Aeschynanthus Rasta unusual twisting house plant. Lipstick plant

This is an unusual house plant which looks great in a hanging basket. Aeschynanthus 'Rasta' is also known as the lipstick plant because of its red flowers that look very much like a lipstick when they are first emerging. This particular variety has larger leaves that the closely related A. 'Twister', and the larger leaves therefore produce bigger curls. It has been cultivated to form more interesting leaves than the naturally occuring rainforst ephiphyte, therefore this is a plant that doesn't appear in the wild. It is known as a lipstick plant because the red flowers emerge from a dark tube, looking rather like a stick of lipstick!

• Aeschynanthus 'Rasta' has a compact growth and doubly curled, fleshy foliage
• If given enough heat (it likes night-time heat as well as day-time), it will eventually produce red tufts of flowers at the end of the stems.
• The flowers unfold in groups of 8 to 12 on the same piece of foliage, making a good visual impact.
• Use Aeschynanthus in a hanging basket or in a tall vase where the foliage can spread and flow downwards.
• The trailing stems can reach up to 60cm long.
• These plants have trailing stems that are approximately 35-40cm at the moment and come in a hanging pot that is 15cm in diameter.
• This originates from a rainforest-dewelling epiphyte so it likes dappled light and regular watering.
• Use rainwater or filtered water rather than tap water.
• Do not allow it to sit in water.
• Mist the foliage with water regularly, or keep in a bathroom/kitchen setting.