Lipstick Plant

Other common names: 口红花

Lipstick plants are a hardy free-flowering epiphyte that is commonly seen growing on larger trees in rewilding areas, nature parks, in roadside gardens, and biodiversity-attracting gardens. The flowers are highly attractive to butterflies and birds. This plant is also native to Singapore and is naturally found growing along lowland dipterocarp forests and peat swamp forests.

This perennial plant is suitable for hanging baskets and can be grown as an indoor plant.

Sun and soil needs:

This plant thrives in less than 4 hours of direct sunlight or 4-8 hours of indirect sunlight. Plants do best in pots with loamy soil at least 10cm deep. These plants are vulnerable to root rot, so ensure that your soil consist of 50% chunky organic matter like cocochips or cococoir to let the roots breathe.

This plant can also be grown on trees. Bundle the root ball in loamy soil with plenty of chunky organic matter, and wrap the soil and roots in a cocofibre mat to be lashed to a branch.

This plant is highly drought tolerant but will not survive waterlogging. It is best to let the soil dry out before misting or watering.

Growing:

Lipstick plants are steady growers and generally does not need fertilizing. Regular pruning will promote bushiness and flowering, and will keep the plant healthy and neat.

Propagation:

Lipstick plants can be grown from stem cuttings rooted in organic soil amendments like coco coir.

Common problems & solutions:

This plant is relatively resistant to pests and disease if kept healthy.

This plant is prone to burning if exposed to too much sunlight. Grow it in a shadier spot with indirect sunlight to prevent this.