Scientific Name
Aeschynanthus pulcher (Blume) G.Don
Common Name(s)
Lipstick Plant, Red Bugle Vine, Royal Red Bugler, Basket Vine, Scarlet Basket Vine
Synonym(s)
Aeschynanthus beccarii, Aeschynanthus boschianus, Aeschynanthus javanicus, Aeschynanthus lamponga var. parvifolius, Aeschynanthus lampongus, Aeschynanthus lanceolatus, Aeschynanthus lobbianus, Aeschynanthus neesii, Aeschynanthus parvifolius, Aeschynanthus zollingeri, Trichosporum beccarii, Trichosporum javanicum, Trichosporum lampongum, Trichosporum lobbianum, Trichosporum parvifolium, Trichosporum pulchrum, Trichosporum zollingeri
Scientific Classification
Family: Gesneriaceae
Genus: Aeschynanthus
Flower
Color: Red
Bloom Time: Summer to winter
Description
Aeschynanthus pulcher is a climbing evergreen subshrub with aerial rooting stems bearing oval leaves and terminal clusters of bright red tubular flowers from summer to winter. It grows up to 32 inches (70 cm) tall. The flowers are up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) long and yellow in the throat.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 11a to 11b: from 40 °F (+4.4 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Aeschynanthus are perfect as hanging or trailing plants. They require high humidity and warmth throughout the growing season and strong (but not direct) light. After the season is over, cut the trailing stems back in preparation for another year—otherwise, it will tend toward legginess. Do not spray plants in bloom. These are perfect for a greenhouse, sunroom, or conservatory.
Repotting depends on your container choice. For hanging plants, you should repot at the beginning of every growing season. You can keep the plant in the same basket year after year, but you'll still need to refresh the soil and divide it if the plant has become too large. After that, you can pot the division up separately. If you're growing in a container, repot annually or every other year, depending on the size of the plant.
Take cuttings in the spring, when the plant resumes normal growth. To successfully root cuttings, use a rooting hormone and provide bottom heat or a covered rooting container. Take a cutting with several leaves and a length of the stem. Strip away the bottom one or two sets of leaves to expose one or two growing nodes. Dip these into rooting hormone (if you're using it), then bury the cutting and the exposed nodes into a clean potting mix.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Aeschynanthus.
Origin
This species is native to Java.
Links
- Back to genus Aeschynanthus
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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