Curly Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus Radicans)

Lipstick on a plant! What is the world coming to? I blame social media. Oh, it’s just a nickname? Ah, I get it. With its tubular flowers, reminiscent of a lipstick tube, the Curly Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) is the perfect plant to bring colour and intrigue into your home. And here you were thinking only Avon did that.

Aren’t these blooms just something else? Pictured here in our Pomegranate Fruit Decorative Hanging Planter.

The Curly Lipstick Plant hails from its native home in the tropics of the Malay Peninsula. The name Curly Lipstick Plant comes from the scarlet flowers that open from buds that resemble lipstick tubes. They are greatly loved as interior plants for their vivid colours and cascading stems. These plants are ideally suited for hanging planters to allow them to display their full beauty.

Environment & Temperature:

Originating from the tropics means these plants like their warmth and humidity. In warm climates, these plants can stay outside year round. However, in cooler climates, they can grow outside during the spring and summer months, but once the temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius you should move them indoors to keep them warm and toasty.

Indoors, they grow well by a bright window. If there isn’t enough light, your plant will let you know. Without enough light these plants won’t flower. If there is too much direct light, the foliage will become scorched.

You should aim to keep the air and soil temperature between 21-27 degrees Celsius. This temperature range will produce the best blooms. They also like high humidity, so give your plant a regular misting with some water.

Bright red lipstick blooms! Image from Tesselaar.

Soil & Fertiliser:

Curly Lipstick Plants enjoy a home in well-aerated soil. Using a liquid fertiliser is a good idea, but ensure that you keep the soil moist.

Watering:

Overwatering your Curly Lipstick is a no-no. Moderate watering is best. Do not soak the soil as this will lead to root-rot and potential fungal problems.

Did you know?

In the early 1900s, women’s suffragette leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Charlotte Perkins Gilman wore red lipstick to protest for the right for women to vote. As a result, “lip rouge” became a symbol of women’s emancipation.