How to Grow and Care for Lipstick Plant

The lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) is a popular, striking, evergreen perennial, often grown as a houseplant. It gets its name from its vibrant red, tubular flowers that resemble a tube of lipstick. In its native tropical habitat, this is an epiphytic species found growing from tree branches and cracks in rocks. As a houseplant, it should be planted in a well-draining potting mix. If the plant gets enough warmth, humidity, and filtered sunlight, you'll enjoy a prolific display of flowers through much of the year, with the most abundant show in the summer and fall.

Lipstick Plant Care

Even with its impressive, tropical appearance, the lipstick plant is generally considered to be an easy-to-care-for flowering houseplant. Here are the main care requirements for growing a lipstick plant:

• Place in a position with bright, filtered light.
• Keep higher-than-average humidity levels and protection from sudden temperature changes.
• Maintain consistent moisture in the growing season while being mindful of the plant's sensitivity to overwatering.
• Use a loose, well-draining potting mix.
• Feed regularly with diluted fertilizer in the growing season.
  

Light

Lipstick plants need bright but filtered light to thrive. Too much direct sunlight can cause leaf scorch, and too little will result in a poor display of flowering and leaf drop.

Soil

In their native damp and tropical regions, these plants typically grow in an almost soil-free environment, often rooting onto branches or rock crevices. Heavy potting soil can cause root rot to develop.

Potted lipstick plants will benefit from being grown in a medium that is well-aerated, evenly moist, and light. Many enthusiasts include sand and sphagnum moss in their mix to help ensure good drainage, prevent over-compaction, and promote absorbency.

Water

Although lipstick plants like consistent moisture, particularly during their most prolific growing period, overwatering and saturated conditions can lead toroot rot, leaf drop, and fungal issues.

Moderate watering is best. Ideally, you want to avoid allowing the potting medium to dry out completely and offer water when the top couple of inches are no longer damp.

Temperature and Humidity

Ideal temperatures for healthy blooming lipstick plants range somewhere between 65°F and 75°F. Temperatures that fall below 50°F aren't ideal, and leaf drop will usually start to occur. As a tropical species, it appreciates warmth and high humidity; regular misting is recommended to keep the plant healthy. Misting should be done in the morning to discourage fungal leaf spot diseases.

Sudden changes in temperatures and drafts are problematic, too. So it's best not to sit your lipstick plant beside outer doors, drafty windows, or air conditioning vents.

Fertilizer

Your lipstick plant will appreciate regular (once or twice a month) applications of a slow-release fertilizer during the growing season.

Types of Lipstick Plant

Given the lipstick plant's popularity, it's not surprising that several cultivars have been developed. Some of the most widely available include:

• Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Curly’: The leaves on this cultivar are wavy rather than smooth in appearance, meaning it stands out from the crowd.
• Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Mona Lisa’: Known for having a distinctive orange-red shade of flowers rather than the vibrant red of a traditional lipstick plant.
• Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Variegata’: The green leaves of this cultivar are variegated with yellow, white, or cream.
• Aeschynanthus radicans 'Tangerine': This cultivar is unique for its yellow-orange flowers.
• Aeschynanthus radicans 'Rasta': This variety has densely curled leaves. The bright red flowers bloom most prolifically in late summer and early fall.
• Aeschynanthus longicaulis ‘Black Pagoda’: Perfect for hanging in baskets, this variety has bright orange blooms that flower in late winter and early spring.
  

Pruning

Pruning the cascading stems keeps the plant from looking straggly. It also helps to encourage new, healthy growth. Using clean scissors or shears, you can remove as much as 1/3 of each vine.

Propagating Lipstick Plants

These plants are easy to propagate from soft stem cuttings at any time of year. Here's how to do it:

1. Look for healthy, new growth and cut a piece around 5 inches long, using sharp pruners. Choose a section without any blooms on it, and all but a few leaves should be removed.
2. Dip the cut end in powdered rooting hormone.
3. Plant the cutting in a pot containing a mix of vermiculite and perlite.
4. Keep the container lightly moist until the plant cutting is rooted, which generally takes about two weeks.
5. When the cutting is solidly rooted, transplant it into a permanent pot filled with potting mix augmented with sand and sphagnum moss.

How to Grow Lipstick Plants From Seed

Although it's easier to grow these plants from cuttings, it's still possible to germinate lipstick plants from seed.

1. Sow plants in a seed starting mix.
2. The medium should only lightly cover the seeds.
3. Keep the container at a temperature of around 70°F to 75°F.
4. Seedlings should begin to germinate in around two weeks.

Potting and Repotting Lipstick Plant

Repot your lipstick plant when it becomes rootbound and outgrows its current container. Do this in early spring or after the prolific spring and summer bloom season.

Gently remove the root ball from the existing container, carefully shaking off the old potting mix. Cut off any dead roots with sterile scissors or pruning shears. Replant in a pot 1 to 2 inches larger than the old one, preferably a terra-cotta pot for breathability and good drainage, using fresh, loose, well-draining potting mix.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Lipstick plants don't usually have any major problems with pests, though occasional issues with aphids, mealybugs, and mites can occur. These are best treated with horticultural oils or by washing off the pests with a water spray.

If plants are allowed to get overly wet, they can be prone to fungal problems and leaf spot. The leaves should not be left damp, and the potting medium should be well-drained.

How to Get Lipstick Plant to Bloom

You can appreciate year-round red flowers on your lipstick plant if you offer the right care and conditions.

Bloom Months

While lipstick plants can flower year-round, provided their basic cultural needs are met, blooming is most prolific in spring and summer. Correcting deficits in any of these requirements usually returns the plant to reliable blooming.

How Long Does Lipstick Plant Bloom?

Depending on how optimal your conditions are, individual blooms can last for a few days and up to a week. The entire bloom season is fairly long and you will have a continuous display of these showy flowers for several weeks.

What Do Lipstick Plant Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The lipstick plant features vibrant red tubular flowers that appear above a burgundy bud. These flowers grow in clusters and, along with the waxy, glossy, green foliage, they have a cascading, vine-like habit. This makes them an ideal choice for use in hanging baskets or tall containers.

One thing worth noting is that the lipstick plant isn't one to select to add a fragrant aroma to your home. Although the blooms don't have a strong scent, it isn't particularly pleasant.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Cooler, drier conditions in the winter help buds set for new flowers in the spring. Pruning stems back to around 6 to 8 inches in length after flowering encourages healthy new growth and abundant new blooms.

If you're not seeing many blooms, your lipstick plant may be getting too much shade, not enough high-potassium houseplant fertilizer, or the wrong amount of water.

Caring for Lipstick Plant After It Blooms

Once the lipstick plant is finished flowering, you can prune it back substantially. Buds will form at the tips of any new stems, so you want to wait until the season is over unless your plant is particularly straggly earlier. A good trimming up will stimulate more blooms in the next season.

Deadheading Lipstick Plant Flowers

Though it's not essential to deadhead spent blooms, it can be helpful to encourage more to form quickly.

Common Problems with Lipstick Plant

Lipstick plants can usually maintain good health in the right environment. If your plant is showing any of these signs, you may need to check your light, soil, and temperature conditions and make sure they remain optimal for the plant to thrive.

Dropping Leaves

If you notice the leaves yellowing and then dropping, it may simply be too chilly. Keep this plant where the temperature will not fall below 50°F and where the soil will stay above 60°F.

Wilted Appearance

If your lipstick plant has an overall wilted look, it could be receiving too much water. Water your plant regularly, but make sure the potting soil is draining well to avoid root rot and fungal growth that will eventually kill the plant. Making sure your plant is receiving adequate light will also prevent it from drooping.

Slow Growth

If you notice your plant's growth slowing during the peak season or stopping altogether, it may be time to transition to a new container. To prevent an emergency repotting, monitor the roots regularly. If they're circling the bottom of the pot or peaking through the drainage holes, it's time to repot into a larger container.

From: thespruce