Plant Care Fishwort

Fishwort

About Fishwort

Chameleon Plant is an aggressive groundcover with a creeping habit that spreads by rhizomes. It grows one to two feet in height and can spread along the ground as it grows. It is very shade tolerant but not drought-tolerant. It prefers moist soil to shallow water (1-2 in)

Taxonomy

Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia
Saururaceae
Piperales

Also known as

Fish mint, Fish leaf, Rainbow plant, Chameleon plant, Heart leaf, Fish wort, Chinese lizard tail and Bishop's weed

How to care for Fishwort

Water

How often to water your Fishwort

Water needs for Fishwort
0.5 cups
every 9

Fishwort needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Fishwort

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
Light

Check the growing potential in your area

A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for Fishwort in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Fishwort: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Fishwort love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Fishwort does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Fishwort in your home 🏡.

Nutrients

How to fertilize Fishwort

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Fishwort: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Fishwort after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

FAQs
Difficulty Level

Fishwort can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!


Water Needs
Sunlight Needs
Toxicity
Soil
Fertilizer
Growth Pattern
Growing Outdoors
Propagation

Care Summary for Fishwort

Fishwort

Fishwort


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

Trending in your area

Similar to Fishwort

Discover rare plants

This plant is popular in