How to grow lipstick plants? Understand the growing methods and precautions in one article

The lipstick plant is also known as lipstick trailing plant, flower vine grass, large red basket vine, etc. It is an excellent trailing plant introduced to China in recent years, with both flowers and leaves having high ornamental value. The plant shape is graceful, the stems and leaves are lush, and the flower colors are brilliant. It can be placed on a table or displayed as a hanging plant. As a small indoor foliage and flowering plant, let us take a look at the growing methods and precautions for the lipstick plant!

Growth habits of the lipstick plant

For lipstick plant cultivation, loose and fertile sandy loam is best, and drainage must be good. The cultivation site must be cool and ventilated, with about 50-70% sunlight, and direct strong light should be avoided. The suitable growth temperature is about 15-25°C. It likes a semi-shaded environment. If the placement site has too strong or insufficient light, the leaves will easily turn light green or yellow-green, lack vitality, lose their proper ornamental value, and may even dry up 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.

Propagation methods for the lipstick plant

The lipstick plant can be propagated by cuttings, with spring and autumn being the suitable periods. Select healthy and thick branches, cut every 7-10 cm into 1 segment, and insert them into loose sandy soil, or use a growing medium made of 50% fine tree fern fiber, 20% perlite, and 30% coarse sand. Maintain appropriate humidity and receive about 50-60% sunlight. After about 30-40 days, they can root and become seedlings. After the root system grows vigorously, transplant them into pots or flower beds for cultivation.

Growing methods for the lipstick plant

1. Soil: For lipstick plant cultivation, loose and fertile sandy loam is best, and drainage must be good. For potted soil, slightly acidic soil is preferable. A potted growing medium made of peat soil, sand, and vermiculite can be used, with an appropriate amount of superphosphate added.

2. Light: The lipstick plant likes a semi-shaded environment. Except for the strong light at noon in midsummer, which should be properly shaded, it should be given sufficient light at other times, especially in winter. If the placement site has too strong or insufficient light, the leaves will easily turn light 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: For lipstick plant cultivation, the pot soil should often remain moist, and water accumulation in the pot must be strictly avoided to prevent root rot. From March to September, during the peak growth period, the water requirement is relatively large, so it is necessary to water and spray frequently to increase humidity. In autumn, as the weather gradually turns cooler, the amount of watering and fertilizing should be gradually reduced. In winter, the pot soil should be slightly dry.

5. Pruning: When the lipstick plant grows vigorously, it can be properly pinched back to promote branching. After the winter flowering period, the remaining stems that have already flowered should be cut off in time. This can save nutrients, promote new shoots, and make it produce more buds and flowers.

Precautions for growing the lipstick plant

1. After the lipstick plant is potted, the pot soil should be kept moist, not overly wet. Especially when the pot has poor ventilation, the root system is prone to rot or leaf drop. Frequently spray water mist on the leaves and maintain air humidity at around 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. It 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 where scattered light is sufficient.

3. The lipstick plant should avoid having its branches and vines blown by the wind, so that the drooping stems are not worn and broken by the rim of the flower pot. In autumn, as the weather gradually turns cooler, the amount of watering and fertilizing should be gradually reduced.

4. When caring for the lipstick plant in winter, the pot soil should be slightly dry. Apart from properly applying some fertilizer solution containing slightly more phosphorus before budding and flowering, in general it should be fertilized little or not at all.