Lipstick Plant

These lipstick plants (Aeschynanthus ‘Mona Lisa’) or lipstick vines have waxy leaves and dramatic and unsually shaped flowers – hence their name. In their natural environment they grow like orchids in trees in tropical rainforests so they like a warm bright spot but not too much direct sunlight. A west or east facing windowsill is ideal and a warm, moist room like a bathroom or kitchen is perfect. Your lipstick vine will not need a huge amount of water but do try water when the top of the soil is dry and aim to keep the soil damp (never stand your plant in water). You will notice it will dry out much more quickly in the summer and need very little water in the winter. They have recently been repotted so won’t need repotting again now until next spring. Over time your lipstick plant will grow on producing long trailing vines and flushes of dramatic flowers. If it gets a bit big or leggy you can prune it back after it’s finished flowering to keep it neat. Use sharp secateurs or scissors and cut just above a leaf joint or axil. You can trim off up to a third of the plant at any time and a good trim will stimulate a fresh flush of new blooms. These plants are generally are pretty resistant to neglect. However, if your plant does start looking sorry for itself or if the leaves start to go yellow, pull off any dead or soft leaves and move to a sunnier position. Dark brown leaves or leaf edges can be a sign of under watering so try watering more regularly. On the flip side, mould at the base or the bottom of the leaves is a sign of over watering or too damp a position, so try a sunnier, airier room and let it dry out for a good week or two before watering. For more information about your Lipstick plant or our other gift plants visit www.plants4presents.co.uk or call 01825 721162