In May of 2024 I was given a gift certificate to our local nursery, and in June, just in time for Shavuot I purchased, among other things, a lovely lipstick plant, not in bloom. Blooming houseplants are generally sold when in bloom or with buds, since most folks don't know all that much about plants, but this one was apparently left over from that period, and waiting for me! I was looking for something to hang in the shade of our front entry porch, and this fit the bill. I did realize that I would have to bring the plant indoors once the temperatures dipped, but little did I know that we'd be treated to a very stunning winter bloom, with tiny buds forming at the beginning of what is now a four month period, with more buds left to develop while the initial blooms have dropped. And I am surely not complaining about the lovely burst of color in my living room!
The Lipstick Pant, Aeschynanthus radicans originates from the southeast Asia tropics, where it grows as an epiphytic plant, growing in trees and on other plants as part of a symbiotic relationship. Because of this, the plant thrives when planted in an airy mix of potting soil and sphagnum moss or in a very coarse potting mix, like one made for orchids. That said, my plant arrived from the nursery in regular houseplant potting soil, but if I repot it, I will surely keep this in mind. Also another wonderful thing about lipstick plant is propogation from stem cuttings, which one takes after the bloom and which also keeps the plant from getting too leggy, stay tuned for that! But first lets learn how to take care of this glorious plant!
