Everyone knows about cordyceps, but let's get to know the goldfish hanging plant
Hanging Plant Blooms
Love of the Auspicious Bird
Tianlaitian
00:00/03:58
As a precious Chinese medicinal herb, cordyceps is most celebrated for its peculiar growth process! In winter it is still a worm, and in summer it grows into a grass - isn't that amazing? I believe everyone knows a thing or two about the science behind it, but today's protagonist is not cordyceps. It is a variety of hanging plant that grows "goldfish" on itself all year round, in winter and summer alike - the goldfish hanging plant!
The goldfish hanging plant, also called goldfish flower, has dark green leaves and bright flowers. It is a very attractive ornamental plant that is easy to care for and very suitable for beginners as a potted plant. Most importantly, the flowers of the goldfish hanging plant look exactly like cute little goldfish! How do you grow it? Come and try it together!
1
Choosing Flowers
Choose goldfish hanging plants with full, neat plant shape, plump and translucent leaves, and stems that are not leggy, preferably with flower buds. Avoid getting goldfish hanging plants in winter, as the temperature is too low and they are prone to frost damage and will not bloom.
2
Potting Soil
No matter what flowers or plants you grow, the choice of potting soil is of utmost importance, and the goldfish hanging plant is no exception. Generally, gardening enthusiasts use porous pots and substrates such as sphagnum moss, fern roots, and bark chunks, all of which have good drainage and air permeability. You can use coarse granules and stones to cover the bottom of the pot, then add a small amount of mixed potting soil.
3
Watering
The goldfish hanging plant likes a moist environment. During the growing season, water it more, and you can spray water into the surrounding environment to increase humidity, but do not spray water onto the leaves. In summer, when it is hot and water evaporates quickly, you can prepare a shallow tray, pour some water into it, and then place the pot in it. This can prevent leaf drop caused by dryness. Before flowering, water it more as well, so the flowers will bloom brightly and abundantly.
4
Light
The goldfish hanging plant needs plenty of light in winter, and in other seasons it needs appropriate shading. Generally, a place with sufficient scattered light is enough. Before flowering in winter, light needs to be increased, which helps the goldfish hanging plant bloom and keeps the flower colors bright.
5
Fertilizing
When preparing the soil, you can add a little chicken manure or cake fertilizer to increase the nutrients in the potting soil. Usually, you can dilute fully decomposed rice washing water 20 times and apply it to the goldfish hanging plant, watering about once every half a month. Note that you should not fertilize while it is flowering. Before flowering, you can spray some 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution to promote blooming. After flowering, you can apply nitrogen fertilizer, mainly to nourish the leaves.
6
Pruning
If you want the goldfish hanging plant to grow lushly, you need to pay attention to pinching and topping, otherwise it is very easy for it to become leggy and not bloom. Cut off the branches at the top of the goldfish hanging plant, which can promote the growth of side branches.
7
Temperature
The goldfish hanging plant is suitable for growing between 18 and 26 degrees. It is very afraid of low temperatures. If the temperature is too low, it will cause yellowing leaves, leaf drop, and so on. If the temperature is too high, it will also cause leaf drop and damage to the plant.
Finally, let me tell you about the propagation of the goldfish hanging plant, which generally uses the cutting method:
1
Cutting Time
To successfully root a pot of goldfish hanging plant from cuttings, you first need to pay attention to the timing of the cuttings. The best time is during the growing season of the goldfish hanging plant, and within the growing season, the best time is the transition between spring and summer, because at this time the moisture and temperature are suitable, which helps the cuttings take root. If you take cuttings in midsummer, the branches are very prone to rotting.
2
Cutting Branches
The branches used for cutting the goldfish hanging plant should be neither too tender nor too old. Generally, two-year-old branches are best. Keep the branches 10-15 cm long, remove all the leaves at the base, keep 3-4 leaves at the top, then cut the base into a slanted shape with a knife, and after soaking it in diluted rooting agent for 4-6 hours, it can be planted as a cutting.
3
Cutting Substrate
The best substrate for cutting the goldfish hanging plant is pure river sand. It is breathable and permeable, and cuttings take root easily, but it must be kept moist without water accumulation. After preparing the river sand, the branches that have been soaked in rooting agent can be inserted into the sand bed. Note that the cuttings should be kept 3-5 cm apart, so as to avoid damaging the root system when transplanting.
4
Transplanting
Before transplanting, prepare the potting soil by mixing garden soil, peat soil, perlite, and burned coal cinders in a 1:2:2:1 ratio, with coarse coal cinders placed at the very bottom of the pot as a drainage layer. Roots will grow in about one month after cutting, and at that point it can be transplanted into a new pot.
5
Key Care Points
After the cuttings survive, the most important thing is to pinch the tips to make it grow more branches, so that it can bloom more flowers the following year. Two months after transplanting and surviving, you can pinch the tips once. After the new branches grow to 10-15 cm, you can pinch the tips a second time, and in this way you will grow a lush pot of goldfish hanging plant.
All the excitement is at Huayipai Youzan Mall
Flowers and Love | Huayipai