How to Grow Hot Lips Plant
Wikimedia Commons
Hot Lips Plant
Aeschynanthus pulcher 'Hot Lips'
flowerHot Lips is a tropical trailing houseplant known for its striking two-toned flowers that resemble red lips with a white interior. It's a cultivar of the lipstick plant, prized for its dramatic blooms and cascading growth habit. This epiphytic plant thrives indoors with proper humidity and bright indirect light.
When should you plant Hot Lips Plant in your zone?
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Example Hot Lips Plant timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Hot Lips Plant
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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First Hot Lips Plant blooms
Around Aug 15≈ 120 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Hot Lips Plant dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Zones 10b-12; grown as an indoor houseplant in cooler climates
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Get my Hot Lips Plant timeline →Growth Stages
Establishment
2-4 weeksYoung plant with small leaves developing root system in new pot
Place in humid environment, maintain consistent moisture, avoid direct sun. Use bright indirect light. Avoid fertilizing for 4-6 weeks.
Vegetative Growth
6-12 weeksStems elongate with glossy, dark green leaves arranged in pairs; plant develops trailing habit
Maintain humidity above 50%, provide bright indirect light, fertilize monthly with diluted orchid fertilizer, pinch stem tips to encourage branching
Blooming
8-12 weeks (can repeat with proper conditions)Distinctive red and white tubular flowers emerge from leaf axils, resembling red lips
Maintain consistent moisture and humidity, provide 10+ hours of bright light daily to encourage blooms, avoid moving plant during flowering, deadhead spent flowers
Post-Bloom Rest
4-8 weeksFlowering slows; plant enters semi-dormant phase with reduced growth
Reduce watering slightly, lower temperatures to 60-65°F if possible, maintain humidity, provide bright light, fertilize every 6-8 weeks
Rejuvenation
2-4 weeksWith proper cool/dry period and renewed warmth, plant sends out new growth and begins next bloom cycle
Gradually increase watering, resume regular fertilizing, ensure bright light and humidity, monitor for pests after dormancy
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; isolate plant; inspect frequently and remove with alcohol-dampened cotton swab
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Increase humidity significantly, mist foliage regularly, use miticide or neem oil, improve air circulation
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Remove manually with brush, treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap, inspect leaf undersides regularly
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Allow soil surface to dry slightly between waterings, use sticky traps, improve drainage, apply sand or neem to soil surface
Uses
Ornamental Houseplant
HouseholdHot Lips is prized as a decorative indoor plant for hanging baskets, macramé hangers, and elevated shelves where its cascading vines and dramatic flowers can be fully appreciated. Its unique red-and-white blooms add tropical flair to any room. [source]
Specimen for Plant Collectors
CraftHot Lips appeals to tropical plant enthusiasts and collectors who appreciate rare orchid-like flowers and unusual cultivars. It's a conversation starter in any plant collection. [source]
Pollinator Attraction
WildlifeThe tubular red flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators in outdoor tropical settings (zones 10b-12), supporting local wildlife populations. [source]
Harvest Tips
Not harvested in traditional sense. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Cut back stems by one-third after flowering or annually to maintain shape and promote bushier growth. Propagate stem cuttings (3-4 inches) in spring; root in water or moist soil mix within 2-3 weeks.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The common name 'Lipstick Plant' refers to the flower's distinctive appearance—as you squeeze the fuzzy sepals, the red tubular flower pops out like a tube of lipstick.
- 🌱 Aeschynanthus species are epiphytes in their native tropical rainforests, naturally growing on tree branches with minimal soil, which explains their preference for well-draining orchid-like potting mixes.
- 🌱 The 'Hot Lips' cultivar is more floriferous and has more vibrant two-tone coloration than the species, making it the preferred choice for houseplant growers seeking dramatic blooms.
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