How to Grow a Lipstick Plant? The Latest Growing Methods and Points to Note
The lipstick plant, also known as lipstick vine, flower vine grass, and large red aeschynanthus, is an excellent trailing plant introduced to China in recent years. Both its flowers and leaves have high ornamental value, with a graceful plant shape, lush stems and leaves, and brilliant flower color. It can be placed on a table or desk, or hung for viewing. As a small indoor foliage and flowering plant, let us take a look together at the growing methods and points to note for the lipstick plant!
Growth Habits of the Lipstick Plant
For the lipstick plant, a loose, fertile sandy loam is best as the growing medium, and drainage must be good. The growing site must be cool and ventilated, with about 50-70% sunlight, and direct strong light should be avoided. The suitable growing temperature is about 15-25°C. It prefers a semi-shaded environment. If the light at the placement site is too strong or insufficient, the leaves will easily turn pale green or yellow-green, lose their vitality, and lose their proper ornamental value, or even wither and die. If exposed to direct sunlight and dry air, scorching is most likely to occur. Continuous high temperature and high humidity should be avoided; poor drainage and ventilation will cause rot.
⟦NL>Propagation Methods for the Lipstick Plant
The lipstick plant can be propagated by cuttings. Spring and autumn are the suitable periods. Select robust and thick branches, cut each 7-10 cm into 1 section, and insert them into loose sandy soil, or use a growing medium mixed with 50% fine tree fern fiber, 20% perlite, and 30% coarse sand. Maintain appropriate humidity, receive about 50-60% sunlight, and after about 30-40 days roots can develop and seedlings can form. After the root system grows vigorously, transplant them into pots or cultivate them in flower beds.
Growing Methods for the Lipstick Plant
1. Soil: For growing the lipstick plant, a loose and fertile sandy loam is best, and drainage must be good. For potted plants, slightly acidic soil is preferable. A potted growing medium made from peat soil, sand, and vermiculite can be used, with an appropriate amount of superphosphate added.
2. Light: The lipstick plant prefers a semi-shaded environment. Except for the strong light at noon in midsummer, which should be properly shaded, sufficient light should be given at other times, especially in winter. If the light at the placement site is too strong or insufficient, the leaves will easily turn pale green or yellow-green.
3. Temperature: The lipstick plant should be placed in a cool and ventilated place, and attention should be paid to maintaining environmental humidity. Continuous high temperature and high humidity should be avoided; poor drainage and ventilation will cause rot. It is not cold-tolerant, and in winter it needs to be brought indoors to overwinter.
4. Watering: When growing the lipstick plant, the potting soil should be kept moist regularly. Never allow water to accumulate in the pot, so as to avoid root rot. From March to September, during the peak growth period, the water requirement is relatively large, so it should be watered and misted frequently to increase humidity. As the weather gradually turns cool in autumn, gradually reduce the amount of watering and fertilizing. In winter, the potting soil should be slightly dry.
5. Pruning: When the lipstick plant grows vigorously, it can be properly pinched back to promote branching. After the flowering period in winter, the residual stems that have bloomed should be cut off in time. This can save nutrients and promote new branches, so that it produces more buds and flowers.
Points to Note When Growing the Lipstick Plant
1. After the lipstick plant is potted, keep the potting soil moist, but not overly wet. Especially when the ventilation in the pot is poor, the root system is prone to rot or leaf drop. Frequently spray water mist on the leaves to maintain air humidity at about 80%.
2. In the hot summer, the lipstick plant can be placed outdoors under a shade shed or in a ventilated place under tree shade, with about 50% shading. The lipstick plant can also be hung under a balcony frame, shaded with a bamboo curtain, or the pot can be hung on the inner side of a south-facing door or window with sufficient scattered light.
3. The lipstick plant should avoid wind blowing on its branches and vines, so that the drooping stems are not worn and broken by the rim of the flower pot. As the weather gradually turns cool in autumn, gradually reduce the amount of watering and fertilizing.
4. When caring for the lipstick plant in winter, the potting soil should be slightly dry. Apart from appropriately applying some fertilizer solution containing a little more phosphorus before budding and flowering, in general, fertilizer should be applied sparingly or not at all.