regions of 100% sequence identity with six viroids belonging to the Columnea latent viroid group.

Growing Information

• Goldfish plants prefer bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight should be avoided.
• Like many tropical plants, goldfish plants thrive when slightly pot-bound.

Further Resources

• Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses is mentioned as a world-famous distributor of Columnea plants.
• Logee's Greenhouses (www.logees.com) offers cultural information on Columnea.
• Dave's Garden is mentioned as a friendly community that shares tips and ideas for gardens, along with seeds and plants.
• ARKive offers photos and facts on Columnea.