She’s happy now, happier than when I found her. Like many of my adventures, it started in a big box store. She was a bit shopworn and overwatered. I knew right away that she was Aeschynanthus radicans, but I’d never seen the variegated form before. I liked the look, so she came home with me.
I’ve never owned a Lipstick Plant, and I’m not sure why; maybe just lack of opportunity. She needed a little tending, better lighting, and drying out. She got all of those. I needed to do a research, and I did that. I learned that Aeschynanthus are epiphytes. I’d never heard that mentioned before. Rather ironic since I’ve gotten into epiphytes lately.
But of course there’s a catch. She’s planted in what appears to be coco peat and perlite; which is great for rooting cuttings, but lousy for raising epiphytes. So, and I haven’t told her yet, she’s getting repotted to something mostly bark. She’s going to pout and have a bit of a tantrum. She’ll look like hell for a few weeks, but then she’ll be happy again.
So we did picture day while she’s still looking good, with lots of variegation, color, and new growth. The days are still nice enough that she’ll have a good chance to recuperate before the temps start to drop and the days shorten.
I’ll keep you posted.
