Lipstick Plant
It seems that millions of people have heard of, and owned, a lipstick plant. Named so for the shape and coloring of its impressive blooms, the lipstick plant is a parasite plant, one of the few climbing and hanging tropical plants who does not use its host trees for nutrition. Originally cultivated on the Malaysian Peninsula, this tropical beauty has become a firm favorite for indoor plant owners as well as for those who live in temperate climates that will support the growth of it outdoors. In southern Florida, for instance, it is more common to find these tropical epiphytes dangling from porch awnings and patio covers. In Wisconsin, you will be far more apt to see one from the safety of a garden window indoors.
The lipstick plant needs plenty of drainage for its root structure to work properly, and this will most readily consist of two parts peat moss to one part sand. Their native growth source is the decomposing organic materials on the tropical forest floor, and this mixture will most closely resemble the nutrients and binding qualities found there. The flowering season for the lipstick plant is quite generous, running for about four months under favorable conditions. This is most apt to happen between the months of May and August, giving oodles of color and character to its surroundings. Happening in clusters, the blooms of the lipstick plant are long and tubular with vibrant pink to red color.
Aeschynanthus radicans, aka the lipstick plant, can be easily started with fresh cuttings, and this is the most popular method of cultivation and growth. The cuttings should come just after the flowering season is over, and you will want to clip from a very health hanging stalk. You will only need about three inches from the plant to begin a new one, but be sure that your interior temperature will remain above 72 degrees Fahrenheit for a duration of 4 months or more. The cuttings can be started in the same peat moss and sand mixture, but preferably in a separate pot. The adult lipstick plant will require far less water during the restful winter months than will the fresh cutting.
Be sure to monitor your new growth on a regular basis for the first couple of months, and try to keep an eye out for signs of wilt or rot. If you don’t get a good result the first time, try again, as the lipstick plant is well worth the added effort. Once a new shoot begins from your new cutting you are pretty much home free. Be sure to keep your lipsticks in full sun while avoiding too much direct sun.