Nematanthus 'Dibley's Gold' - 'Mini' Plants for Miniature Gardens

Nematanthus 'Dibley's Gold'

 Eighth in a series,


Common name:  Variegated Goldfish Plant

Botanical name:  Nematanthus gregarius ‘Dibley’s Gold’

Height: 5”  Width:  4”  Form:  Trailing

  Why would you want it?


      It is very classy.  Nematanthus ‘Dibley’s Gold’ is a mutation from the plain green species, gregarius.  Seldom seen in commercial horticultural because of its long production time.


What is its best feature?


      N. Dibley’s Gold’ has shiny leaves and variegated green and yellow foliage.


How would you grow it? 


      It can be grown in very bright light as a hanging basket but could maintain itself in lower light as a houseplant.


What would you do with it in a Miniature Garden?
      Category:  Shrub/bush


      ‘Dibley’s Gold’ could represent a decorative shrub when grown as multiple tip cuttings.  An older plant with more length would be arching.  Because it is slow growing, it will hold its place for a long time.

'Dibley's Gold' is a well kept secret.

Nematanthus 'Dibley's Gold' - Original plant - 3 years old

Story # 105,


‘Dibley’s Gold’ is a well kept secret.


      Nematanthus ‘Dibley’s Gold’ is a very attractive foliage plant.  Having naturally shiny leaves and yellow variegation on dark green, it stands out among other more subtle greens.


      I can’t find the history so I will just give credit to Dibley’s Greenhouse in North Wales, U.K., for discovering a mutation of Nematanthus gregarius and propagating it for distribution.


      All of my stock plants came from a rooted cutting by Quentin Schlieder, on the sales table of our Delaware African Violet and Gesneriad Society meeting.


      That original plant has had many trimmings for tip cuttings over the last several years and has been my reliable specimen plant to enter in shows.  It always looks good.  267 pots have been sold.  Why such a low number?  That’s all that I could ever produce.


      After the third year, I got a few orange candy corn flowers but you don’t really need them.


      I don’t see it in commercial production, probably because of its slow growth.


      But ‘Dibley’s Gold’ is worth having ---- a very easy houseplant.