Making a difference: The Lipstick Plant

I found this to be an interesting little article:

Making a difference: The Lipstick Plant

By Anne Moore
November 25, 2008 6:00 AM

Q. What is the difference between a trailing vine and poison ivy?

A. Lipstick!

Another definition, as if we needed one! But while the subject is fresh in our minds, let's take a look at a favorite plant that lives up to its name.

Once in a while in giving a common name to a plant, we run across one that is so perfectly obvious that nothing else will do. It's all here. The bright red two-inch flowers (the lipstick) grow out of a dark red, almost brown, calyx (the tube), and look for all the world just like the lipstick looks when you have twisted it upward and are ready to apply it.

As long as the flowers are in bud, they retain the smooth oval rounded shape of a lipstick. Once the bud opens, however, the several petals form a trumpet shape and the long stigma emerges. This gives the flowers a different and very dramatic appearance, but the bright red color remains.

The Lipstick Plant, Aeschynanthus, is one of a large family of plants, the gesneriads, many of which are among our most popular and decorative houseplants. Unlike most plant families that originate from similar climate zones, gesneriads are found in moist, warm tropics as well as high, cold and dry regions. Some are epiphytes from the Greek EPI "on" or "upon" and Phyte "plant," which means that, in their native habitats, they grow on or upon other plants as opposed to growing in soil. Think of bromeliads up in the tropical forest canopy as a good example of epiphytes.

Other gesneriads are lithophytes from the Greek Litho "stone" and Phyte "plant," which means that they are found growing on rocks. In both cases, the growth habit is to facilitate the plants' need for brighter light and better nourishment than they would find on the forest floor. But it does not mean that they live off their host in the sense that they take nourishment from it as would a parasite, from the Greek Para "beside" and Sitos "food," or "one who sits next to his host and steals his food!"

A little Greek can be a dangerous thing! The point to be made is that these plants already have exhibited a high degree of independence in their evolution, which means that they can be housetrained to live happily with us in pots.

As always, we have a choice of family members. One original popular species, A. Hildebrandii, produces flaming orange flowers on a more upright plant. There are other species with slight degrees of variation in form and foliage, but all produce brightly colored flowers.

Q. What happens when you take away the lipstick?

A. It's still a lovely plant!

Deadheading helps keep the plant in bloom. But even when the flowers fade, the long, trailing stems with their small opposite leaves give the plants a delicate, chain-like appearance that make them very attractive foliage plants, especially in hanging pots or baskets.

Lipstick plants originated in the humid tropical regions of Malaysia and Java, giving us a good clue to their care in our homes. Like most epiphytes, the Lipstick Plant requires growing conditions that provide bright light combined with well-drained soil that is allowed to dry out somewhat between waterings.

Gesneriads' number one requirement is strong, bright light but not scorching sunlight. For maximum bloom, they require 12 to 14 hours of bright light each day, which can present a bit of a problem during the winter. You can place them in a south-facing window with a little shade, or in an unshaded east or west window, but they will do better with the addition of some artificial light and are good candidates for growing under lights.

If you have a grow-light stand, or a single grow-light bulb, place the plant directly under it for an even longer period, 14 to 16 hours per day. Or use fluorescent lights, one cool white and one warm white flourescent tube together in a 4-ft. stand. Inadequate light will result in slow growth and weak bloom.

Maintain the soil at an evenly moist level using tepid water and avoid getting water on the leaves. These plants do not like chlorine or salts in their water. Use collected rain water or distilled water if you can, or allow your watering pot to sit uncovered overnight, which eliminates those additives.

These plants like humidity. Feed them with ¼ strength balanced fertilizer each time you water, or ½ strength once every two weeks, when they are growing actively and/or in bloom. Although they do not like drafts, they do appreciate good air circulation. And they like it warm — normal home temperatures of 70 -75 degree during the day, with a 10 degree drop at night, are fine. When it comes to care they pair well with their cousins, African violets.

After flowering, prune back the stem ends to prevent the plant from getting straggly and to promote new growth. Root up the stem ends as cuttings and repot to increase your collection. Prepared soil mixes for African violets work well, or mix your own soil at a ratio of 1 part packaged potting soil, to 2 parts peat moss, to 1 part each of builders' sand (not beach sand) and perlite. A "soilless" mix of one-third each perlite, vermiculite and peat moss with a bit of lime would do as well.

Your Aeschynanthus will love to go outdoors in the summer, hanging from branches of a tree in bright light or dappled shade. It won't be lonely ...

Q. What is the difference between a well-fed hummingbird and a hungry one?

A. The Lipstick Plant.

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