Care Guide; Aeschynanthus aka the Lipstick Plant
Aeschynanthus is a member of the Gesneriaceae family and can be found natively growing in the tropical rainforests of southeast Asia.
There are over 150 members of this epithetic genus which are commonly referred to as Lipstick Plans’ due to their unique blooms which resemble lipstick tubes. Their long-lasting flowers can appear in clusters of red, pink, and even orange flowers throughout the spring, summer and even autumn if kept in the right conditions.
Lipstick Plants are renowned for their bushy cascading stems and unique flower shapes. The main differences between varieties are their leaf shapes and patterns. Some varieties such as the Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Rasta’ boast curled green leaves whilst others, like the Aeschynanthus marmoratus, are favoured for their purple speckled leaves.
How to care for Aeschynanthus in the UK
Aeschynanthus thrive in bright, indirect light and prefer to be kept in a highly humid environment. To create humidity in the home, mist your plant with water in a spray bottle frequently throughout the week, or place your plant on a pebble tray. Water when the top inch of soil has dried out. This usually means watering every 7 to 10 days in the spring and summer and every 10 to 14 days in the autumn and winter. Avoid misting in the evening to prevent water sitting on the plant’s leaves overnight.
These plants naturally grow epiphytically on tree trunks and when kept as a potted houseplant require a loose and barky compost mix. Feed your lipstick plant with high quality general houseplant feed every two weeks during the spring and summer. Our favourite feed option is Liquid Gold Leaf. To promote future blooms, prune back around 15cm of stem once the plant's flowering period is complete. It is always important to prune back your plants with clean, sharp scissors or secateurs such as the Niwaki Forged Snips. This genus usually requires repotting every 2 to 3 years. To check if your plant is ready to go a pot size up look for roots growing out drainage holes or densely spiralling in the plastic pot. These plants naturally grow without soil so avoid using basic houseplant mixes as this can easily lead to root rot. Instead create a mix of 60% Soil.Ninja Base Mix, 20% Bark and 20% Sand to ensure your plants roots have the correct amount of drainage and aeration. When repotting, always choose a pot with a drainage hole such as plastic growing pots and around 5cm larger than its current pot. These pots can then be hidden inside decorative pots and removed for watering.
Tips and Tricks to growing Aeschynanthus in the UK
Why is my plant dropping lots of leaves?
Leaf drop can in Lipstick Plants if it is placed in a particularly draughty spot near a doorway or window. Moving the plant into a warmer spot should stop this from happening.
Why is my plant not flowering?
If Lipstick Plants are kept in lower light levels or do not receive enough nutrients from feeding in the spring and summer, the plant will produce unimpressive blooms. Therefore, try moving your plant into a brighter spot out of direct light and feed every 2 weeks in the spring and summer with a high quality general houseplant feed like Liquid Gold Leaf. Pruning back stems once flowering is complete will also promote more impressive blooms over time.