In what environment does the lipstick plant grow best?

Flowers & Gardening Jan 1, 1970 0 views

The lipstick plant, also called lipstick vine, is an evergreen climbing plant in the family Gesneriaceae and the genus Aeschynanthus, with the alternative names Huamancao and Da Hong Mang Mao Ju Tai. The lipstick vine is a fine trailing plant that was only introduced to China in recent years, and both its flowers and leaves have high ornamental value.

Alternative names of the lipstick plant (lipstick vine)

The lipstick plant, also called lipstick vine, is an evergreen climbing plant in the family Gesneriaceae and the genus Aeschynanthus, with the alternative names Huamancao and Da Hong Mang Mao Ju Tai.

The lipstick plant is native to Java, the Malay Peninsula and Borneo; in recent years, China has also begun to introduce and cultivate it.

Morphological characteristics of the lipstick plant (lipstick vine)

The lipstick plant is a perennial evergreen climbing plant with an epiphytic habit, often grown in hanging baskets. The leaves are opposite, ovate, elliptical or obovate, leathery and slightly fleshy, 4.5 cm long and 3 cm wide, with entire margins; the midrib is distinct while the lateral veins are hidden and inconspicuous. The upper leaf surface is deep green and the underside is light green.

The flowers are axillary or clustered at the tips of the stems, and the flowering period of the lipstick plant is mainly in summer. The flowers are borne in pairs at the tips of the branches on short pedicels; the corolla is red to red-orange and about 6.5 cm long. The calyx is tubular, dark purple and covered with fine hairs; only when it grows to about 2 cm does the corolla emerge from the mouth of the calyx, tubular and bright red, just like lipstick, which is how the plant got its name.

The stems hang down to about 1 m long. With its deep green leaves paired with the bright red and unusual corolla, the lipstick plant is much loved by people. It is an excellent choice among hanging flowering plants for the home.

The value of the lipstick plant (lipstick vine)

The lipstick vine is a fine trailing plant that was only introduced to China in recent years, and both its flowers and leaves have high ornamental value.

The lipstick plant has a graceful plant shape and lush stems and leaves; what is even more unusual is that the corolla is red and the calyx is tubular with dark purple fine hairs, and only when it grows to about 2 cm does the corolla emerge from the mouth of the calyx, tubular and bright red, just like lipstick, which is how it got its name.

The lipstick plant can be placed on a table or desk, or grown as a hanging plant for viewing; it is a fashionable fine choice for home flower growing.

How to grow the lipstick plant (lipstick vine)

The lipstick plant likes a warm, bright, semi-shaded environment with plenty of sunlight; although it likes sunlight, it can only take direct sunlight for at most 2-3 hours a day.

Insufficient light tends to make the branches grow leggy and makes flowering difficult; too much light turns the leaves reddish brown.

When grown indoors, it is best hung about one meter from a south-facing window, with indoor daytime temperatures kept above 24 degrees and nighttime temperatures of 18-21 degrees.

The potting soil should be loose and well aerated, and should be kept moist regularly.

After the flowering period it can be cut back hard once, leaving 15 cm, and given a light application of fertilizer.

Spring cuttings root easily. Grow indoors in pots or as a hanging plant for viewing. The plant shape is graceful, the stems and leaves are lush, and the flower colors are brilliant.

Complete guide to the types of lipstick plant (lipstick vine)

1. Aeschynanthus lobbianus: also called Da Hong Mang Mao Ju Tai and Luobu Mang Mao Ju Tai. It is a perennial climbing plant. The plant is trailing, with drooping branches and green stems. The leaves are opposite, long ovate and entire, with a deep green upper surface and a light green underside. The inflorescences are mostly axillary or terminal; the calyx is tubular, dark purple and covered with fine hairs, and the corolla is tubular, red to red-orange, emerging from the calyx. The flowering period is mainly in summer. Aeschynanthus lobbianus is native to the tropical regions from Indonesia to eastern India, and has been introduced and cultivated in China.

2. Zebra lipstick plant: the leaves are ovate, thick and fleshy, opposite, jade green in color, with regular dark red zebra stripes on the upper surface and purple markings on the underside. The flowers are small and pale yellow-green.

3. Fine-calyx lipstick plant: the leaves are jade green and glossy, and the flowers are dark red and tubular.

4. Beautiful lipstick plant: also called Cuijin lipstick plant, it is a perennial epiphytic evergreen herbaceous plant with creeping, drooping branches and fleshy opposite leaves that are ovate-lanceolate with pointed tips and short stalks. The umbel inflorescences are borne at the tips of the stems or in the leaf axils; the small flowers are tubular and curved, orange-yellow, with a green base on the corolla, and the stigma and anthers often extend beyond the corolla. The flowering period is July to September. It is native to Java and other places in Southeast Asia, and is cultivated in Taiwan, China and Guangdong, China.