Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) care

Begonias & violets · straightforward to keep

Last updated 26 October 2026

Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) wants bright indirect light; a little morning sun helps it flower. Water it every 6 days. Let the top few centimetres dry, then water thoroughly. It is an epiphyte and hates soggy roots. Pot it in a light, airy mix — compost with orchid bark and perlite. A high-phosphorus African violet feed at quarter strength with most waterings while in flower, and repot once a year. Humidity: above 50%. Not on the ASPCA's list itself, only its relatives, so we don't call it pet-safe.

The lipstick plant: trailing stems of glossy, dark leaves ending in clusters of red, tubular flowers that push out of dark calyces like lipstick from its tube. A gesneriad, related to African violets, that grows on trees in the wild.

Quick facts

Water: Water every 6 days. Let the top few centimetres dry, then water thoroughly. It is an epiphyte and hates soggy roots.
Light: Bright indirect light; a little morning sun helps it flower.
Humidity: Above 50%.
Soil: A light, airy mix — compost with orchid bark and perlite.
Feeding: A high-phosphorus African violet feed at quarter strength with most waterings while in flower.
Repotting: Repot once a year.
Toxic to pets: Not on the ASPCA's list itself, only its relatives, so we don't call it pet-safe. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews. The ASPCA does not list Aeschynanthus radicans itself, but lists a relative, Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus humilis), as non-toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026).
Difficulty: Straightforward.
Mature size: Trailing stems to 60–90 cm.
Native to: Southeast Asia.

Watering a Lipstick plant

Water every 6 days. Let the top few centimetres dry, then water thoroughly. It is an epiphyte and hates soggy roots.

That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.

Light

Bright indirect light — an east window is close to perfect. African violets flower reliably at a light level that suits an ordinary room, which is much of why they have been popular for a century.

Humidity and temperature

Above 50%. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.

Soil and potting

Compost lightened with orchid bark and perlite. In the wild it grows on trees, and its roots want air.

Feeding

A high-phosphorus African violet feed at quarter strength with most waterings while in flower. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.

Repotting

Repot once a year. Every two or three years; it flowers best a little potbound.

Common problems

No flowers
Too little light, or a pot that is too big.

Fix: Move it brighter and keep it snug in its pot; it flowers on new growth in spring and summer.
Leaves dropping
Cold, a draught, or a sudden dry spell.

Fix: Keep it above 15 °C, away from cold glass, and water more steadily.

Leaves falling off: how to read it on any plant
Long bare stems
Normal with age.

Fix: Cut the stems back by a third after flowering; it branches from below the cut.

Leggy, stretched growth: how to read it on any plant

Propagation

Stem cuttings of about 10 cm root easily in water or damp compost.

A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.

Toxicity and safety

Not on the ASPCA's list itself, only its relatives, so we don't call it pet-safe. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews.

The ASPCA does not list Aeschynanthus radicans itself, but lists a relative, Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus humilis), as non-toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026).

If your pet has eaten a plant, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Both are open around the clock and may charge a consultation fee. Take the plant or its label with you.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. We don't test plants: what we say about toxicity follows the ASPCA's published plant list as it stood on 26 October 2026, and that list can change. "Non-toxic" means not poisonous — a pet that eats enough of any plant can still vomit, and fertiliser, pesticide or leaf shine on a plant can harm it. It also only helps if the plant is what you think it is. It covers cats and dogs only; ask your vet about rabbits, birds, reptiles or anything else, and a doctor about children. Read our terms.

Every houseplant in the library the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs

Questions people ask

How often should you water a Lipstick plant?

Water every 6 days as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Aeschynanthus radicans. Let the top few centimetres dry, then water thoroughly. It is an epiphyte and hates soggy roots. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.

How much light does a Lipstick plant need?

Bright indirect light — an east window is close to perfect. African violets flower reliably at a light level that suits an ordinary room, which is much of why they have been popular for a century.

Is Lipstick plant toxic to cats and dogs?

Not on the ASPCA's list itself, only its relatives, so we don't call it pet-safe. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews. The ASPCA does not list Aeschynanthus radicans itself, but lists a relative, Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus humilis), as non-toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026). If a pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 straight away.

How do you propagate a Lipstick plant?