If you happen to’re in search of tropical vegetation so as to add to your indoor houseplant assortment, then look no additional than lipstick plant. The lipstick plant, Aeschynanthus radicans, obtained its title as a result of its vibrant crimson tubular flowers develop from darkish purple-red buds that resemble a tube of lipstick.
Additionally it is also known as lipstick vine due to its sprawling progress behavior. Some even seek advice from it as basket vine as a result of it additionally appears to be like beautiful in a dangling basket!
Lipstick plant care can also be comparatively straightforward, which makes them an awesome alternative for newbie houseplant growers. Add to that the truth that it’s also non-toxic to people and pets, making it a protected addition to houses with critters and youngsters.
This evergreen succulent plant will add a pop of coloration to your indoor house with its stunning crimson flowers. Lipstick plant flowers profusely, given the appropriate rising circumstances.
Develop lipstick vegetation when you’d like so as to add year-round curiosity to your houseplant assortment. Its tubular flower form makes it a singular addition, and it could add top and visible curiosity to your indoor vegetation when grown in a dangling basket. Though it grows as a vine, it may also be pruned and saved bushy when you don’t fairly have the house for hanging planters.
Fast Care Information
| Frequent Title | Lipstick plant, Lipstick vine, Twisted lipstick plant, Rasta lipstick plant, Basket vine |
| Scientific Title | Aeschynanthus radicans |
| Household | Gesneriaceae or Gesneriad household |
| Top & Unfold | 3-4 inches tall and 2-3 ft extensive |
| Mild | Medium to vibrant oblique gentle |
| Soil | Thoroughly-draining impartial to alkaline potting combine |
| Water | Water usually, sufficient to maintain the soil moist, however not waterlogged |
| Pests & Ailments | Aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, leaf spot, root rot |
All About The Lipstick Plant
Lipstick plant, Aeschynanthus radicans, showcases vibrant crimson flowers and darkish inexperienced leaves. The leaves resemble succulent leaves, and they’re thick, leathery, and shiny. The flowers kind atop terminal buds and will be pruned again or deadheaded to encourage additional blooms.
This tropical plant originates from the Malay Peninsula, which consists of Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. This tropical evergreen is a perennial in its native habitat. It may be grown in USDA zones 11-12 as such. In all different zones, it is going to be an indoor houseplant.
There are nicely over 100 totally different species of lipstick vegetation, however there are only some that you just’re more likely to encounter at your native nursery. Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Mona Lisa’ is one among these frequent lipstick plant varieties. Mona Lisa has the trademark crimson flowers however with orange-yellow throats.
Different lipstick plant varieties like Aeschynanthus micranthus “Variegata” mini is a variegated cultivar that gives medium inexperienced leaves spattered with golden-yellow variegation. Some have purple flowers, and a few varieties even have curly leaves!
Lipstick Plant Care
Lipstick plant care is comparatively straightforward. Nonetheless, being a tropical plant means they do have particular humidity necessities. Learn on for our lipstick plant care suggestions!
Solar and Temperature
Lipstick vegetation do greatest in vibrant oblique gentle, which is simple to attain indoors by inserting them in a close-by sunny window that receives 6-8 hours of vibrant gentle.
Nonetheless, when you occur to be rising lipstick vegetation outdoor, otherwise you place them outdoor for a part of the rising season, then be sure you choose a spot that avoids direct daylight.
A vibrant location with partial shade or dappled daylight is good. It is not going to tolerate full shade. Lipstick vegetation can reliably be grown outdoor year-round in USDA zone 11-12. All different zones will probably be rising lipstick vegetation as indoor houseplants or indoors at the least part-time.
Its perfect temperature vary is between 65-85 levels Fahrenheit (18 to 29 levels Celcius). For that reason, it can not deal with frost and is delicate to cooler temperatures.
In case your space receives temperatures beneath 50 levels Fahrenheit (10 levels Celsius), then it’s going to both should be introduced indoors or supplied some safety inside an area like a greenhouse or a shed.
If temperatures usually attain beneath freezing in your space, it ought to be introduced inside the home or heated greenhouse. Beneath regular circumstances, the lipstick plant showcases stunning inexperienced leaves. If the leaves start to show darkish crimson, then this could be a signal that the air temperature is just too chilly.
Air and soil temperatures additionally have an effect on the bloom time of this plant. Soil temperatures should be at a minimal of 70-80 levels Fahrenheit (21 to 27 levels Celcius) for correct blooming.
Water and Humidity
Lipstick vegetation require common watering and prefer to be saved moist however not waterlogged. It’s a good suggestion to maintain these vegetation in pots manufactured from a porous materials like terracotta in order that water can evaporate simply. Terracotta may even forestall standing water and potential fungal points.
Through the rising season, you’ll need to water your plant as soon as per week when the highest few inches of soil have dried out. Within the winter months, you possibly can again off on watering as soon as each few weeks however keep on with the identical rule of ready for the highest few inches of soil to dry out between waterings.
Water on the base of the plant on the soil degree with a watering can that has a skinny spout with a view to forestall splash again onto the foliage.
Rising lipstick vegetation require supplemental humidity when they’re grown as indoor vegetation, as most homes don’t provide it with the degrees at which it’s happiest. This tropical plant loves excessive humidity, round 50% or larger, which will be achieved by common misting with a twig bottle.
Different choices embody inserting a pebble tray crammed with water on the base of your plant. The water will evaporate and create a damp atmosphere. You may additionally select to make use of a humidifier made particularly for indoor houseplants.
Soil
As talked about above, lipstick vegetation don’t like waterlogged soil or standing water. For that reason, it’s essential to pick a potting combine that gives satisfactory drainage. You might select so as to add perlite to your potting soil to assist enhance drainage.
Whenever you’re rising lipstick vegetation as hanging vegetation in a dangling basket, ensure that the basket gives good drainage as nicely since some hanging baskets are made with out drainage holes or a drip tray hooked up to the underside.
Lipstick vegetation will not be significantly choosy about potting soil pH however favor impartial to alkaline soil.
Fertilizing the Lipstick plant
Lipstick vegetation can profit from being fertilized in spring and summer time to encourage extra blooms. A slow-release fertilizer like a common houseplant fertilizer is really useful for this function.
Make sure you observe the instructions on the again of the bundle for software energy and frequency. A balanced fertilizer is your greatest wager since a fertilizer excessive in nitrogen will enhance foliar progress on the expense of the flowers.
Pruning
Lipstick plant is called a prolific bloomer and can also be known as the lipstick vine for a motive! This plant will sprawl and hold out of your planter if not saved in examine with common pruning.
Prune again scraggly vines to advertise bushier progress, or let it sprawl — it’s as much as you! They do, nevertheless, profit from deadheading spent flowers with a view to encourage extra buds.
As soon as flowering has accomplished, prune the plant again to a top of 6 inches, and this may encourage new wholesome progress. It’s going to additionally promote one other spherical of flowers.
Pruning this manner ensures that your lipstick plant will put out additional blooms. As with most indoor houseplants, it’s all the time a good suggestion to prune again useless or dying foliage.
Lipstick Plant Propagation
One other good thing about rising lipstick vegetation is that you may propagate them from stem cuttings, supplying you with an infinite provide of recent vegetation! Take a chopping just under a leaf node. Place cuttings right into a glass of water, and some weeks later, they may kind roots.
You possibly can dip the stem cuttings right into a rooting hormone to hurry this course of, however this isn’t completely obligatory. As soon as your cuttings have established roots, then you possibly can place your new plant into the potting medium of your alternative and water it usually till it begins to placed on new progress.
Repotting Lipstick Vegetation
Aeschynanthus radicans can profit from repotting each 2-3 years. This is a vital side of lipstick plant care. If you happen to discover your plant is sluggish to develop with lackluster blooms and has grown bigger than its container, then it could be time to contemplate repotting.
The perfect time of yr to repot is after your plant has completed blooming for the yr, both through the fall or winter.
Improve the pot measurement slowly, going 1-2 inches bigger than the present pot measurement. This can make it easier to keep away from rising issues attributable to an excessive amount of water by not having further soil to water with a view to maintain the entire pot moist.
Troubleshooting
With correct lipstick plant care, your plant will thrive! Following the steering talked about above is a good begin, however there are some points that may pop up. Now that we’ve mentioned lipstick plant care suggestions let’s cowl some points chances are you’ll face when caring for them.
Rising Issues
The commonest rising drawback that happens throughout lipstick plant care is straight associated to the plant receiving an excessive amount of direct daylight.
In case your plant begins dropping leaves or leaves seem scorched, then this is likely to be an indication that it’s receiving an excessive amount of vibrant gentle. Transfer your plant to an space with partial shade or oblique gentle. If the leaf drop subsides, you then’ve discovered the best lighting circumstances.
Conversely, in case your plant struggles to provide its signature vibrant crimson flowers and progress seems to be sluggish and lackluster, which may be an indication that it isn’t receiving satisfactory gentle. Transfer your plant to a brighter location to make sure it receives sufficient gentle and correct care.
Pests
Lipstick plant, Aeschynanthus radicans, can endure from a number of pest issues, together with spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs. Aphids will be eliminated with a forceful spray of water or wiped away with a moist fabric. In a extra superior aphid infestation, neem oil could be a helpful therapy.
If you happen to discover pale lipstick plant leaves and a cottony or webby mass on the underside of the leaves, then this can be an indication of a mealybug infestation. Insecticidal cleaning soap can be utilized to deal with an infestation.
Spider mites are the commonest concern for many indoor houseplants. They like a heat, dry atmosphere with low humidity. An excellent preventative technique is to extend humidity round your houseplants. The primary indicators of mites can be tiny holes within the leaves or small yellowish spots on the foliage. You might even discover tiny internet clusters on the leaves as nicely.
If mites have already appeared, however there’s little to no harm to the plant, then they’ll probably be manually eliminated with a forceful spray of water or wiping down your vegetation with a moist fabric. If the infestation is extra severe, then insecticidal cleaning soap or natural pesticides containing pyrethrins will be efficient at eliminating all these mites.
Ailments
Lipstick vegetation which might be saved in overly moist, soggy soil are susceptible to fungal issues comparable to root rot. Root rot is the primary illness that may have an effect on your vegetation. The signs of rot will seem as a comfortable mushy stem, wilting, leaf drop, and naturally, rotten roots.
Any such rot is tougher to get better from however will be remedied if there are nonetheless contemporary, white roots on the plant that haven’t but turned to mush. Reduce the rotted roots and plant them right into a pot of dry soil.
Leaf spot seems as nicely, spots on the leaves. That is one other fungal illness, and preventative measure is to water close to the bottom of your plant and keep away from wetting the foliage. This illness will be managed with neem oil, or in additional superior circumstances, it may be handled with liquid fungicides.
At all times observe the appliance directions on the again of the bundle. Leaf spot will be unfold to different vegetation, so in very superior circumstances, it’s greatest to take away and destroy the contaminated plant reasonably than lose extra of your houseplants.
Regularly Requested Questions
Q: Does lipstick plant want daylight?
A: Sure, but it surely does greatest with filtered daylight reasonably than direct solar.
Q: How usually does a lipstick plant bloom?
A: Lipstick vegetation usually bloom late summer time into early fall, however once they’re grown indoors, they’ll bloom at any time of the yr.
Q: Is a lipstick plant toxic?
A: Lipstick vegetation will not be poisonous to people or pets.
Q: How lengthy do lipstick vegetation final?
A: Lipstick vegetation are thought of to be evergreen perennials of their native habitat and can final for a number of years below perfect rising circumstances.
Q: Do lipstick vegetation prefer to be misted?
A: Since this plant is native to humid tropical areas, it does profit from common misting. Nonetheless, this ought to be achieved early within the day to permit loads of time for the foliage to dry with a view to keep away from sure fungal issues.
Q: How do you make a lipstick plant bushy?
A: Prune the plant again proper after blooming. Prune stems again to a top of 6 inches with a view to encourage bushy progress.
Q: Is a lipstick plant a succulent?
A: Sure, it’s a small evergreen succulent plant.
Q: Must you deadhead lipstick plant?
A: Sure, deadheading spent blooms will encourage extra flower buds and bushier progress.
