Plant · GBIF taxon 5590098
Columnea gloriosa
Columnea gloriosaAlso known as Flying Goldfish Plant
Columnea gloriosa is a striking tropical epiphyte known for trailing stems lined with small, velvety leaves and brilliant tubular blooms that resemble leaping orange-red fish. In humid montane canopies, it anchors itself securely in mossy tree forks, soaking up dappled light and mist without harming host trees. Hummingbirds serve as its primary pollinators, hovering precisely beneath the downward-facing floral lips to sip rich nectar reserves.
EpiphyteFloweringTropical
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Water
- Airborne dissolved nutrients
Predators
- Spider mites
- Mealybugs
- Scale insects
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, deforestation, and illegal plant collection
HabitatsTropical cloud forests and humid lowland rainforest canopies
Life span10 to 20 years
Classification
- OrderLamiales
- FamilyGesneriaceae
- GenusColumnea
- SpeciesColumnea gloriosa
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Light Exposure: Provide bright, filtered sunlight to encourage blooms while preventing leaf scorch.
- Humidity Needs: Mist aerial stems regularly to mimic misty cloud forest conditions.
Image unavailableLook-alike Close Relative Close Relative 
Same Family (c) Ewout Knoester, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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