Goldfish Plant 'Bijou'

My "Goldfish" plant is quite resillient! I was in the hospital for 6 months and my older sons only forgot to water this one plant. It w...Read Moreas still alive (barely) with most leaves dropped and no blooms. I cut back all (dead) branches back to only 3 branches (originally in 16" wide hanging pot and waterfalling down over 4ft with 30 branches in solid bloom). I have always kept in full SW sunny window year round) watered it until it ran out of bottom (good soaking) and continued my 1xweekly ample watering and now 5 months later (Feb 1,2011) she's back to better than ever before. I find adding a few cups of good potting soil 2 x yr. on top center of plant/pot and let it settle at each weekly watering; no additional fertilizer. I have pollinated each flower as they open by exchanging pollen on my fingertip from flower to flower and after flower starts to subside I will get lucky and find 1-5 white small marble-sized seed pods. They are shiney white and fleshy (much like a grape) and they are ripe when ready to fall into hand with slightest of a touch. I haven't grown any from seed yet (due to hospital stays), but going to try in next few weeks. This plant loves the Milwaukee hot window sun year round (not filtered light). I believe this is what keeps the nice and plentiful blossoms and encourages seed pods (but only with pollination). Anyone have anything to ad or ask, please free. Note: I don't visit the forum daily (new) as I have a very busy schedule and still healing.

Members of this genus, which is in the popular Gesneria family, come from the tropical zones of South America. The 30 species of evergree...Read Moren subshrubs are at home in humid zone gardens or they can be used as indoor or greenhouse plants in cooler areas, where their trailing stems, thickly clothed in small leaves, are highlighted by tubular flowers in yellow, orange, pink or purple.
CULTIVATION:
These tropical forest plants require indirect light and ample humidity in their active growth period to prosper. They are fibrous, shallow-rooted plants, so are best grown in wide shallow pots in a moisture-retentive yet porous potting mix. Do not repot too often as these plants tend to bloom better if slightly potbound. They can be grown outdoors in part-shade, but are frost tender. Mealybug, spider mite, whitefly and scale insects may cause problems. Propagate from stem cuttings.