Polly

Aeschynanthus Pink polka

Lipstick plant

• 
  Bright light
• 
  Easy care

• Polly likes...
  • 
    Light watering

    Give her a drink when the top two inches of her soil feel dry. She likes her soil lightly moist, but not soggy.

  • 
    Medium light

    She grows best in conditions where the light is bright but indirect, i.e. not direct sun. She won’t do well in shade.

  • 
    Humidity

    She’s from the tropics so she loves a moist environment. Mist her every few days, or give her a home in the bathroom.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Aeschynanthus 'pink polka'

  Nickname

  Lipstick plant

  Plant type

  Indoor hanging plant

  Air purifying

  Yes

  Plant height

  25-35cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Yes

  Nursery pot size

  15cm

• About lipstick plants

  The lipstick plants, or aeschynanthus, is found in steamy forests across the eastern hemisphere. There are over 150 different species, most of them epiphytes, which means they grow in nooks on trees or rocks, rather than on the ground.

  Keep its soil lightly moist and give it a regular squirt with a mister. It’s also a good idea to feed it once per month in spring and summer. This plant is a beauty, whether it’s a hanging plant or cascading its bright green leaves from a high shelf.

  Did you know?

  Most lipstick plants are pollinated not by bees but by stunning sunbirds. You don’t get a lot of sunbirds in the wild in Britain, sadly.